Community Impact Assessment Form
For a summary of this Community Impact Assessment, click here
Title of Community Impact Assessment (CIA): Children and Families Bill – Personal Budgets
Directorate:
Children’s Services
Date of assessment:
Names and roles of people carrying out the community impact assessment. (Please identify Lead Officer):
Section A – What are you impact assessing?
(Indicate with an “x” which applies):A decision to review or change a service
A strategy
A policy or procedure
A function, service or project
X
Are you impact assessing something that is?:New
Existing
Being reviewed
Being reviewed as a result of budget constraints
X
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Describe the area you are impact assessing and, where appropriate, the changes you are proposing?
The Children and Families Act April 2014 aims to improve services for vulnerable children and support strong families. It will underpin wider reforms to ensure
that all children and young people can succeed, no matter what their background. The bill will reform the systems for adoption, looked after children, family
justice and special educational needs. It will encourage growth in the childcare sector, introduce a new system of shared parental leave and ensure children in
England have a strong advocate for their rights.
This Community Impact Assessment will look specifically at Part 3 of the Act which comes into force on September 1st 2014. This part of the Act introduces a new
SEN code of practice and looks at the system for children and young people with special educational needs (SEN), including those who are disabled. The bill will
extend the SEN system from birth to 25, giving children, young people and their parents greater control and choice in decisions and ensuring needs are properly
met. It will:

replace old statements with a new birth- to-25 education, health and care plan (EHC) so that children’s special educational needs are picked up early and
support is routinely put in place quickly;

offer families personal budgets;

improve cooperation between all the services that support children and their families, requiring local authorities and health authorities to work together.
There are 5 key areas covered by this Community Impact Assessment, they are:
1. Local Offer
2. The Education, Health and Care Plan
3. Personal Budgets
4. Transitions
5. Planning & Commissioning
This Community Impact assessments will cover the following area:
3. Personal Budgets: the changes within Children and Families Act now offer families the option of personal budgets to meet the needs of their child and help
them to achieve their educational and developmental needs, where appropriate.
Section B – Is a Community Impact Assessment required (Screening)?
Consider what you are impact assessing and mark “x” for all the statement(s) below which apply
Service or policy that people use or which apply to people (this could include staff)
Discretion is exercised or there is potential for people to experience different outcomes. For example,
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X
planning applications and whether applications are approved or not
Concerns at local, regional or national level of discrimination/inequalities
Major change, such as closure, reduction, removal or transfer
Community, regeneration and planning strategies, organisational or directorate partnership
strategies/plans
Employment policy – where discretion is not exercised
Employment policy – where discretion is exercised. For example, recruitment or disciplinary process
If none of the areas above apply to your proposals, you will not be required to undertake a full CIA. Please summarise below why a full
CIA is not required and send this form to your directorate equality link officer. If you have identified one or more of the above areas, you
should conduct a full CIA and complete this form.
Equality Areas
Indicate with an “x” which equality areas are likely to be affected, positively or negatively, by the proposals
Age
X
Religion and/or belief
Disability
X
Sexual Identity
Gender (including pregnancy and maternity and
marriage and civil partnership)
People on a low income (socio-economic inequality)
Gender reassignment
Other (please state below) (For example carers, ex
offenders, refugees and asylum seekers, gypsies and
travellers)
Parents and carers
Race
X
If any of the equality areas above have been identified as being likely to be affected by the proposals, you will be required to undertake a
CIA. You will need only to consider those areas which you have indicated are likely to be affected by the proposals
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Section C – Monitoring information
C1 Do you currently monitor by the following
protected characteristics or equality areas?
Yes (Y) or No (N)
Age
Y
Disability
Y
Gender (including pregnancy and maternity and
marriage and civil partnership)
Gender Reassignment
N
Race
N
Religion and/or belief
Y
Sexual Identity
N
People on a low income
(socio-economic inequality)
N
If no, please explain why and / or detail in the action plan at
Section E how you will prioritise the gathering of this equality
monitoring data.
N
Y
Parents and carers
Other (please state) (For example carers, ex
offenders, refugees and asylum seekers, gypsies
and travellers)
Section C (continued) – Consultation
C2 Are you intending to carry out consultation on your proposals?
