1. The Fire and Rescue Service Equality Framework: driving performance improvement
Michael Keating
National Adviser for Equalities and Cohesion
IDeA
16th March 2010

2. What has happened?
Developed by a sector-led working group, CFOA and IDeA and piloted by 9 services
Smarter
Simplified
Proportional
Performance framework for compliance
Outcome focused across the whole community

3. Principles
Unique position of the Fire and Rescue Service in the community
Cycle of continuous improvement
Understanding the life chances of everyone
Links to other internal and external requirements
Strengthen partnership working
Deliver better outcomes

4. 2010 – the landscape Changing nature of society
global / individual relationship
socially liberal / conservative politically
Changing face of local government
partnership, greater localisation and personalisation, community leadership
Single Equality Bill
‘new rights’ across all strands
public sector and socio-economic duty
Huge budget deficit
emphasis on effectiveness, efficiency and cuts

5. Employment and training
A driver for improving performance
Evaluation and sharing good practice
Accountability
and equality mapping
Use
evidence
to inform
decisions
and set
priorities
Measure
outcomes
and get regular,
ongoing
feedback
Effective service
delivery and
community engagement
Leadership and
promoting inclusion
Deliver on
priorities
Create an
effective
organisation to
deliver services
Employment and training

6. Equal life chances
Based on fundamental freedoms derived from human rights frameworks
Life chances are considered against ten domains
Challenge:
- inequality of outcome
- inequality of process
- inequality of autonomy

7. The 10 domains Longevity Physical security Health Education
premature mortality
Physical security
freedom from violence and physical and sexual abuse
Health
well-being and quality health care
Education
access to training and life long learning
Standard of living
live with independence and security
Productive and valued activities
access to employment
Individual and family life and social life
self development, independence and equality in relationships and marriage
Participation, influence and voice
participation in decision making and democratic life
Identity expression and self respect
freedom of belief and religion
Legal security
equal treatment within the criminal system

8. Links to other requirements
Statutory duties and forthcoming Equality Bill
Fire and Rescue Service: Equality and diversity strategy
Comprehensive area assessment
Operational assurance

9. How it works Leadership and promoting inclusion Accountability
Three levels of attainment:
Developing, Achieving, Excellent
Five performance areas:
Leadership and promoting inclusion
Accountability
Effective service delivery and community engagement
Employment and training
Evaluation and sharing good practice

10. Leadership and promoting inclusion
Understanding of diversity and tackling inequality at the heart of place
Local priorities
Strategic leadership to drive improved outcomes
Partnership and influence
Procurement and commissioning

11. Accountability Scrutiny of performance
Improved use of equality impact assessments
Participation in civic and public life
Monitoring and addressing bullying and harassment issues
Performance management arrangements

12. Effective service delivery and community engagement
Personalised services
IRMP taking full account of the diversity of the community
Improved structures and processes delivering efficient and effective resource allocation
Understanding how and where ‘equality groups’ fit
Consultation and feedback

13. Employment and training
Measurement of diversity of the workforce allows appropriate recruitment and progression targets
Improvement of performance, equal pay and flexible working
Workforce Strategy and equality
Learning and development opportunities
Individual performance reviews
EqIAs of workforce policies and procedures

14. Evaluation and sharing good practice
Practices related to collection of personal staff data and how it is used
Learning from others and others learning from FRS

15. Equality mapping Embedded throughout
Use of local and national data to understand the profile of communities and measure inequalities
Based on equality strands and other demographics, such as socio-economic, health and education status, availability of transport and whether communities live in a rural or urban setting
Data has to be understood and analysed, not just collected

16. How the Framework operates
Describes the characteristics of a service at each level
Against these characteristics lists actions against each of the five areas of the performance framework
‘How was this done’: examples of evidence that would demonstrate performance
Externally assessed by the Diversity Peer Challenge against the achieving and excellent levels

17. Migration from the Equality Standard
Levels 1 and 2 = Developing
Level 3 = Achieving
Level 4 = Moving towards excellence (transitional stage)
Level 5 = Excellent
Migration or assessment status lasts 3 years

18. Self-assessment and peer review
Encourage critical self-assessment and peer challenge
The Diversity Peer Challenge has already been developed for the achieving level of the EFLG
Those who have successfully undergone a peer challenge will be awarded a recognition kite mark
Peer challenge maintains common standards of improvement that are nationally recognised, also performs an essential moderating function

19. Partnership working – a golden thread across the public sector
External drivers:
Total Place
Efficiency savings
Customer satisfaction
Developments:
Equality Standard for Police – launched December
IDeA working with NHS Employers, PCTs and Trusts on development of Equality Framework for NHS
Work with ALMOs on social housing Framework – consulting February-March
OFSTED developing own equality improvement framework

20. Help with the Equality Framework: Ef:ect
Online data management and referencing tool to:
Collect evidence – create an evidence base/library
Self-assessment – get an overview of your progress and current status
Action plan – compile and report

21. Next steps?
‘Can do’ culture?
Ambitious and respected?
Driver for public sector improvement?
Make a difference?

22. IDeA’s equality work is available from www.idea.gov.uk/diversity
The Fire and Rescue Service Framework
Community of practice