Equality Impact Assessment - Day Care Centres

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Service provision in four low level care day centres which are managed by the local authority and voluntary sector

Alfriston, Bradbury, Raliegh, Devon Way and Milaap

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

It is a review of an existing service provision to identify take up of service by older people

What are the aims/purpose of the function?

The low level care day centres are there to provide an opportunity for older people to leave their homes during the day and meet other people in a safe environment. The day centres organise a range of activities linked to individual needs .and provide lunch/food. This provision minimises  social exclusion for older people.

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

The low level day centres are there to meet the needs of older people in Kingston irrespective of their gender, race, disability, religion or beliefs and sexual orientation. This service provision is age related for people over the age of 55.

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.

• Service providers data on the service users
• Census data 2001and midterm estimates
• Borough Profile 2009
• Joint Annual Public Health Report for Kingston 2008
• Participatory Needs Assessments
• Refugee Needs Assessment (Kingston Final Report)

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?

From the data currently available to us there are three groups that appear to have a very low take up of the low level services offered are older people from BME communities, men and people on low income.

Milaap for example are already working at increasing their usage of their services from other BME groups but again they have low uptake from men and many of their members are from low income groups who do not access benefits.

Age Concern and Alfriston have low representation from all of the three identified groups  

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

It does not appear that these differences can be justified as there is no evidence to substantiate why these three groups are under represented in the mainstream low level services

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.

1.Use existing needs assessments to extrapolate what these key priority groups may need or want – eg, do they even need or want low level day services? What kind of activities would attract them? What other issues are there eg perceptions of being discriminated against?

-Use the new BME Needs assessment due for launch in June 2010 for evidence on the needs of older BME older people – use draft findings for work from April-June

-Look at Refugee Needs Assessment

-Refer to evidence on older people’s needs in Participatory Needs Assessments 1&2 (South of the borough / Alpha Rd Surbiton); and the You Can report (Cambridge Road Estates).

-Return to meet with proposals on June 21st, using final report from BME Needs Assessments.

2.Monitoring – create a standardised set of information for day centres to use, including information on all equalities strands including socio-economic (income question).  Principal Manager, Resources Centres for Older People to lead implementation of new monitoring.

3.Assist day centres to monitor and evaluate outcomes and impact more effectively. Raleigh are currently developing a template that may be useful for all to use.  Principal Manager, Resources Centres for Older People to ask them for a copy.

4.Equalities and Community Engagement Team (ECET) to visit all 4 centres that not currently in contact with – 4 visits made between team members.

5.ECET to work with Principal Manager, Resources Centres for Older People to negotiate with day centres staff the broadening of their services to include the needs of key priority groups.  ECET and Principal Manager, Resources Centres for Older People to meet with staff at centres and set up new initiatives/implement new measures before introducing potentially vulnerable key priority groups to using the services.

6.ECET to work with Principal Manager, Resources Centres for Older People to review services at day centres to determine if different activities could take place that may attract people from key priority groups.

7.ECET to work with community groups wishing to find new community venues: to find out whether they would prefer to become members or pay flat rate rent depending on needs.

8.ECET to work with Principal Manager, Resources Centres for Older People and day centres to have a timetable of availability for groups wishing to run their own activities within space.

9.ECET and Principal Manager, Resources Centres for Older People to develop marketing initiatives to facilitate greater use by key priority groups of day centres’ main services.

10.ECET and Principal Manager, Resources Centres for Older People to develop ways of integrating groups that use day centres for their own activities long term into main services – using Milaap learning as a basis for this.

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

Reviews to take place on a three monthly basis, first one is 21st June at 11am

Assessment completed by:

NAME Fiona Connolly

SERVICE Resource Centre for Older People

DATE 15th April 2010

Please send your completed assessment to your service head. A copy should then be sent to the Equality Adviser.