human rights & social care - council break law

8/7/2019 Human Rights & Social Care - Council break Law

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A short guide to theequality duties for

social care service users

EasyRead version


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What are equality duties?

Equality duties are laws about treating

people fairly and equally.

The equality duties say that publicauthorities must work hard to make

things fairer and more equal.

Public authorities are places like schools,hospitals and councils.

They must do this for:

l people from different races andcultures

ldisabled people


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l men and women

l transsexual people

Transsexual people are people who areborn as one sex and want to live as theother sex.

When people are treated unfairly it iscalled discrimination.

Discrimination means treating someoneworse than other people for somereason.


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When people from different races andcultures are treated badly because of thecolour of their skin or they come fromanother country, this is called racial

discrimination.

For example when someone will not sitnext to another person because they areblack.

When disabled people are treated badlybecause of their disability, this is calleddisability discrimination.

For example when someone using awheelchair cannot get to a meetingbecause the building has steps they

cannot get up.


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When men and women are treateddifferently this is called sex discrimination.

For example when a woman is paid lessmoney than a man for doing the same job.

A person can fit into 2 of these groups, forexample someone who is disabled andcomes from another country.


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What do the equality dutiessay?

The equality duties say that publicauthorities must work hard to make sureeveryone has the same chances.

This means that public authorities need tothink about how they can make thingsmore equal as well as making sure there isno discrimination.

The race equality duty says that peoplefrom different races and cultures must beable to have a say when public authoritiesdo an impact assessment.

An impact assessment is a check thatpublic authorities do to decide what their

future plans will mean for people.


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The race equality duty also says thatpublic authorities must check thateveryone who works for them is treated

equally.

The disability equality duty says thatdisabled people must be involved inhelping to make the authoritys equalityscheme better.

An equality scheme is an authoritys plansto make things fairer and more equal.

The gender equality duty says that menand women must be able to have their sayabout how an authoritys equality scheme

is doing.

Equalitys

cheme

Equalitys

cheme


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Equality scheme

Councils must also follow the equalityduties and make it easy for everyone tohave a say about new care and supportservices.

Councils also have to write an equalityscheme.

An equality scheme is a plan to show

how public authorities will make adifference to peoples lives.

It should include:

l what the most important changes are

l what changes councils will make

!

Equalitys

cheme


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l when these changes will happen

l what everyone thinks about thecouncils ideas for the future

l how councils will know if their changesare working.

You can ask to see your councils equalityscheme.

Equalitys

cheme


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Breaking the law

Some councils do not always do

everything they should do.

Race equality laws

An example of breaking the race equality

laws is when a council does not check howmany people from different ethnicbackgrounds get meals on wheels.

Disability equality laws

An example of breaking the disabilityequality laws is when a council does notcheck on the support it gives to parentswith learning disabilities.

Gender equality laws

An example of breaking the genderequality laws is when a council does notkeep an eye on how many women and

men are getting home care support.


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We want to find out if councils arefollowing the equality duties.

We will tell you what you can do to help us

make sure councils follow the law.

We might take some councils to court,

if that will help lots of councils makechanges.


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Getting in touch with us

More information is available on ourwebsite: www.equalityhumanrights.com

You can also get in touch with one of ourhelplines.

Contact our English helpline

Telephone:

0845 604 6610

Textphone:

0845 604 6620

Fax:

0845 6046630

Opening times:

Monday to Friday: 9am5pm


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Contact our Scottish helpline

Telephone:

0845 604 5510

Textphone:

0845 604 5520

Fax:

0845 604 5530

Opening times:



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Contact our Welsh helpline

Telephone:

0845 604 8810

Textphone:

0845 604 8820

Fax:

0845 604 8830

Opening times:



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Calls from BT home phones will becharged at local rates. Calls will cost more

from mobile phones or other phoneservice providers.

We may record phone calls to help us withtraining or making our services better.

Interpreting services are available throughLanguage Line, when you call ourhelplines.


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Equality and Human Rights CommissionPublished August 2009ISBN 978 1 84206 180 0

Credits

This paper has been designed andproduced for the Equality and HumanRights Commission by the EasyReadservice at Inspired Services Publishing Ltd.Ref ISL122/09. August 2009.

Artwork is from the Valuing People Clipartcollection and cannot be used anywhereelse without written permission fromInspired Services. To contact InspiredServices:

www.inspiredservices.org.uk

human rights & social care - council break law

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