INITIAL EQUALITY SCREENING/ASSESSMENT FORM

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1 INITIAL EQUALITY SCREENING/ASSESSMENT FORM Department: DISTRICT POLICING COMMAND Branch: PWC PROJECT Name of Policy/Decision/Practice to be Equality Screened/Assessed Implementation of Multi-Agency Concern Hubs within Antrim and Newtownabbey District Is it New or Revised? NEW Who Does the Policy Effect: Members of the Public, PSNI Personnel, Partner Agencies Question 1 Define the aim of the Decision. What is the Decision trying to achieve? (Intended aims/outcomes) To introduce the concept of, and participate in Multi-Agency Concern Hub within Antrim and Newtownabbey District. The Concern Hub brings key professionals together to facilitate early, better quality information sharing, decision making to work together to improve a vulnerable person s situation. This is a forum where cases are discussed and actions agreed to reduce vulnerability to the individual. The advantages of this arrangement as cited by reviews elsewhere including Home Office 2013 are that the professionals are working together and establish relationships which leads to trust amongst the partners. It is these relationships and trust which foster the best outcomes for the individuals being discussed. The Concern Hub itself is a firewalled environment where representatives from participating agencies can raise concerns about individuals who are not already at intervention thresholds. Agencies can get a more complete picture which allows them to identify needs and risks earlier. It facilitates early intervention to reduce vulnerability and improve a person s wellbeing. All agencies will work together to ensure the most appropriate outcome for an individual. Agencies can pool resources, community contacts and work in coordination. The focus is firmly on reducing the vulnerability for individuals and not simply on reducing demand, although it is anticipated that as a result of early interventions, demand on acute services will reduce. Question 2 Does the Decision have the potential to have an impact on the promotion of equality of opportunity for any of the Section 75 groupings? Yes Provide a brief explanation for your answer below. Religious Belief The Concern Hub can receive referrals in relation to hate crimes and incidents with a view to co-ordinating and improving

2 Racial/ Ethnic Group The Concern Hub will receive referrals in relation to hate crimes and incidents with a view to co-ordinating and improving Age It is likely that that referrals will come in regards to juveniles and older persons who are vulnerable in our society. The Concern Hub will assist in improving the multi-agency support to those referred. Sexual Orientation The Concern Hub will receive referrals in relation to hate crimes and incidents with a view to co-ordinating and improving Disability The Concern Hub is also anticipated to receive referrals in relation to disability hate crimes and incidents with a view to co-ordinating and improving multi agency support available to victims. Dependants As it is highly likely that individuals and families in crisis will be discussed in the Concern Hub with the aim of improving their situation, it is a natural progression that dependants will be supported also. Consideration of Available Data/Research Question 3 What evidence is there available statistics or perception to help you decide who the Decision might affect the most? ie What evidence, qualitative or quantitative, have you gathered to inform your decision making process? The Home Office 2013 report on early findings from Multi Agency working in England and subsequent reports state that the guiding principal under which a multi-agency model operates in that, by sharing information immediately between a range of agencies, more appropriate decisions can be made quickly about referred cases. This timely and collaborative way of working benefits individuals and families who then receive support from the most suitable organisations, which can in turn also prevent an escalation of need. The PSNI receive approximately 500,000 calls for service each year, of these 36% are assessed as having some type of vulnerability person or location or time. The Multi-Agency Concern Hub is designed to offer support to vulnerable persons and it is anticipated that this will be a positive for the persons being supported. There has been a Multi-Agency Concern Hub in operation since August 2016 in Derry City and Strabane District. This group meets once a month and currently has 15 live managed cases. There are currently an additional 15 cases being researched prior to inclusion in the Concern Hub. In addition, there have been 16 cases that have completed the Concern Hub process.

3 Assessment of Impact Question 4 Explain if what you plan to do is likely to be perceived as having a high, medium or low impact upon the 9 Equality groupings according to their needs. Also if what you are planning to do is likely to be perceived as having a positive or negative effect upon the 3 different groups in relation to the promotion of good relations. 9 Equality Groups Perceived Impact High (H) Medium - (M) Low (L) Why this rating? Promotion of Good Relations (Yes/No) Why this rating? Religious Belief M Positive impact Yes See Q2,Q3 Racial/Ethnic Group M Positive impact Yes See Q2,Q3 Political Opinion M Positive impact Yes See Q1,Q3 Age M Positive impact - See Q1,Q3 Gender M Positive impact - See Q1,Q3 Marital Status M Positive impact - See Q1,Q3 Sexual Orientation M Positive impact - See Q2,Q3 Disability M Positive impact - See Q2,Q3 Dependants M Positive impact - See Q2,Q3 Opportunities to better promote Equality of Opportunity Question 5 Are there steps which could be taken to reduce any adverse impact upon the Section 75 groups as identified in Question 4? The aim of the Multi-Agency Concern Hub is to assist those individuals and families who are vulnerable and to provide them with the support and assistance that they need to facilitate them to access universal services. This is designed as a proactive measure to support vulnerable persons irrespective of Section 75 groupings. Good Relations Question 6 Is there an opportunity in what you are trying to do to better promote Good Relations between the 3 groupings as identified in Question 4? The aims and ethos of the Multi-Agency Concern Hub is to facilitate collaborative decision making. This collaborative decision making approach has the potential to act as an example to those in the community with regards to improving services in the local community and thereby foster positive relations. The intention of the pilot is to ensure that an effective mechanism is implemented, evaluated and the learnings from this are then rolled out as a full supportive process for ensuring those most vulnerable in our society are supported.

4 Consultation Question 7 Tell us about who have talked to about your proposals internally or externally to help you decide if the Policy needs further or no further equality investigation. Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council Community Planning Northern Health and Social Care Trust (NHSCT) District Commander Antrim and Newtownabbey District Commander Derry City and Strabane Head of Custody/ ROU Head of Branch C7 Belfast City Policing District Mid Ulster Policing District Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon Policing District Department of Justice (DOJ) Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service (NIFRS) Northern Ireland Ambulance Service (NIAS) Probation Board Northern Ireland (PBNI) Youth Justice Agency (YJA) District Policing Command Northern Ireland Public Service Alliance (NIPSA) Police Federation for Northern Ireland (PFNI) Superintendents Association for Northern Ireland (SANI) Question 8 In light of the above should the Policy be Screened Out No Equality Issues Please provide rationale for this decision. Screened Out with some adjustments. What adjustments have you made? This is a proactive approach aimed at reducing vulnerability. This will be a supporting and preventative measure which will have a positive impact upon individuals and families within the community. This is a multi-agency collaborative problem solving pilot. This will be evaluated and developed in order to enable full roll out to all Districts. Screened In for a deeper level of analysis of what is being considered or intended to be undertaken. (EQIA) Please provide rationale for this decision. Signed: Michael McDonnell Service No Date: 27/04/2017 Policy Owner Approved: D W Beck Service No Date: 23/5/17 Head of Branch Accepted by PWC Name: Chris Sloan Staff No. C142907

5 Modifications made? No Date: Accepted by PWC Name: Service No. Modifications made? Yes Date: Accepted by PWC Name: Service No.