Key policy areas where the agency is or will take forward gender equality Two key areas are identified below. Other policy areas may emerge later. A Diversity and Equality Group was established in June 2006 to take forward necessary guidance across the organisation and to promote and monitor action taken. It should therefore be assumed that the actions noted below have been worked out between the Diversity and Equality Group and the named teams. The group is representative of the organisation and includes stakeholders, is balanced in terms of gender and includes disabled people. |
Policy | Action | By whom | By when | Outcome expected |
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Human Resources Policy |
Current HR Strategy under review. Evidence gathered from recruitment exercises and CPD indicates a need to review aspects of recruitment and selection and staff knowledge of diversity issues. | We will check the gender balance across the groups with which we work - Lay Members ( LMs), Associate Assessors ( AAs) and Assistant Inspectors ( AIs) - and identify any necessary action points to improve representation from either sex. | Human Resources | January 2007 | Action identified. |
We will ensure that Equality and Diversity issues are a regular feature of CPD. | | | CPD programme covers all HMIE related groups and includes regular, progressive CPD. |
Inspection and Reporting Policy |
I&R policy underpins the core functions and purpose of organisation i.e. to inspect and report on standards and performance in the education sector and services for children in Scotland and thereby to secure improvements for learners/young people. Current approaches under review. Current best practice in inspecting and reporting on gender issues will continue and we will look to further improvement in our focus and practice in this area. | We will ensure inclusion of gender Equality issues in emerging changes to I&R policy and practice. | HR Team | Ongoing | Inspection and reporting procedures and practice identify and report on strengths and weaknesses in relation to gender issues and the outworking of changes to legislation in the education sector. |
Inspection and Reporting Steering Group ( IRSG) and task groups | October 2007 | This will lead to the identification and sharing of good practice across the education sector in Scotland. |
Arranging for delivering the general duty to promote gender equality. |
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| Action | By whom | By when | Outcome expected |
|---|
1. What arrangements will you put in place to ensure that your policies, services, functions pay due regard to the need to eliminate any unlawful discrimination between women and men? | We will ensure all staff are informed about the need to pay due regard to eliminate any unlawful discrimination between men and women through effective CPD. This will include assessing and reviewing the effectiveness of current Scottish Executive ( SE) practices for recruitment, selection, induction, management and retention of staff. | HR Team | CPD programme in place. Phase 1 - awareness raising - by December 2006. Phase 2 - implementing changes by August 2007 | Minimal incidents of unlawful discrimination between women and men reported. |
We will review current HR policies to establish whether any groups are disadvantaged. | HR Group/Team | March 2007 | Improvements needed in work practices are identified. |
We will ensure appropriate focus on gender issues in inspections and reviews. Follow through issues arising from stakeholder questionnaires. | IRSG and Directorates | October 2007 | Improvements in practice in educational establishments. |
2. What arrangements will you put in place to ensure that your policies, services, functions are able to pay due regard to the need to promote equality of opportunity between women and men? | We will ensure all staff are informed about the need to pay due regard to the need to promote equality of opportunity between men and women through effective CPD. Ensure training interventions are included in learning and development programmes. | HR team | CPD programme in place. Phase 1 - awareness raising - by December 2006. Phase 2 - implementing changes by August 2007 | Evidence of effective promotion of equality of opportunity including gender equality. |
3. How will you identify gender equality goals and outcomes for your area of work? | We will analyse data available from staff surveys and exit interviews as well as data collected by SEHR colleagues. We will analyse issues arising from inspection and review data. | HR team Diversity and Equality Group | February 2007 | Gender equality goals and outcomes for organisation identified. Action points for education sector identified. |
4. How will you ensure that employees, stakeholders and/or service users are consulted in the process of setting gender equality goals and outcomes for your area of work? | Our Equality and Diversity group represents both the organisation and its stakeholders - parents and students - and is the main consultative body acting as links to other focus groups. We will ensure that the membership of the group is kept under review to ensure that the Group continues to reflect the wide range of interests of HMIE. | Diversity and Equality Group | Established June 2006. Ongoing | Effective consultation in place. |
5. What arrangements will you put in place to ensure that we are able to report on progress on an annual basis? | We will work with SEHR department to gather relevant data on gender equality. We will use existing structures to gather information emerging from inspections and reviews. | HR Team Stats Team | February 2008 | Annual report published. |