On 5 April 2011 the public sector equality duty (psed) came into force in England, Scotland and Wales. This duty replaces the existing race, disability and gender equality duties.
Find out more about the law by clicking the links below
ROTA's Equality Law Project website
CAB and assessing advocacy and complaints data
Assessing advocacy and complaints data can also alert decision-makers to potential risks or systemic problems. Good communication can flow two ways between services providers and local advocacy groups and this can be evidence of compliance with the duty. Two examples are provided below.
EHRC Legal interventions and Southall Black Sisters
The need to impact assess before making a decision *
Southall Black Sisters (SBS) provides specialist services to Asian and Black Caribbean women, particularly in relation to domestic violence issues. In June 2007, Ealing Council announced proposals to move away from funding particular organisations (such as SBS), towards commissioning services (including domestic violence services) following a competitive bidding exercise.
EHRC Legal interventions and planning permission *
The case concerned a decision of the Secretary of State's Inspector to dismiss appeals against the refusal by the London Borough of Bromley to grant applications for planning permission for the retention of a number of touring caravans and mobile homes on a site near Orpington. The appellants appeal points included that the Inspector failed to have due regard to the need "to promote equality of opportunity......between persons of different racial groups".
EHRC Legal interventions and access for disabled prisoners *
X, a wheelchair user, experienced inaccessible prison facilities and has also had problems accessing prison services. He took action against the Secretary of State for Justice using the DDA and HRA.
Improving library services through involving refugees and asylum seekers
In the ‘Refugees into Libraries’ project, Leicester library services sought to involve refugees and asylum seekers in a volunteering scheme as a direct means of getting information about the needs of these communities in Leicester. This information was used to plan for and deliver library services in Leicester.
Building trust through involvement with the Gypsy and Traveller community in Wales
Gypsies and Travellers aren’t ‘hard to reach’ at all, they are ‘seldom reached’ groups and that’s the difference! (Welsh Assembly Government spokesperson).
Improving cervical screening by involving Asian women
The Health Development Service in Coventry runs drop-in services and weekly advice sessions targeted at women in Asian communities in the most deprived parts of the city. The involvement of women from the community in identifying the barriers they experience in accessing health services, and proposing ways to improve services to overcome these, is integrated into work to raise health awareness and improve take-up of services through information, advice and support.
Civil service and best practice and equality monitoring
ONS use of data to monitor and set its Equality and Diversity Objectives
In 2008/9 ONS recognised the need for a high level management tool which would bring together a range of equality and diversity data to enhance its ability to understand the experience of protected groups in ONS, to identify any issues that may exist and to prioritise which issues needed to be tackled.