Consultations have taken place – please see below
If “yes”, please give details of your consultation exercise and results below
Children & Families Act 2013 – Parent Consultation: As part of the Children & Families Act 2013, Children’s Services consulted with parents and carers about the
proposals, specifically around the area of children and young people with special educational needs. The consultation options were as follows: an On-line survey;
paper based questionnaire; and the option for Commissioning Officers to visit groups to gather feedback. The link to the on-line survey was also circulated via the
EIP Parenting Team and SENCO’s to ensure a wide reaching consultation.
Groups consulted:
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






Salford Action for Families with Autism (SAFA)
Marlborough Road Academy - Parents Group
Alder Brook Primary - parents group
Salford Carers Centre - parents group
Governor Services – SEN parent governors
Springwood School – parents group
Oakwood Academy – parents group
JADDS – Jewish parent support group
Summary:
 Children & Families Act: The majority of the parents consulted were aware of the changes to SEN provision.
 Impact of changes: parents were concerned about the changes to SEN Statements, there is a feeling that any changes to statements could have a huge
impact on their children not getting the support needed.
 Accessing information: Information from both websites and the LA was the most popular way of finding information; word of mouth; attending parent
groups and forums; having an allocated Social Worker.
 Recommendations to improve information: feedback was that the information did need to be improved, that it was quite difficult to access information.
Suggestions included - designated, more accessible websites; notice-boards at schools and GP’s; newsletter; one central place for the information with full
contact details listed; information shared through schools
 What services would you like to be available: Feedback covered the following - more connection between social care and other SEN services; more
support for children in settings; social interaction for teenagers; activities for my child to do at the weekends without parent / carer; more youth clubs and
out of school activities.
 Personal budgets: There was a mixed response as to whether parents would apply for a personal budget, with similar numbers of parents saying they
would make an application, and those saying they wouldn’t. Of those people interested in making an application, it was seen as a very positive move,
allowing more control, as parents they understand exactly what their children need and are best placed to make those decisions.
 Involvement in designing/developing services: The majority of the parents consulted are interested in being involved with the development of services
and the EHC plans, and would prefer to be involved throughout the whole process, to ensure they have their say.
 Child friendly version of the EHC plan: Overwhelmingly the response was that a child friendly plan should be produced but aimed at high school age
children.
 How old would your child need to be before you were comfortable with professionals speaking to them about their needs without you or another
carer/ parent being there: The majority of parents did not want any professionals speaking to their children without them being present, they were
concerned that their children would just agree to anything without fully understanding what was being discussed.
A working group was established with representatives from the Local Authority, covering Children’s Service and Community, Health and Social Care, along with
representation from both the Community and Voluntary Sector and the Clinical Commissioning Group.
However, due to the timescales involved with the implementation of the Children and Families Act 2014 there has been limited availability to carry out any
meaningful consultation around personal budgets. It is worth noting that the changes under the act will be reviewed on a regular basis.
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Section C (continued) – Analysis
C3 What information has been analysed to
inform the content of this CIA? What were
the findings?
Please include details of, for example,
service or employee monitoring information,
consultation findings, any national or local
research, customer feedback, inspection
reports, and any other information which will
inform your CIA.
Please specify whether this was existing
information or was obtained specifically in
relation to this equality analysis and CIA
process
The initial consultation carried by Children’s Services consulted with parents and carers about the Children and
Families Bill, to gain an understanding about people’s understanding of the proposals, what the impacts could
be and any recommendations.
The feedback specifically on Personal Budgets was as follows:
There was a mixed response as to whether parents would apply for a personal budget, with similar numbers of
parents saying they would make an application, and those saying they wouldn’t. Of those people interested in
making an application, it was seen as a very positive move, allowing more control, as parents they understand
exactly what their children need and are best placed to make those decisions.
Along with the consultation, a working group was established with representation covering key services within
the local authority and the CCG. The information and reports contributed to the main steering group
implemented to manage the Children and Families Act 2014.
Section D – Potential impacts and how these will be addressed
Could your proposals have a differential
Yes (Y) No (N)
Explain impact(s) and what evidence or data exists to support your
impact relating to age equality
analysis?
Will people within certain age ranges not be
Y
getting the outcome they need?
Will people within certain age ranges be
disadvantaged as a result of your proposals?
If the impact is negative, how will it be
reduced or eliminated?
If you are unable to eliminate, reduce or
mitigate negative impacts, are your
proposals potentially discriminatory on the
grounds of age?
