Equalities Impact Assessment
Reducing Re-Offending
Date: March 2008
Equality Impact Assessment: Services
Title of service being assessed:
Reducing Re-Offending
Name of Department:
Youth Offending Service
Name and role of the officer(s) completing this
assessment.
Contact Telephone Number(s):
0116 260 6000
Date assessment completed:
14/3/08
Defining the service
1. What are the aims, objectives or purpose of the service? Are these reflected in the relevant service plan?
When directed by the Courts the YOS supervises young people on Court orders and voluntarily with young people
who have received a Final Warning or with intervention for a second minor offence.
The objectives are to

Reduce offending and the use of custody,

improve the outcomes for children and young people
The Youth Justice Plan reflects the objectives above
2. What outcomes does the service want to achieve and for whom? How have these been determined?
Please also list any relevant performance indicators.
The Youth Justice Board objectives are to reduce offending and the use of custody, and improve the outcomes
for children and young people
National Indicators linked to Supervision of young people in the community are

NI 19 Rate of Proven Re-offending by Young people

NI 43 Young people with in the Youth Justice System receiving a conviction in court who are
sentenced to custody

NI 44 Ethnic composition of offenders on Youth Justice System Disposals

NI Young Offenders engagement in suitable ETE

NI 46 Young offenders access to suitable accommodation
3. Who is responsible for delivering the service? Are any other organisations involved? If other organisations
are involved are they fully compliant with the Council’s Equality Policy?
The service is delivered in partnership with Health, Social Care (Education and Social Care) , Connexions,
Probation, Police and Courts. The YOS also works together with the Youth Service and a number of voluntary
organisations who provide services for young people.
I am unclear who is complaint with Councils Equality Policy or who needs to be …..????
4. Consider the answers given in questions 1, 2 and 3 and assess whether your service results, or could result
in adverse impact on or discrimination against different groups of people. If you consider that there is
adverse impact or discrimination, or the potential for either, please outline below and state whether is it
justifiable or legitimate and give your reasons for this. (See examples in Section 6)
As has been indicated earlier the YOS work with young people who it is directed to work with by the criminal
justice system. The YOS Ethnicity KPI currently identifies that young people who identify themselves as black
or black British (0.58%) or Mixed origin (0.46%) are over represented. The YOS will need to work with other
members of the criminal justice system to improve this position.
The greatest risk is that the YOS could see an adverse impact due to unintended actions of staff supervising
young people. When working with a diverse population with different ethnic origins, genders , religious
beliefs, or disability there is potential for unintended outcomes which may disadvantage then in some way.
Actions of an intentional nature direct at individuals would be dealt with via the disciplinary process when
they are drawn to the attention of managers via complaints or become apparent in supervision.
The YOS in order to manage the potential for unintended consequences is putting a number of qualitative
processes in place to ensure fair treatment. The process is linked to the key stages of contact with the young
person.
ASSET Quality
Initial Planning quality
Risk of harm to others and vulnerability assessments quality
Feedback on YOS contact from client Groups
Analysis of complaints
Staff make up
Currently the YOS is focused on measuring outcomes in relation to Gender and Black minority ethnic groups in
relation to ASSET Quality, initial planning and risk of harm and vulnerability. Further works needs to complete
in order the YOS to be able to assess the risk of harm to others and Vulnerability and feedback from client
groups.
ASSET Quality Outcomes
Final Warning ASSET Assessments (completed in April 2007)
All assessment where of a satisfactory or better quality and all sections of the assessment were viewed as
satisfactory of better quality. . There was an indication that assessment of females was marginally better
than that of males. It is very difficult to know if this is due to discrimination on the part of staff as there
are other issues which could be influencing this. Teenage females are more verbal than their male counter
parts of a similar age and this is may make it easier for staff to evidence judgements for the purpose of
the assessment.
Core ASSET assessment for young people on Court orders. (completed in Nov 2006)
The ASSET quality was satisfactory or better in relation to the all ASSETS in 86% with black and minority
ethnic groups ASSETS in 86% and with females ASSETs in 87% and with males ASSETS in 85% of cases.
The male groups achieved a marginally poorer quality than comparator groups this may point to the
gender difference described previously. Black and minority ethnic groups’ attitude towards offending was
the only area of assessment marginally different to other groups. This is a similar finding to the Final
Warning ASSET group, but as with the Final Warnings ASSET assessment all assessments were viewed as
satisfactory or better.
Intervention Planning outcomes
Final Warning plans
All reviewed plans were satisfactory or better for all groups
Core ASSET intervention Plans (August 2008)
This was identified as an area of practice which needed to improve with overall Intervention plans only
achieving 30% satisfactory or better, black and minority ethnic groups achieving 40% Females 30% and
Males 36%. The results do indicate potential inequality, and a need to improve the quality of planning. In
this case improving the quality of intervention planning is likely to be the best approach to improving the
quality for all groups.
5. (a) If you have identified adverse impact or discrimination that is illegal you are required to take action to
remedy this immediately.
(b) If you have identified adverse impact or discrimination that is justifiable or legitimate, you will need to
consider what actions can be taken to mitigate its effect on those groups of people. This arises out of
the duty to promote good relations between people of different groups and is in keeping with the
Council’s approach to social cohesion. (An example of this could be Positive Action measures which
target specific members of staff).
Ensure that these actions are listed in the attached equality improvement plan. If you do not
have the authority to take the action required, you will need to alert the relevant service manager of your
findings.
Identifying and Removing Barriers to Equal Access
6.
(a) Identify the ways people can find out about and use the services you provide. Consider any processes
they need to go through or criteria that we apply to determine eligibility for receiving the service. List
your answers in box (a) below.
(b) Review those processes and criteria and consider whether any of them are essential
(i.e. are they a legal requirement?) and mark accordingly in box (b). You are aiming
to maintain only those processes or criteria that are critical to delivering the service.
(c) Review those processes and criterion that you have decided are critical against the access needs that
various equality groups of people have. Are there any groups of people who would not be able to
find out about or use the service? What are the barriers that are preventing them? List your answers
in box (c)
Consider issues such as:











