Schools, early years and childcare

Medway Family Information Service is opposed to all forms of discriminatory attitudes. It recognises that such practices may be open or hidden, intentional or unintentional and may operate on an individual or institutional level.

It is determined to make every effort to prevent any discrimination against its staff and users of its service on grounds of their age, colour, racial or ethnic origin, disability, nationality, sexual orientation, marital status, cultural background, gender, religious beliefs or health.

It recognises that passive policies will not in themselves provide equality of opportunity and acknowledges that specific strategies are needed to ensure that the service is fully accessible to all potential users in the local community.

Equal opportunities implementation

Medway Family Information Service will comply with Medway Council’s equality policies, monitor its own policy and practices and regularly review its services to ensure that there are no procedures or practices which discriminate against users or employees. This will include:

• a regular review of the use made of the service by disadvantaged groups;
• close monitoring of feedback from enquiries to identify any perceived discrimination in the way people were treated by the Family Information Service or providers;
• identification of potential areas of direct or indirect discrimination which are leading to under-use of the service;
• regular consultation and liaison with community groups to explore how to improve the accessibility of the service;
• introduction of specific measures to combat direct or indirect discrimination against particular groups.

Medway Family Information Service will ensure that:

• venues used for meetings and other events will be accessible to people with disabilities,
• information on access will be included in promotional material for events,
• leaflets will be available in other languages,
• facilities for further translation and interpreters will be made available,
• a minicom service will be available,
• outreach clinics aimed at particular groups will be arranged through liaison with their representatives.

Medway Family Information Service will attempt to reflect the diverse nature of society through its notices, displays, materials and publications.

Where a service user feels that they have encountered discrimination by the Family Information Service, the complaints procedure will be used. Where there is evidence of discrimination by another party, such as a provider, the details will be referred to Ofsted for investigation.

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