Will the proposals mean that people within
certain age ranges will experience positive
outcomes?
Highlight any positive impacts
The new Education, Health and Care plan will be for children and young people who have
special education needs and disabilities. The plan will be drawn up between the family,
the child / young person and a key worker to plan for their long term outcomes, and help
them prepare for adulthood.
Y
Previously the support under the SEN statements was up to 18 year of age; this has now
been extended to 25 years. However, there needs to be some management of
expectation and clear communication as the support will only be implemented where an
educational developmental need is identified, and once this has been achieved the
support will cease.
The transition from SEN statements to Education, Health and Care Plan increases the age
of support from 18 to 25 years, potentially meaning that the cohort who can access
support will be increased. However, as mentioned above, the management of
expectation and clear communication as the support will only be implemented where an
educational developmental need is identified, and once this has been achieved the
support will cease.
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Are the proposals likely to impact on
community cohesion?
Is there potential to enhance relationships
between people who share a protected
characteristic and those who do not?
Identify areas where there is potential to
foster good relations
N
Section D (continued) – Potential impacts and how these will be addressed
Could your proposals have a differential
Yes (Y) No (N)
Explain impact(s) and what evidence or data exists to support your
impact relating to disability equality
analysis?
Will people with a disability not be getting the Y
outcome they need?
Will people with a disability be
disadvantaged as a result of your proposals?
If the impact is negative, how will it be
reduced or eliminated?
If you are unable to eliminate, reduce or
mitigate negative impacts, are your
proposals potentially discriminatory on the
grounds of disability?
The Children and Families Act 2014 introduces the Educational, Health and Care plan,
replacing the current SEN statements. Part of the changes is the introduction of personal
budgets, parents and young people can request a personal budget, once the local
authority has confirmed a EHC plan, if they feel that the provision on offer will not meet
the child / young persons developmental needs.
The introduction of the personal budget could create unrealistic expectations of children,
young people and their families. The notion of a large sum of money for the whole of a
child / young person’s education and care needs to be clarified and clearly communicated
to families.
The options available for personal budgets are:
a) Notional arrangements – the local authority will provide / commission services to meet
the outcomes as detailed within the EHCP.
b) Direct payments – where individuals receive the cash to purchase services themselves
c) Combination of the above.
Will the proposals mean that people with a
disability will experience positive outcomes?
Highlight any positive impacts
Y
The feedback from the Pathfinder authorities suggests that there is little demand for
direct payments for personal budgets. In Salford the aim is, where possible, to offer the
notional and direct payments as the preferred choice for funding.
Historically young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) don’t
achieve as well as those without SEND. The Children and Families Act 2014 aims to
address this inequality by placing parents and carers of SEND children and young people
at the centre of the planning process. The introduction of personal budgets will improve
choice and increase control about how the SEN support is delivered.
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Are the proposals likely to impact on
community cohesion?
Is there potential to enhance relationships
between people who share a protected
characteristic and those who do not?
Identify areas where there is potential to
foster good relations
N
Section D (continued) – Potential impacts and how these will be addressed
Could your proposals have a differential
Yes (Y) No (N)
Explain impact(s) and what evidence or data exists to support your
impact relating to gender equality (this
analysis?
includes pregnancy and maternity and
marriage and civil partnership)
Will men, women or boys and girls not be
N
getting the outcome they need?
Will men, women or boys and girls be
disadvantaged as a result of your proposals?
If the impact is negative, how will it be
reduced or eliminated?
If you are unable to eliminate, reduce or
mitigate negative impacts, are your
proposals potentially discriminatory on the
grounds of gender?
Will the proposals mean that men or women,
boys or girls will experience positive
outcomes?
Highlight any positive impacts
Are the proposals likely to impact on
community cohesion?
Is there potential to enhance relationships
between people who share a protected
characteristic and those who do not?
Identify areas where there is potential to
foster good relations
N
N
Section D (continued) – Potential impacts and how these will be addressed
Could your proposals have a differential Yes (Y) No (N)
Explain impact(s) and what evidence or data exists to support your
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impact relating to equality for people
planning, undergoing or who have
undergone gender reassignment?
Will people planning, undergoing or who
have undergone gender reassignment not
be getting the outcome they need?
Will people planning, undergoing or who
have undergone gender reassignment be
disadvantaged as a result of your
proposals?
If the impact is negative, how will it be
reduced or eliminated?
