Holiday, childcare and food programme - summer 2022: equality impact assessment

4. Decision making and monitoring

4.1 Identifying and establishing any required mitigating action

Have positive or negative impacts been identified for any of the equality groups?

No direct or indirect unlawful discrimination has been identified within this impact assessment. Impacts of the programme's delivery will be continuously monitored. Positive impacts of the 2021 programme were identified across some of the protected characteristics, for example, age and disability However, the evaluation of the 2021 programme also highlighted some areas where children and young people from certain protected groups were unable (or unwilling) to engage in activities. This year we have provided specific guidance on how to target communications more effectively and have highlighted ways to ensure that services are more inclusive. We have also made sure that local authorities and service providers have access to topic experts and peer support, enabling them to learn from good practice across Scotland. Our monitoring and evaluation of this year's programme will focus on how different target groups have participated in the programme and seek feedback both from providers and participants.

Is the policy directly or indirectly discriminatory under the Equality Act 2010^[23]?

No

If the policy is indirectly discriminatory, how is it justified under the relevant legislation?

n/a

If not justified, what mitigating action will be undertaken?

n/a

4.2 Describing how Equality Impact analysis has shaped the policy making process

The Equality Impact analysis has shown that the 2022 Summer Holiday Childcare And Food Programme should have a positive impact on most equality groups where children and young people are involved. It has highlighted certain areas where extra work is required to mitigate against a lower level of take up from some protected groups, specifically children and young people from minority ethnic families, and disabled children and young people.