Equality Impact Assessment - Access strategy: Education for disabled children

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The Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames

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(Note: for information on information sources mentioned in this document, contact Julie Ely on 020 8547 5269 or email julie.ely@rbk.kingston.gov.uk)

Function being assessed:

Access Strategy: education of children with disabilities

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

An existing function which is covered by a new statutory duty to promote disability equality: Disability Discrimination Act

What are the aims/purpose of the function?

To promote equality of opportunity for disabled children
To ensure disabled children can access education in line with their parents preference
To ensure disabled children and adults influence service development
To fulfil the Council’s statutory duty to promote disability equality: Disability Discrimination Act and Equality Scheme

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

Yes, disabled children aged 0-19

What information has been gathered on this function? (Indicate the type of information gathered e.g. statistics, consultation, other monitoring information)?

Disabled Children’s Register (Summary of data held is available through the web and in print)
Schools SEN registers (published as a termly summary)
Public consultation 2005, 2006
Consultation with parents Spring 2007
Monitoring information produced from Pupil Level Annual School Census
DFES National SEN data published in June 2007

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?

Where parents do not receive information about services, their children may be disadvantaged at the point of entry into the service

Ethnicity: in overall terms the proportion of disabled pupils from BME groups (32%) matches the proportion of special school pupils from BME (32%). We are providing service users with good quality information to enable them to choose specialist placements. Most pupils registered as having a disability come from white backgrounds, and there are more Asian children registered than black children. We know that children of traveller families are not represented in our data and this is because they are not using our services. We have provided services to these families in the past but they have since left the area.

Gender: there is under representation of girls registered.

Parents of children who have entered the service receive information in an accessible/alternative format and are offered translation/interpretation and face to face meetings. The Parent Partnership Service offers bespoke and differentiated support to parents to take account of their needs, including ethnicity and disability.

Outcomes are measured as registration (which provides targeted information/services), number with a Statement of SEN receiving additional support and/or specialist placements and number.of children receiving support from their schools.

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

The statutory definition of disability means not all children will be protected although the exceptions will be few.

There are more children receiving services than are currently registered disabled ie whilst only 451 are registered, there are 607 children who meet the criteria for a Statement of SEN and receive support in school. In addition there are 200 children who receive additional support from the resources within their schools – of these 40 have sensory impairments and physical disabilities, 160 have communication and interaction difficulties.

Ethnicity: there are more white and Asian pupils identified as having a disability, than black children. Comparison with the Kingston school population, shows the proportion of disabled children from these groups mirrors the general population. National data urges caution is due to low numbers of ethnic minority children involved.

Gender: national data shows boys represented 2 1/2 times more frequently than girls. Whilst there is under representation of girls, the national data shows a wider gap. Our own research into the prevalence of autism has shown slightly higher levels of girls with autism in Kingston than the national data suggests.

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.

Maximise the number of children who are registered; identify children who have not registered and proactively encourage parents. Targeting mainstream primary aged children particularly through the Childrens Information Service and primary schools. Targeting during the autumn 2007. Registration should be ongoing.

Gender: we are establishing specialist resources in a girls' school at secondary level to ensure we are able to support female pupils. We anticipate that this will increase the expertise within school, including identification and outreach to other schools.

Ensure priority is given within team planning targets to ensuring information about services is available to disabled parents.

Continue to monitor representation 6-monthly – see below. We will be keeping the under representation of the traveller population under observation.

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

March 2008

September 2008

The service will be subject to annual review at the end of each academic year.

Assessment completed by:

Name: Julie Ely

Service: Assessment & Support for Learning

Date: 14 August 2007

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