If you are unable to eliminate, reduce or
mitigate negative impacts, are your
proposals potentially discriminatory on the
grounds of gender reassignment?
analysis?
N
N
Will the proposals mean that people
planning, undergoing or who have
undergone gender reassignment will
experience positive outcomes?
Highlight any positive impacts
Are the proposals likely to impact on
community cohesion?
Is there potential to enhance relationships
between people who share a protected
characteristic and those who do not?
Identify areas where there is potential to
foster good relations
N
Section D (continued) – Potential impacts and how these will be addressed
Could your proposals have a differential
Yes (Y) No (N)
Explain impact(s) and what evidence or data exists to support your
impact relating to race equality
analysis?
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Will certain racial groups not be getting the
outcome they need?
Will certain racial groups be disadvantaged
as a result of your proposals?
If the impact is negative, how will it be
reduced or eliminated?
If you are unable to eliminate, reduce or
mitigate negative impacts, are your
proposals potentially discriminatory on the
grounds of race?
N
Will the proposals mean that people within
certain racial groups will experience positive
outcomes?
Highlight any positive impacts
Are the proposals likely to impact on
community cohesion?
Is there potential to enhance relationships
between people who share a protected
characteristic and those who do not?
Identify areas where there is potential to
foster good relations
N
N
Section D (continued) – Potential impacts and how these will be addressed
Could your proposals have a differential
Yes (Y) No (N)
Explain impact(s) and what evidence or data exists to support your
impact relating to religion or belief
analysis?
equality
Will people of certain religions or who have
Consultation within the Orthodox Jewish community has highlighted some potential
Y
particular beliefs not be getting the outcome
they need?
Will people of certain religions or who have
particular beliefs be disadvantaged as a
result of your proposals?
If the impact is negative, how will it be
reduced or eliminated?
If you are unable to eliminate, reduce or
mitigate negative impacts, are your
proposals potentially discriminatory on the
grounds of religion or belief?
areas of impact. There will be a need to ensure that there is adequate provision available
that is culturally sensitive and appropriate. Where there is not adequate provision then
the option of personal budgets could be considered. However, as mentioned in other
sections, there needs to clear communication about what the personal budget will be,
and that the preferred ways of delivering the budgets.
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Will the proposals mean that people of
certain religions or who have particular
beliefs will experience positive outcomes?
Highlight any positive impacts
Are the proposals likely to impact on
community cohesion?
Is there potential to enhance relationships
between people who share a protected
characteristic and those who do not?
Identify areas where there is potential to
foster good relations
N
N
Section D (continued) – Potential impacts and how these will be addressed
Could your proposals have a differential
Yes (Y) No (N)
Explain impact(s) and what evidence or data exists to support your
impact relating to sexual identity
analysis?
equality
Will gay, lesbian and/or bi-sexual people not
N
be getting the outcome they need?
Will gay, lesbian and/or bi-sexual people be
disadvantaged as a result of your proposals?
If the impact is negative, how will it be
reduced or eliminated?
If you are unable to eliminate, reduce or
mitigate negative impacts, are your
proposals potentially discriminatory on the
grounds of sexual identity?
Will the proposals mean that gay, lesbian
and/or bi-sexual people will experience
positive outcomes?
Highlight any positive impacts
Are the proposals likely to impact on
community cohesion?
Is there potential to enhance relationships
between people who share a protected
characteristic and those who do not?
Identify areas where there is potential to
foster good relations
N
N
Section D (continued) – Potential impacts and how these will be addressed
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Could your proposals have a differential
impact on socio economic equality
(people on a low income)?
Will people on a low income not be getting
the outcome they need?
Will people on a low income be
disadvantaged as a result of your proposals?
If the impact is negative, how will it be
reduced or eliminated?
If you are unable to eliminate, reduce or
mitigate negative impacts, are your
proposals potentially discriminatory on the
grounds of socio economic inequality?
Will the proposals mean that people on a low
income will experience positive outcomes?
Highlight any positive impacts
Are the proposals likely to impact on
community cohesion?
Is there potential to enhance relationships
between people who share a protected
characteristic and those who do not?
Identify areas where there is potential to
foster good relations
Yes (Y)
No (N)
Explain impact(s) and what evidence or data exists to support your
analysis?
