Equality Impact Assessment - Strategy for integrating services for disabled children, young people and their families

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• Equality Impact Assessment - Strategy for integrating services for disabled children, young people and their families

Function being assessed?

Strategy for Integrating Services for Disabled Children, Young People and their Families: November 2006

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

This is a new function. Health, education and social care services will be integrated and co- located under one manager. This requires a new integrated staff structure within the new Children & Young People’s Trust.

What are the aims/purpose of the function?

To provide coordinated assistance and support to children who have disabilities where there is a severe impact on the child’s or young person's day to day living activities.

To enable families and carers to have a better understanding of services available and to access them.

• Implement a specialist integrated service with single management that has been and continues to be designed and shaped through participation of all stakeholders
• The service to be co-located and budgets pooled
• Develop integrated therapy services and extend joint equipment service to include health therapists
• Develop child pathways that ensure early support for young children, care co-ordination of referrals, assessment, care planning and review processes
• Implement key worker support for children who have complex health needs and children who have ASD
• Provide a continuum of integrated and co-ordinated support to families across all settings

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

This specialist service is for disabled children and young people, up to the age of 19 years and for some young people up to the age of 25 years. The service will provide help and support to the whole family and those caring for disabled children and young people.

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.

• Independent consultation with disabled children & young people, November 2006
• Needs Analysis for Children, Young People & their Families in RBK, November 2005 and 2006
• Extended Schools consultation with parents & carers of disabled children, 2005
• Consultation re Child Care, 2006
• National guidance, research & data: pages 4-7 & pages 13–18 of strategy
• Consultation re strategy: September – October 2006; detail contained in Feedback Report, November 2006
• Parent & Carer Panel participate in all decision making regarding strategy implementation
• Consultation with service users and professionals re redesign of nursing service at Kingston Hospital. Detail contained in Feedback Report, December 2006 – January 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?

Yes; the uptake of social care services within some of the ethnic groups within the data collected needs to be better understood.

We cannot be certain that everyone entitled to the service takes this up, but we are confident that working with our partners in health, primary care trust, educational establishments and the voluntary sector, we are able to provide a service to everyone entitled to it.

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

The differences are not fully understood and this will need further analysis and investigation. Services are provided following an assessment of the child’s and family’s needs.

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.

• The Strategy Action Plan and time scales address the service needs of children, young people and their families
• Table 3, page 17 will be updated annually and a request for this work to be undertaken is to be made to the Policy & Strategy Team
• New Referral Co-ordinator post will record the communication needs of parents and carers, and whether parents and carers have mental health needs, have a learning disability, sensory impairment or language needs
• Updates re these equality issues will be included in the regular updates to the Children & Young People’s Trust Board: action by Mike Corrigan, Manager of Integrated Service

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

1. Timescales for recommendations are included in the integration strategy
2. Regular updates to the Trust Board
3. Annual updates of data in table 3 on page 17 will inform further action to understand service access data

Assessment completed by:

Name: Mike Corrigan & Francis Arokiasamy

Service: Learning & Children Services

Date:16 07 2007