Screening Grid Characteristic Could this policy, procedure, project or service, or any proposed changes to it, affect this group less favourably than others in Kent? YES/NO If yes how? Assessment of potential impact HIGH/MEDIUM LOW/NONE UNKNOWN Provide details: a) Is internal action required? If yes what? b) Is further assessment required? If yes, why? Could this policy, procedure, project or service promote equal opportunities for this group? YES/NO - Explain how good practice can promote equal opportunities Positive Negative Internal action must be included in Action Plan If yes you must provide detail Age No. Any changes impacts on all parents of childbearing age with additional needs around infant feeding. Teenage parents are a specific priority. Further assessment is required - a public consultation process must be carried out prior to change. Additionally, the updated specification will require effective monitoring of service users in relation to age to identify any equity issues of accessibility. Yes – the new service will be able to identify and target teenage parents more effectively as they already provide a universal service and therefore they see all families with new children in Kent. Disability No. The proposed plan ensures that additional need for groups requiring additional support will be identified through the universal health visiting offer, and adjustments will be made to ensure it is accessible to all potential service users. Further assessment is required - a public consultation process must be carried out prior to change to ensure that proposals meet the needs of parents and do not have a disproportionate impact on people with disabilities. Additionally, the updated specification will require effective monitoring of service users in relation to disability to identify any equity issues of accessibility. Implementation of the Accessible Information Standard would need to be demonstrated. Meeting the training needs of staff regarding disability awareness would support the Service to meet the needs of women with disabilities. Yes – the new service should be able to identify and target disabled people more effectively as they provide a universal service and therefore they see all families with new children in Kent. It should be noted that there is a lack of detailed knowledge about these users which we would need to ask the Health Visiting Service to provide.
Equality Impact Assessment Action Plan Protected Characteristic Issues identified Action to be taken Expected outcomes Owner Timescale Cost implications Age There would be no additional impacts on age. Teenage parents are a key group, who tend to have lower rates. To include access as part of the consultation process. Gain information on public’s views on the best ways of working with all age groups, particularly teenagers. Public Health Public Consultation July/August 2017. There will be a cost for the consultation process but this is standard procedure, results will be analysed by Public Health Health Visitors to identify teenage parents and provide support at the universal ante natal visit and subsequent visits. This will enable teenage parents to be identified earlier and will have more contact through the mandated checks to receive feeding advice. Health Visiting Service. Outcomes will be part of quality standards and monitored by performance management from January 1st 2017. Will be part of existing contract Data collection re: numbers of teenage parents up taking support and teenage mothers breastfeeding Because of universal provision, higher numbers of teenage parents would be accessing support. Monitoring of prevalence would show if this this is resulting in increased rates Health Visiting Service will need to put in place systems for collecting this data as it won’t be on eStart January 1st 2017
Disability Access to Service would be possible through reasonable adjustments being made; all parents are included in universal offer. Health Visitors to identify parents with disabilities and ensure that adjustments are made to enable parents to access all necessary services. Gain information on public’s views on the best ways of working with parents and babies with disabilities. Public Health Public Consultation July/August 2017. There will be a cost for the consultation process but this is standard procedure, results will be analysed by Public Health This will enable the feeding needs of parents and babies with disabilities to be identified earlier and will have more support through the mandated checks. Health Visiting Service. Outcomes will be part of quality standards and monitored by performance management from January 1st 2017. Will be part of existing contract Data collection re: numbers of disabled parents/children up taking support and breastfeeding Because of universal provision, higher numbers of disabled parents and children would be accessing support. Monitoring of prevalence would show if this this is resulting in increased rates Health Visiting Service will need to put in place systems for collecting this data as it won’t be on eStart January 1st 2017
Gender An may be better access by fathers to feeding support. Health Visiting Service should ensure that fathers are included in the offer of feeding advice Gain information on the public’s views about engagement with male partners. Public Health Public Consultation July/August 2017. will be a cost for the consultation process but this is standard procedure, results will be analysed by Public Health The Health Visiting Service will provide evidence of engagement with male partners. Health Visiting Service. Outcomes will be part of quality standards and monitored by performance management from January 1st 2017. Will be part of existing contract Gender identity There may be a few biologically female users who identify as male. Health Visiting Service should ensure that services are sensitive to gender identity. Part of training on sensitive issues Health Visiting Service Issues to be communicated if there are problems. Will be part of existing contract Race Non-white ethnicities are more likely to continue breastfeeding. Targeting of and families of white ethnic origin in areas of low prevalence . Gain information on the public’s views about the best ways of engaging with ethnic groups. Public Health Public Consultation July/August 2017. There will be a cost for the consultation process but this is standard procedure, results will be analysed by Public Health
The Health Visiting Service will provide ethnicity data. Health Visiting Service. Outcomes will be part of quality standards and monitored by performance management from January 1st 2017. Will be part of existing contract Data collection re: racial group of parents and infants up taking support and breastfeeding Because of universal provision, higher numbers of users from different racial groups would be accessing support. Monitoring of prevalence would show if this this is resulting in increased rates Health Visiting Service will need to put in place systems for collecting this data as it won’t be on eStart January 1st 2017 Religion or belief Attitudes to feeding may be influenced by religion and belief. Gain further intelligence and ensure that is no barrier to access on the grounds of religion or beliefs. This may be an issue around the involvement of male partners of other users Ensure that the public consultation includes implications about accessibility related to religion or belief. Public Health Public Consultation July/August 2017. There will be a cost for the consultation process but this is standard procedure, results will be analysed by Public Health
Health Visiting Service. Outcomes will be part of quality standards and monitored by performance management from January 1st 2017. Will be part of existing contract Religion or faith data to be collected as part of data set for those receiving support and their breastfeeding prevalence Because of universal provision, higher numbers of people with beliefs or none would be accessing support. Monitoring of prevalence would show if this this is resulting in increased rates Health Visiting Service will need to put in place systems for collecting this data as it won’t be on eStart January 1st 2017 Sexual orientation This service is available to mothers and their families regardless of sexual orientation. No specific action required. Pregnancy and maternity Available to all pregnant women through the universal check. No specific action required.