Management Information Sheet
Equality Update
The Equality Act 2010 received Royal Assent on April 8 2010 and is set to become law from 1 October 2010.
The Act has been drawn up to tackle inequality and prevent discrimination against people who have what is called a 'protected characteristic'. It brings together nine laws and more than one hundred other measures with one Act and is intended to make the law easier to understand and implement.
Everyone has more than one of the 'protected characteristics':
race, disability, gender, gender identity, age, religion or belief, sexual orientation, pregnancy, maternity and breastfeeding, marriage or civil partnership status.
The Act will also harmonise the existing three public sector duties for race, disability and gender into one new single public sector duty, which will cover the following equality strands: race, disability, gender, gender identity, age, religion or belief and sexual orientation. (Age will not be covered for the provision of education). The duty will require schools to continue to:
Eliminate discrimination, harassment and victimisation Advance equality of opportunity Foster good relations
The single public sector duty will come into force in April 2011.
Further details of the Equality Act, timescales and developments can also be obtained from www.equalityhumanrights.com or www.equalities.gov.uk.
Further information will be given to schools as more guidance about the Equality Act emerges.
Equality Impact Assessments
Current equality legislation requires schools to undertake equality impact assessments in relation to race, disability and gender. This is to ensure school policies and procedures do not unintentionally discriminate against any group(s) within school communities. Guidance has been produced to undertake equality impact assessments in relation to race, disability and gender (with an option to include religion and belief, age and sexual orientation if you so wish) to assist schools with this process and can be found at: www.schools.norfolk.gov.uk
How to make your information accessible
People First of Norfolk (an organisation for people with learning difficulties) have produced a guide on how to make information Easy Read. It is available at a cost of £10 plus £1.75 for postage and packaging.
Please send a cheque for £11.75 made out to People First of Norfolk with your order. Orders should be sent to People First of Norfolk, 85 Lawson Road, Norwich NR3 4LE and marked for the attention of Isabel Murphy, Accessible Information Adviser. Further details can be obtained on 01603 789889.
Governors training
Workshops for governors on "Good equality practice in the workplace" are currently being planned for the Autumn 2010 and Spring 2011 terms. Further details will be published in the Governors training guide for 2010 - 2011.
The Act has been drawn up to tackle inequality and prevent discrimination against people who have what is called a 'protected characteristic'. It brings together nine laws and more than one hundred other measures with one Act and is intended to make the law easier to understand and implement.
Everyone has more than one of the 'protected characteristics':
race, disability, gender, gender identity, age, religion or belief, sexual orientation, pregnancy, maternity and breastfeeding, marriage or civil partnership status.
The Act will also harmonise the existing three public sector duties for race, disability and gender into one new single public sector duty, which will cover the following equality strands: race, disability, gender, gender identity, age, religion or belief and sexual orientation. (Age will not be covered for the provision of education). The duty will require schools to continue to:
Eliminate discrimination, harassment and victimisation Advance equality of opportunity Foster good relations
The single public sector duty will come into force in April 2011.
Further details of the Equality Act, timescales and developments can also be obtained from www.equalityhumanrights.com or www.equalities.gov.uk.
Further information will be given to schools as more guidance about the Equality Act emerges.
Equality Impact Assessments
Current equality legislation requires schools to undertake equality impact assessments in relation to race, disability and gender. This is to ensure school policies and procedures do not unintentionally discriminate against any group(s) within school communities. Guidance has been produced to undertake equality impact assessments in relation to race, disability and gender (with an option to include religion and belief, age and sexual orientation if you so wish) to assist schools with this process and can be found at: www.schools.norfolk.gov.uk
How to make your information accessible
People First of Norfolk (an organisation for people with learning difficulties) have produced a guide on how to make information Easy Read. It is available at a cost of £10 plus £1.75 for postage and packaging.
Please send a cheque for £11.75 made out to People First of Norfolk with your order. Orders should be sent to People First of Norfolk, 85 Lawson Road, Norwich NR3 4LE and marked for the attention of Isabel Murphy, Accessible Information Adviser. Further details can be obtained on 01603 789889.
Governors training
Workshops for governors on "Good equality practice in the workplace" are currently being planned for the Autumn 2010 and Spring 2011 terms. Further details will be published in the Governors training guide for 2010 - 2011.