Equality Impact Assessment Training
Equality Impact Assessments - Building Capacity
Scottish Courts and Tribunal Services
Background
The Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service (SCTS) is an independent body corporate established by the Judiciary and Courts (Scotland) Act 2008.
Its function is to provide administrative support to Scottish courts and tribunals and to the judiciary of courts, including the High Court of Justiciary, Court of Session, sheriff courts and justice of the peace courts, and to the Office of the Public Guardian and Accountant of Court.
SCTS asked us to work with them in enhancing staff understanding of how to do equality impact assessments, particularly with reference to decisions and practices (as opposed to policy making).
Approach
We met with the client first to understand more about the context. All policies had been equality impact assessed, and the client wanted to enhance understanding of mainstreaming equality in practice. We worked together to develop case studies, including one about the Service’s decision to develop guidelines on the wearing of a Kirpan when attending court.
Process
The inhouse equality impact assessment template was revised and tested. Case studies were developed with situations which would resonate with participants. Draft materials were submitted to the client with notes, and client feedback enabled the production of highly relevant, tailored equality impact assessment training. To increase impact, we made the sessions highly interactive and relevant to the services.