Equality Impact Assessment - Registration Service – Birth, Death and Marriage

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• Equality Impact Assessment - Registration Service – Birth, Death and Marriage

Function being assessed:

Registration Service

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

Review of existing function.

Our last customer care survey revealed 99% of respondents described their overall impression of the service they received as excellent or satisfactory

What are the aims/purpose of the function?

To provide a statutory registration service for the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames which includes births, deaths civil marriage and civil partnerships.

We are also responsible for the delivery of Citizenship Ceremonies for Kingston residents and the issue of certificates from Kingston upon Thames registration records dating back to 1837.

We also offer a choice of non statutory services including Naming Ceremonies and Re-affirmation of Wedding Vows.

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

All customers, regardless of age, gender, sexuality, ethnicity or faith are able to access our services providing they meet legislative minimum age limit (marriages/civil partnership minimum age is 16 with parental consent, otherwise 18 without it)

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

Gender : Services are available to all genders –

• specific legislation

Race : Services are available to all ethnic groups

• specific legislation relating to marriages and civil partnerships for particular nationalities outside the EEA
• translators/interpreters usually provided by the customer – normally their preferred option (disclosure of personal information). Access to Kingston Interpreting Services (KIS) if needed

Religion : Services are available to all religious groups

• marriage and civil partnership ceremonies are specifically secular – laid down by legislation
• non statutory naming and re-affirmation ceremonies are non religious
• registrars attend a small number of ceremonies in religious buildings which have not been registered with their own Authorised Person (registrar). These ceremonies are performed according to the rites and ceremonies of particular faiths. The majority of churches, temples, mosques etc conduct their own marriage registrations
• We offer an out of hours service for members of particular faiths, who for religious beliefs, have to bury their dead within twenty four hours. The local Heads of Faith are regularly informed of this service and a member of the Team has recently attended the Inter Faith Forum to discuss.

Disability : Services are available regardless of disability

• Access to front and rear of building via ramps. Existing ramp to garden is being modified under DDA requirements – completion date Dec 2007
• Accessible toilets and facilities
• Ground floor location of Register Office
• Hearing loop systems in reception and ceremony rooms
• Automatic sliding doors at entrance
• Widening of doors to Garden Room – to be completed Dec2007
• Signage in contrasting colours for visually impaired
• Blue Badge parking space
• Assistance given by staff when completing forms

Sexual Orientation : Both Marriages and Civil Partnership registrations for same sex couples are offered

• Legislation
• A Registration and not a ceremony is the statutory requirement for civil partnerships. However we also offer enhanced CP ceremonies which ‘mirror’ marriages at no additional cost. These have been a huge success and have gained recognition through the local gay community.
• Approved Venues are required to provide CP’s as well as marriages as part of their licence agreement.

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?

• Non EEA nationals are required to provide additional documentation at extra cost to themselves when giving a notice of marriage or civil partnership – governed by legislation
• Most service users do not chose to use the Registration Service but are required by government legislation to do so – compulsory
• Issue of burial documents to certain faiths at weekends – positive differential
• Staffing profile is predominantly female – males are underrepresented in Registration Service
• Through analysis of late birth registrations there is no evidence that different ethnic groups or people with learning difficulties have difficulty accessing the Service. There is a robust communication network between Kingston Maternity Unit, local health visitors and the registrars. From the 5000 births registered, no late requisitions were sent within the past 12 months.
• Requirement for obtaining British citizenship is the ability to communicate in English – legislation.
• Domicillary visits are undertaken for people who are unable to leave their home/hospital – Registrar General’s Licence, Housebound Marriages/CP’s, stillbirth/neonatal deaths
• Plain English is used for leaflets/website for people with learning difficulties – two information leaflets are ‘Crystal Marked’

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

As above

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.

• New customer care survey to be carried out  Spring 2009
• Continue links with Inter Faith Forum

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

Annually

Assessment completed by:

Dennis Mulligan

Registrars - Births, Deaths & Marriages

18 June 2008