Equality Impact Assessment - Carers' Services Strategy

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Function being assessed:

Carers’ Services Strategy 2008-13

Is this a new function or a review of an existing function?

Review of the Carers’ Strategic Framework and action plan

What are the aims/purpose of the function?

In response to government guidance and needs identified locally, the purpose is to collate aims and objectives of ours and partner organisations in the borough relating to improving and developing services and support for carers over the next 5 years.

Is the function designed to meet specific needs such as the needs of minority ethnic groups, older people, disabled people etc?

The strategy sets out to meet the specific needs of carers. It also incorporates meeting the needs of all sectors of the community, inclusive of young carers and working carers.

What information has been gathered on this function? (Indicate the type of information gathered e.g. statistics, consultation, and other monitoring information)? Attach a summary or refer to where the evidence can be found.

Census data has been used to identify numbers of carers, amount of care provided, age, economic status and demographic breakdown (included in the Strategy). Although we have made progress with comparing this with our own records of carers who have received an assessment, we are in the process of further needs analysis to identify areas for further attention and to compare to national statistics.

We are aware that comparisons between Census and Household Survey and our own data collection may be vastly out of date if research produced by Carers UK on the projected significant increase in number of carers is to be taken into account. Also, the data collected for our performance indicators does not indicate the number of hours of care provided, so comparing to Census data will not enable us to determine whether we have identified and addressed the needs of the people providing most care.

Partner organisations share data about young carers currently identified and supported.

RBK staff survey included information about staff who are also carers.

Management information provides details of numbers of carers who have had their needs assessed, their age, ethnicity and outcomes from re/assessment.

Carers have been consulted through local authority and Kingston Carers’ Network.

Carers UK suggest that carers mental health and well being suffers as a result of their caring role.

Does your analysis of the information show different outcomes for different groups (higher or lower uptake/failure to access/receive a poorer or inferior service)? If yes, indicate which groups and which aspects of the policy or function contribute to inequality?

Young carer outcomes differ from adult carers

Proportionate to the make up of the community, a higher number of carers from BME communities access direct payments for flexible breaks. This could be for a number of reasons, for example, we are comparing current service provision to out of date Census data, carers from BME communities prefer not to receive traditional services, there may not be the resources to provide services to meet their needs, etc.

Using our management information system, we believe assessments of carers of people with mental health or drug and alcohol needs, carers from the travelling community and carers of people with learning disabilities are low.

Are these differences justified (e.g. are there legislative or other constraints)? If they are, explain in what way.

Yes. Child related law guides local authorities to safe guarding the needs of young people against risk of detriment to their health, well being and development, including the green paper, Every Child Matters. Carers legislation adds to this by referring to the need to identify young carers. Law guides us to provide services and support to the person they care for to remove or reduce the caring role provided by young carers. However, regarding carers over the age of 18, carers law includes providing support, advice and services to enable adult carers continue in their caring role, whether that is to the person being cared for or the carer in their own right.

What action needs to be taken as a result of this Equality Impact Assessment to address any detrimental impacts or meet previously unidentified need? Include here any reasonable adjustments for access by disabled people. Include dates by which action will be taken. Attach an action plan if necessary.

An action plan has been incorporated into the Carers’ Services Strategy 2008-2013.

All care management staff now receive monthly monitoring reports to advise them of data that is missing about age, ethnicity and assessment outcomes for the carers of the people on their caseloads/they assess.

When will you evaluate the impact of action taken? Give review dates.

The Carers’ Services Strategy 2008-2013 has been revised to create a working document to be reviewed at Carers’ Partnership Board quarterly and refreshed annually.

Assessment completed by:

 

Community Care Services

21 May 2008