How can people who are deaf/disabled or visually impaired find out about your service?
What about people whose first language is not English. Is information readily available in a variety
of formats e.g. other languages, large print, audio tape, easy read for people with learning
difficulties?
If people need to come to council offices, are these fully accessible?
How easy is it for a person to make their communication needs understood?
Is there good and accessible transport links to the offices?
Is there parking for disabled people?
How do you ensure that an individual’s preferred method of communication is known about and
adhered to?
Is there a quiet area for interviewing people who are deaf/disabled? Is sufficient time allocated?
Are the needs of young children accompanying a service user accommodated?
Can an officer attend a user’s home if, for example, a person finds it difficult or impossible to
come to the offices?
Have staff received sufficient and appropriate customer care and equalities awareness training to
be able to deal confidently with a variety of potential access needs?
(a)
List Process and Criteria
Final Warning with intervention – 97.3% of young
people who receive a final warning for their
second minor offence receive a service
Service provided Courts impose relevant
community sentences. Service provided in 100% of
cases
(b)
Essential? Ye
s/No
(c)
Yes
Access to services is dependent on legal
criteria being managed by Police and
Courts . The YOS is required to accept all
young people referred to them by the
police and courts
YES
Barriers identified and groups affected
Offices are accessible, but the majority of
young people are seen at home or in
locations agreed by them taking account
of transport links and other needs they
have.
Translation services are available when
required both in written and verbal forms.
Leaflets in different languages are not
made available due to cost and very
limited need, but explanations are given
verbally when required in another
language.
Staff receive equality training and are
trained to be able to work with young
people who are difficult to engaged.
Training records are maintained
6. (d)Based on your answers for (a),(b) and (c) consider what barriers you can remove, what
reasonable adjustment may be necessary to ensure the service is accessible (this
could include providing the service elsewhere). Consider what actions you will need to
take to address any unmet needs that you have identified. For disabled people, as
defined under the Disability Discrimination Act, this could mean treating them more
favourably to ensure that there is equality of outcome.
When you are deciding priorities for action you will need to consider whether the barriers result in an
adverse impact or discrimination that is illegal. These will constitute your top priority. The other
priorities will be dependent on such issues as whether a group is particularly excluded or connected to
the core business of the service, whether there are adjustments that would mean several groups benefit.
Ensure that the actions you identify are put into the attached equality improvement plan. If
you do not have the authority to take the action required, you will need to alert the relevant service manager
of your findings.
Ensuring Continuous Equality Improvement
7. The council is committed to mainstreaming equality, ensuring that it is integrated into
our performance management frameworks and subject to continuous improvement
through performance monitoring. Essentially, if you are not monitoring, you do not know
what impact your service is having or whether you are meeting people’s needs. The
table below shows examples of several types and sources of performance information
that we collect as a council, some is collected corporately and some will be collected
within individual services. Review what data you have and consider the following
questions:
(a) What does analysis of the data tell you about how well your service is meeting the needs of the
various equality groups? Are there any unmet needs or concerns that need to be addressed? How
up to date is the information?
(b) Which groups of people are you hearing from? Are there groups of people that you are not
hearing from? What can you do to ensure that people are able to provide feedback on the
service? Is there information on service user needs held by other services that would be
appropriate for your services? Note your answers to these questions in the 3rd and 4th column
below.
Data Type
Source(s)
Compliments,
complaints and
comments
Complaints System
Criminal Justice
system take up
Locally held
National indicator
Analysis of the data and/or gaps in
information
The YOS Ethnicity KPI currently identifies that
young people who identify themselves as black or
black British (0.58%) or Mixed origin (0.46%) over
represented. The YOS will need to work with other
members of the criminal justice system to improve
When last
gathered
Annually
this position
Participation
Satisfaction
Rates
Annual consultation No data developing the methodology for obtaining
analysis
it. This is due to be completed in 2008/9
Annually
Starting in
2009
Assessment Quality Outcomes
Assessment data
analysis
Internal review of
quality
Final Warning Assessments (Final Warning
ASSET)
100% sample assessments are of a satisfactory
or better quality and all sections of the
assessment were viewed as satisfactory of
better quality. . There was an indication that
assessment of females was marginally better
than that of males. It is very difficult to know if
this is due to discrimination on the part of staff
as there are other issues which could be
influencing this. Teenage females are more
verbal than their male counter parts of a
similar age and this is may make it easier for
staff to evidence judgements for the purpose
of the assessment.
completed
in April
2007)
The Black and ethnic minority clients received
satisfactory assessments across all areas but
the quality was marginally lower in relation to
three section of the assessment living
arrangement family and personal
relationships, emotional and mental
health, perception of others thinking
and behaviour, and attitudes to
offending and motivation to change.
This was believed to indicate that YOS may
need to improve how it works with black and
minority ethnic young people.
Assessment for young people on Court orders
(CORE ASSET)
The core ASSET quality was overall 86% with
completed
black and minority ethnic groups achieving 86% in
Nov
and females 87% and males 85%. The male
groups achieved a marginally poorer quality
than comparator groups this may point to the
gender difference described previously. Black
and minority ethnic groups’ attitude towards
offending was the only area of assessment
marginally different to other groups. This is a
similar finding to the Final Warning ASSET
group, but as with the Final Warnings ASSET
assessment all assessments were viewed as
satisfactory or better.
2006)

