In this issue:
• E+D in the news
• Prevent Duty
• Safeguarding
• Mental Health • Featured Topic
Equality and diversity is so much more than just “treating everyone the same” …
Equality and diversity enhances everyday life and simple changes to normal activities can ensure all individuals are included and given equal opportunities to achieve. Our newsletter offers updates on E&D, Safeguarding, Prevent Duty, Mental Health Awareness, and Health and Safety, as either found in the news or highlighted as our topic of the month.
Equality and Diversity in the news
The tissue brand Kleenex are re-branding their ‘Man-size’ range, the new branding will say ‘extra-large’. The change comes after the company received feedback that the ‘man-size’ branding was sexist and outdated. The name for the man-size tissues came from the 1950’s when the brand first launched ‘Kleenex for Men’ as an alternative to large cotton handkerchiefs.
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Assessing diversity in the workplace isn’t as easy as counting heads. The easiest characteristic to assess is gender, after that it can be extremely difficult to assess. You may see someone that you consider to be Hispanic or Black, but do they consider themselves that way? Do they see themselves as a representative for a certain ethnicity? The only true way to assess the diversity of a company is to ask each individual, and not all diversifying factors are included in the data that shows a company’s diversity and inclusion commitments.
https://www.ft.com/content/1c25eb00-ba56-11e8-8dfd-2f1cbc7ee27c
The Prevent Duty
Can radicalisation be measured?
Assessment tools specifically for measuring radicalisation, extremism and terrorism are central in counter-terrorism work. 2 of the tools used by England and Wales are the Extremism Risk Guidance (ERG22+) and the Vulnerability Assessment Framework (VAF).
The ERG22+ was originally developed to assess the inmates that were sentenced for terrorism related crimes and has since spread and is now used in assessing inmates sentenced for other crimes. The VAF is based on the ERG22+ but rather than assess inmates, it is used to assess anyone that is at risk of being radicalised.
The two tools use the same 22 indicators, the main difference in the two is that the ERG22+ comes with a guidance manual. This ensures that the questions are asked in the way they were intended, and the answers gained are useful. The VAF has no guidance manual and so questions could be interpreted differently or answers could be misunderstood.
Radicalisation is hard to define and can’t be measured. How can you determine the risk of radicalisation when you can’t define or measure it?
Other tools may be of more use, most other risk assessment tool focus on the specific risk of violence, something that is tangible and measurable.
Would the first step in creating a successful tool be defining radicalisation or standardising the use of the tools?
http://sciencenordic.com/measuring-risk-radicalisation-%E2%80%93-it-really-possible
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Remember those all-important contact numbers:
Anti-Terrorism Hotline: 0800 789 321
Crime Stoppers: 0800 555 111
And above all, be vigilant! If in doubt report anything suspicious to 101 or 999.
Safeguarding
A report has been published by the Children’s Commissioner for England, has suggested that there are 15,800 babies under 1 that are vulnerable and at risk of harm, but still living at home. This number was calculated by using the most recent comprehensive data from local authorities, which showed that there were 19,640 babies under 1 identified at being ‘in need’
- 3,820 were being looked after by local authorities
- 640 have been placed in special arrangements with someone other than the parents
- 300 were adopted over the year
This works out to around 100 babies per local authority. The report highlights the need for funding and protection for the children that need help.
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Several agency social workers have been working with vulnerable children and adults under invalid DBS checks.
Government guidance states that registered bodies processing DBS applications, which include recruitment agencies, must physically check the original documents and the recruiter must meet the candidate face-to-face or see them over a live link such as Skype, before they start work. Many agency social workers said they had scanned a copy of their documents and had never met anyone in person.
Gary Blanchard, chief operating officer at the DBS, warned that agencies and other registered bodies failing to comply with the conditions of their registration could be suspended or cancelled from carrying out checks. He continued to say that safeguarding is at the heart of everything they do at the DBS and that they play a vital role in keeping people safe.
Health and Safety
The importance of first aid training:
A mother faced her worst nightmare when her young daughter started choking. The mother started the manoeuvre to dislodge what was causing the toddler to choke but with no success. Other people in the food court came over to try and assist, including 2 Police Officers. These Officers had been trained in how to help a chocking child and while on Officer helped keep the mother calm the other managed to dislodge the object after 2 minutes. The video highlights the importance of first aid training and how beneficial it is.
https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=1323222984486782&id=364861850347799
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A school in Lincolnshire has banned bags, telling students injury was being caused to younger students as a result of sixth-formers carrying bags on their shoulders. One student has been suspended for two days after he brought his books to school in a wicker basket and a microwave to prove a point.
Another student started a petition with over 400 signatures to remove the ban, stating that it could be detrimental to grades as students are no longer able to carry all the revision materials they need to school.
The school has declined to comment.
https://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/1035245/school-bag-ban-health-safety-anger
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Thomas Orchard, 32, died in hospital 7 days after his arrest in 2012. He suffered with paranoid schizophrenia and during his detention, Thomas was restrained and had an Emergency Response Belt (ERB) placed over his face. He was then left in a locked cell where he lay motionless or 12 minutes before custody staff started CPR. 6 years after his death, the Crown Prosecution Service has announced the office of the Chief Constable of the force will be charged under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 for failing to ensure all non-employees were not exposed to any risks in connection to the ERB.
Topic of the Month – Portsmouth Happiness Project
A team of happy people are trying to spread some joy around Portsmouth by leaving little notes around the city.
The notes say all sorts of wonderful, positive or inspirational messages like:
“Be the good that you want to see in the world”
Or
“Be happy knowing you are your own kind of perfect”
They only ask that if you see one of their notes that you take a picture, post it on social media and use the hashtag #portsmouthhappinessproject so that other people can experience a little more positivity in their day.
For more information about the Portsmouth Happiness Project visit their website https://portsmouthhappinessproject.wordpress.com/ or keep exploring the City of Portsmouth and look out for their beautiful notes!
