Legislative Requirements: Checklist For Preparing Implementation Of The Single Equality Scheme

Handout 1 Legislative requirements: checklist for preparing implementation of the Single Equality Scheme

This checklist addresses statutory requirements. Most of these requirements overlap between the required Duties, whereas others are distinct.

Table 1 Meeting the General Duties Race Disability Gender General Duty 31 May 2002 4 December 2006 6 April 2007 came into force: Requires 3 eliminate unlawful discrimination Colleges to give (including in relation due regard to to gender the need to: reassignment) eliminate unlawful harassment on the grounds of disability and gender 4 promote equality of opportunity and good relations between persons of different racial groups, disabled persons and other persons, and men and women In relation to disability:  encourage participation by disabled persons in public life  promote positive attitudes towards disabled persons  take steps to take account of disabled persons’ disabilities, even where that involves treating disabled persons more favourably than other persons Table 2 Meeting the Specific Duties Race Disability Gender 1 Develop a Race Equality Policy Disability Equality Gender Equality scheme/ policy Scheme Scheme to explain how the general and specific duties will be met: Single Equality Scheme 2Involve/consult Consult and involve Actively involve a Consult women and relevant people from minority diverse range of men. stakeholders ethnic backgrounds, disabled people, and (including staff, as implied in the include in the students, need to conduct scheme a statement visitors, trade impact assessments. of how disabled union members/ people have been officials, staff involved in its and student development. associations):

5Monitor – Monitor the Gather and use Monitor – gather, gather, analyse admission, progress information on how analyse and act on and act on data and attainment of policies and practices data and information: and information: students, and the affect gender equality educational in the workforce and opportunities in the delivery of available to them; services (including and the recruitment, education). career progress/ development and retention of staff. Race Disability Gender 6a Impact Assess the impact, or likely impact, of policies and practices on assessment: equality for staff and students. Ensure the scheme includes a statement of the College’s methods for assessing and consulting on the impact, or likely impact, of its policies and practices on equality for the relevant groups, and arrangements for monitoring policies for adverse impact.

Ensure the scheme/policy includes a statement of the institution’s arrangements for publishing the results of any impact assessment and monitoring exercises and its methods for conducting impact assessments.

6b Taking Indicate Consider the need action: arrangements for for objectives that monitoring by address any gender reference to racial pay gap. groups, admission and progress of students, and recruitment and career progress of staff.

6c Time scale Within 3 years, take steps set out in action for taking plan and put into effect arrangements made action: for gathering and making use of information.

Race Disability Gender 7a Reporting: Report annually on progress, results of information-gathering and how information has been used. 8 Reviewing: Review scheme every 3 years and revise if necessary. Regularly review effectiveness of steps set out in action plan. By December 2009 By 30 April 2010 (can be earlier) 7b Publishing: Take steps, as Publish each Publish Gender practical, to publish Disability Equality Equality Scheme results of monitoring Scheme and annual (must include gender each year. reports. equality objectives). Indicate Consider accessibility arrangements for to whole community. publishing results of impact assessment (including impact assessment of the race equality policy itself). Indicate arrangements for publishing the policy itself, which must be available to the public.

Community Cohesion 2a The College will Promote community cohesion Take measures to prevent violent extremism Enable and encourage learners to make a positive contribution to the community through their participation in community based projects and their understanding of community cohesion

NB: 5 more characteristics/strands will be added to above when the Equalities Act comes into force in October 2010. These are Age, Gender reassignment, Religion/Belief, Sexual Orientation, Marriage and Civil Partnership. Gender will remain as Sex. Included within this framework will also be culture, social class, etc.