DECISION:

1.            Recognise that care experienced people are a group likely to face discrimination.

2.            Agree to treat care experience as if it were a Protected Characteristic, conducting Equality Impact Assessments for future services and policies.

3.            Proactively seek out and listen to the voices of care experienced people when developing new policies.

4.            Include care experience in the publication and review of Equality Objectives and annual information relating to Protected Characteristics.

5.            Call upon all other local organisations and partners to treat care experience as a Protected Characteristic and adopt corporate parenting principles.

6.            Identify and review barriers impacting care experienced people in recruitment, offering guaranteed interviews for eligible applicants.

7.            Encourage statutory partners and small businesses to adopt similar employment practices.

8.            Establish a cross-council approach to creating opportunities for care experienced individuals, including training for recruiting managers and support into apprenticeships.

9.            Report progress and achievements in the annual Corporate Parenting Board report and lobby central government for care experience to be a protected characteristic.

10.         To note the Equalities Impact Assessment / specific equalities considerations as set out from Paragraph 4.1 of the report.

11.         Note this report at the next Full Council meeting.

ACTION BY:

CORPORATE DIRECTOR CHILDREN AND CULTURE, (J. THOMAS)

Director Supporting Families (S. Beasley-Murray)