Data Type
Intervention
and planning
Source(s)
Internal review of
quality
Analysis of the data and/or gaps in
information
Intervention Planning outcomes
Final Warning plans were all viewed as satisfactory
or better for all groups
When
last
gathered
Completed
August
2007
Core ASSET intervention Plans
This was identified as an area of practice which
needed to improve with overall Intervention plans
only achieving 30% satisfactory or better, black and
minority ethnic groups achieving 40% Females 30%
and Males 36%. The results do indicate potential
inequality, and a need to improve the quality of
planning. In this case improving the quality of
intervention planning is likely to be the best
approach to improving the quality for all groups.
Risk of harm to
other and
vulnerability
assessments
Internal review of
quality
Still to be reviewed
Demographic
Data
Obtained from
central
government
Population of 10-17 year olds 69181 based on 2004
mid point estimate
Annually
2008/9
Ethnicity (Population based on 2004 mid point
estimate)
Year
2004
10-17
White
Mixed
Asian
or
Asian
Britis
h
Black
or
Black
Britis
h
Chine
se or
other
ethni
c
group
63,161
1,457
3,695
350
518
91.30%
2.11%
5.34%
0.51%
0.75%
2005/6
Differen
ce
91.51%
4.84%
1.09%
0.58%
0.00%
-0.21%
2.56%
0.46%
2006/7
Differen
ce
91.12%
1.85%
4.72%
0.18%
0.26%
0.62%
1.20%
0.70%
1.11%
0.36%
0.50%
0.75%
Figures in yellow indicate over representation
Workforce
Profile
Organisational
Development/
Personnel
Volunteers are currently 74.9% female and 24.3%
of the volunteers are from black minority ethnic
groups
Workforce currently 77.4% female and 26.5% from
Black minority ethnic groups.
The management group is 57.2% female and 42.8%
from black minority ethnic groups
There is an over representation of females in the
volunteer group and workforce as a whole. This is
due to it this type of work being seen as
overwhelmingly as female area of work and does
not attract male workers. Black Minority ethnic
groups are over represented for Leicestershire (7%
BME) but likely to be consistent with the area from
which the workforce is drawn. The management
group is well balanced both by gender and
ethnicity.
Organisational
consultation
Other (please
Diversity Action
group
Meets quarterly through out year. This group has
representation from across the organization and is
consulted about the equality action plan and all
equality feedback issues.
Figures
published
in the
Youth
Justice plan
specify)
OPPORTUNITIES FOR SOCIAL COHESION OR PROMOTING GOOD RELATIONS
BETWEEN DIFFERENT GROUPS OF PEOPLE
9. Social cohesion is a priority for Councils. Progress made towards building more cohesive, empowered
and active communities is now being measured through national Performance Indicators. Essentially
social cohesion is about promoting a sense of connection, trust and belonging both within and across
communities and groups. Review all the actions and targets that you have identified as a result of this
equality impact assessment to what social cohesion issues could arise, for example: these should
include:
(a) Are there ways in which your service could bring different groups of people together, for example
to develop future provision?
(b) Are there ways in which existing groups could interact with the service, for example, as part of
ongoing monitoring of service provision?
(c) Could the way you provide the service bring different groups of people together to use the
service?
(d) Does the way in which your service is provided have the potential to lead to resentment between
different groups of people? How can you compensate for perceptions of preferential or
differential treatment?