N
N
N
Section D (continued) – Potential impacts and how these will be addressed
Could your proposals have a differential
Yes (Y) No (N)
Explain impact(s) and what evidence or data exists to support your
impact relating to any other equality
analysis?
groups, for example, carers, ex
offenders, refugees and asylum
seekers, gypsies and travellers)?
Will people within any other groups not be
Parents and Carers: The introduction of the personal budget could create unrealistic
Y
getting the outcome they need?
Will people within any other groups be
disadvantaged as a result of your proposals?
If the impact is negative, how will it be
reduced or eliminated?
If you are unable to eliminate, reduce or
mitigate negative impacts, are your
proposals potentially discriminatory for
expectations for children, young people and their families. The notion of a large sum of
money for the whole of a child / young person’s education and care needs to be clarified
and clearly communicated to families.
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people within any other groups?
Will the proposals mean that people within
any other groups will experience positive
outcomes?
Highlight any positive impacts
Are the proposals likely to impact on
community cohesion
Is there potential to enhance relationships
between people who share a protected
characteristic and those who do not?
identify areas where there is potential to
foster good relations
Y
Parents and Carers: The allocation of personal budgets could provide more choice and
control to parents and carers.
Section E – Action Plan and review
Detail in the plan below, actions that you have identified in your CIA, which will eliminate discrimination, advance equality of opportunity
and/or foster good relations.
If you are unable to eliminate or reduce negative impact on any of the equality areas, you should explain why
Impact (positive or
negative) identified
Proposed action
Person(s)
responsible
Where will action
be monitored?
Target date
Required outcome
The Children and Families Act
– Personal Budgets CIA has
identified impacts, both
negative and positive.
The Children and Families Act
will come into effect from 1st
September 2014, and will
transform the way that
services in relations to
children and young people
with SEND will be delivered.
Salford City
Council, Salford
Clinical
Commissioning
Group
To be identified
As required
Completed CIA and
annual review of action
plan
Could making the changes in any of the above areas have a negative effect on other groups? Explain why and what you will do about
this.
Review
Your CIA should be reviewed at least every three years, less if it has a significant impact on people.
Please enter the date your CIA will be reviewed ……………………..You should review progress on your CIA action plan annually.
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Section F – Summary of your CIA
As your CIA will be published on the council’s website and accessible to the general public, a summary of your CIA is required. Please
provide a summary of your CIA in the box below.
Summary of Community Impact Assessment
Brief summary of proposal or what you are impact assessing
Personal Budgets: the changes within Children and Families Act 2014 now offer families the option of personal budgets to meet the needs of their child and
help them to achieve their educational and developmental needs, where appropriate.
How did you approach the CIA and what did you find?
Early consultations took place to gain an understanding of what parents / carers knowledge of the children and Families Act, the development of a multiagency working group to lead the implementation of the personal budgets brought together professionals to progress the changes. Due to the time restraints
there was limited consultation with children, young people and their families, however, the changes implemented will be reviewed on a regular basis to ensure
that the changes do not discriminate or impact on the target group.
What are the main areas requiring further attention?
In order to be compliant with the Children and Families Act 2014 the local authority needs to develop a local policy and clear communication for the option of
personal budgets, there also needs to careful management of families expectations of what will be available under personal budgets and the preferred option
that Salford council will take.
Summary of recommendations for improvement
All policy and commissioning activity that results as a consequence of the Children and Families Act will undergo a CIA to eliminate discrimination and ensure
that services meet the needs of the target group.
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Section G – Next Steps
Quality Assurance
When you have completed your CIA, you should send it to your directorate Equality Link Officer who will arrange for it to be quality
assured. Your CIA will be returned to you if further work is required. It is important that your CIA is robust and of good quality as it may
be challenged
“Sign off” within your directorate
Your directorate Equality Link Officer will then arrange for your CIA to be “signed off” within your directorate (see below). Your directorate
Equality Lead Officer or other senior manager within your directorate should “sign off” your CIA (below).
Name
Signature
Date
Senior Manager
Aly Keogh
09/09/14
Lead CIA Officer
Publishing
When your CIA has been signed off within your directorate, your directorate Equality Link Officer will send it to Elaine Barber in the
Equalities and Cohesion Team for publishing on the council’s website.
Monitoring
Your directorate Equality Link Officer will also send your CIA to your directorate Performance Officer where the actions identified within
your CIA will be entered into Covalent, the council’s performance management monitoring software so that progress can be monitored
as appropriate.
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