Purpose

This
report recommends that Cabinet agrees to treat care experience as
if it were a protected characteristic, in response to the notice of
motion raised at Full Council on 23 May 2023. The decision would
mean that the Council gives care experience parity of status with
the existing nine protected characteristics under the Equality Act
2010, in effect treating it as a tenth protected characteristic in
Cornwall.

Content

DECISION:
 

RESOLVED:
 
1.  That
experience of care be recognised alongside the nine protected
characteristics set out in the Equality Act 2010 and that partner
organisations in Cornwall (including the Council’s
arms-length companies) be encouraged to do the same.
 
2.  That
‘experience of care’ be defined to include people of
any age with experience of being in children’s social care
and at any point.
 
3.  That
experience of care be included in future updates to the
Council’s Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Strategy
and the EDI Dashboard.
 
4.  That the
Cornwall Development and Decision Wheel be adapted to include care
experience.
 
5.  That
authority be delegated to the Strategic Director for Together for
Families, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Children and
Families, the Section 151 Officer and the Monitoring Officer to
consider implementing specific measures that respond to experience
of care being recognised as a protected characteristic across the
Council’s services.
 
6.  That an
All Member Briefing (AMB) be held on 17 November 2023 for Members
to hear from people with experience of care.
 

 
Reason for the Decision: 
 
As contained within the
report.
 
Alternative options considered:
 
None other than contained
within the report.
 
Conflicts of interest declared:
 
None.
 
Dispensations granted in respect of a conflict of
interest:
 
N/A