(e) If the improvement plan identifies addressing a gap in the service for a particular group of people,
has this also addressed the potential for perceptions of preferential treatment for the group? (For
example, if you give priority treatment to disabled people, how will you manage the negative
attitudes that non-disabled people may develop as a result.)
(f) How can your service explicitly demonstrate the council’s commitment to promote equality across
race, gender, disability, age, religion/belief and the LGBT communities?
List your answers below. Ensure that the actions you identify are put into the attached
equality improvement plan.
The YOS work force and volunteers is representative of the community and as such provides a clear massage to
clients and the community of the YOS commitment to equality. The involvement of 200 plus volunteers who
are representative of the community does ensure to some extent that the YOS is effectively engaging with the
community to support its activity. The YOS is continuing to develop feedback from participants to ensure that
service delivery is appropriate to all equality strands. The YOS does need to consider how it can more
effectively engage with the communities to ensure that providing services which are appropriate.
Equalities Board_26 November 2007_Paper X
EQUALITY IMPROVEMENT PLAN
Please list all the equality objectives, actions and targets that result from the Equality Impact Assessment (continue on separate sheets as necessary). These now
need to be included in the relevant service plan for mainstreaming and performance management purposes.
Equality Objective
Action
Officer responsible
By when
Work with soft ware supplier to ensure
appropriate recording of disability is avaible on
YOS database
Raise at software user group and ensure that it is
included in the specification for the YOS data
base
Chris Bolas/Lindsey Kirby
2009/10
Ensure that recording of religion is routinely
carried out on YOS databases
Include as part of the annual C and C
assessment.
Chris Bolas /Lindsey Kirby
and operational managers
March 2009
Chris Bolas
March 2009
Inform staff of the need to do this via service
meeting
Communicate and monitor progress of
implementation
Monitor sexual orientation, religion as part
standard employment monitoring procedures
Report the need to Chief Executives Equality
group
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Equalities Board_26 November 2007_Paper X
Equality Objective
Action
Officer responsible
By when
Monitor disability, sexual orientation, religion as
part volunteer recruitment
Development of recording system for religion
disability and sexual orientation in line with
County council recruitment practice
Tracy Green
March 2009
Complete risk management quality assurance
exercise
Complete an audit by the end of march 2009
Chris Bolas and operational
managers
March 2009
Work with partners in the Criminal Justice
system to look at issues of disproportionalality
of young people receiving a criminal conviction.
Ensure that data is available on service delivery
from clients and parents/carers
March 2009
Complete development work of survey tool and
analysis methods
Authorised signature (Completing Officer/s)
16
Chris Bolas/ Tracy Green
March 2009
Equalities Board_26 November 2007_Paper X
……………………………………………………………….
Date: ………………………………………………………..
Authorised signature (Member of Departmental Management Team)
……………………………………………………………….
Date: ………………………………………………………..
Once completed and authorised, please send copy of this form to the Corporate Support & Diversity Section in Chief Executives.
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