Dear Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council

Dear Ms Whitehill,

Please find a response to your request for information relating to the Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council’s Disability Equality Scheme.

1. A copy of your current disability equality scheme

Our draft single equality scheme is due to be refreshed shortly following the remaining publication of the Equality Act 2010. Currently internal policies and processes that are in place are also being amended to be aligned to the Equality Act in particular around the protected characteristic of Disability where key changes must be applied.

Since public sector bodies are no longer required to publish Disability Equality Schemes, we in Blackburn with Darwen have agreed to devise and implement a single equality scheme. Going forward the local authority in partnership with key partners and local residents aim to develop a borough-wide equality strategy, outlining the priorities and key objectives for Blackburn with Darwen surrounding equality and diversity and community cohesion.

Currently our draft Single Equality Scheme “Working towards a Fairer Blackburn with Darwen” sets out how Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council will meet its legal duty to promote equality and focuses on:

 Ensuring that policies, functions and services are relevant, appropriate and accessible by working closely with all key stakeholders.

 Monitoring service delivery and workforce and taking action to address any issues that disadvantage minority groups through analysing workforce and service access data to identify and address any gaps.

 Work with key stakeholders and the local community to develop further action plans.

 Communicating outcomes and findings to all stakeholders through the:

o LSP Executive and LSP Board, o People and Communities Forum, o LSP Equality, Diversity and Community Cohesion Group, o Corporate Equality and Diversity Group, o Staff Diversity Networks, o Elected member Equality and Diversity Scrutiny Committee,

 Plus also continue to disseminate information through various other mechanisms which support effective communication of the Scheme.

“Working towards a Fairer Blackburn with Darwen” harmonises our existing equality policies, schemes and strategies into a single document for 20010-13 and outlines the following six strategic priority areas for achieving equality: o Service Delivery o Accessibility o Public Attitudes to Diversity o Employment o Partnerships o Consultation

As a proactive council it was best practice for us to create a dynamic policy to embed disability into the culture of the organisation and for us to have a clear, transparent and robust framework in place. Prior to “Working towards a Fairer Blackburn with Darwen” the local authority had in place the disability equality scheme which can be accessed on http://cms.intra.blackburn.gov.uk/upload/pdf/DES-BWD_BC_2006.pdf

Each directorate has service plans and carries out Equality Impact Assessment which will then help further develop action plans to improve services from the recommendations that fall out in realtion to Disability. The robust process of a joint EIA process, supported by a detailed EIA guidance and training, ensures key priorities and objectives are captured and addressed across both the local authority and the Care Trust Plus (NHS/PCT)

Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council follows the 'social model' of disability. Rather than seeing disabled people as impaired in some way, the Council recognises that it is other people, organisations and systems in society that create barriers which prevent disabled people from having a full quality of life. Disabled people are often patronised by other people and are not given the same access to the full range of services, work and social opportunities as other people. The Council is working to make sure that disabled people are not prevented from accessing our services and employment opportunities through involvement and open dialogue.

Externally some of the services that we provide are:

 Day services for disabled and older people  Occupational therapy  Rehabilitation  Sensory support services  Social care services for people with learning disabilities  Social care services for people with physical disabilities  Specialist equipment for independent living

Internally:

 To interview all applicants with a disability who meet the minimum criteria for a job vacancy and consider them on their abilities.  To ensure there is a mechanism in place to discuss, at any time, but at least once a year, with disabled employees what we and they can do to make sure they can develop and use their abilities.  To make every effort when employees identifies they have a disability to make sure they stay in employment.  To take action to ensure that all employees develop the appropriate level of disability awareness needed to make the local authority commitments work.  Each year to review what has been achieved, to plan ways to improve on them and let employees know about progress and future plans.

2) details of the steps taken to involve disabled people in Creating the scheme

Consultation and engagement was carried out with key groups including groups & individuals representing the interests of people with a disability to help create “Working towards a Fairer Blackburn with Darwen”. Consultation is always ongoing, as much as the “Working towards a Fairer Blackburn with Darwen” scheme is dynamic, as demographic needs change and legislative requirements are enhanced, it is agreed that going forward an equality strategy will offer an improved approach to addressing all equality issues including those experienced by disabled people.

Having ongoing communication with the community establishes trust and rapport which helps to overcome the barrier of “only consulting when there’s a policy to design’ perception and also firmly stamps our commitment to ensure we offer proportional and fair service to those with disabilities which is something that cannot be seen as tick box but something that has to be out into practice with staff training, events and guidance which can be achieved with support from the communities.

Community involvement is paramount; hence we have a People and Communities Forum as a key part of the LSP’s Governance model. We also regularly engage with groups through our neighborhood management boards where we have representation from individuals from different backgrounds including disability.

Review of our policies and completing EIA’s assist the council in focussing on engaging disabled people in identifying priority actions. In addition the local authority have recently embarked on establishing a ‘Disability Alliance’, which is actively working towards to challenging the local authority and health colleagues on issues and barriers to access across the borough. In addition the group also supports policy and strategy development through engagement and consultation. Similarly, we are proposing the ‘personalisation agenda is a key driver for change, hence to move the agenda forward, in October the local authority organised a community brokerage event to promote a partnership approach with voluntary groups who work closely with people with disabilities whether its physical or mental.

3) Where any body corporate (such as, for example, a charity) was Involved in the creation of the scheme, the name of the body Corporate and particulars of the extent of its involvement

In developing our overarching diversity strategy we worked with a number of equality groups, and continue to do so on key pieces of work. Groups representing the interests of people with a disability include Disabled Living, M.S society and WINGS, BADDAG (Blackburn And Darwen Disabled Access Group)

WINGS is a local group based in Blackburn (at the time of involvement were just being established) and are currently going through charity registration who offer support and arrange events for women from different backgrounds including disability, a carers group is affiliated with WINGS who have provided us assistance and information which is crucial especially in relation to the need to eliminate discrimination by association. WINGS attended the community brokerage event and are keen to be involved in further work.

Representative from the MS society and individuals with learning disabilties or who are carers have been involved in providing personal insights and 'tours' around the area of Blackburn to demonstrate how disability can effect day to day activities and what the council can do to provide services that are accessible not just in terms of physical access but language and the environment.

4) Contact details of the lead officer of the local authority who Deals with compliance with the disability equality duty, including Name, address, telephone number, and email address

Imran Akuji Diversity & Cohesion Manager Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council Policy & Communications Department 3rd Floor, Town Hall, Blackburn, BB1 7DY [email protected] Tel: 01254 (58)5454 Mobile: 07973 537795

5) A copy of your plans to comply with the duty to Eliminate harassment against disabled people

Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council working closely in partnership with Lancashire Constabulary have established shared teams which monitor community tensions and hate crime across the boroughs five neighbourhoods to help eliminate harassment and bullying. The Community Safety Team provide hate crime training for external agencies and facilitated eight sessions last year, training over 300 members of staff. In addition the team also organise and deliver annual hate crime conferences for residents; councillors and partners, last years focus for the conference was on disability related harassment and hate crime with over 200 participants attending.

Furthermore, to add value to the work of the community Safety Team and number of key awareness programmes are delivered ranging from the ‘SMILE’ programme which develops an understanding of the effects of harassment and hate crime, the programme is targeted at potential perpetrators of hate crime, to also providing hate crime awareness sessions for all year eights in local secondary schools.