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Equality & Diversity at Foster Care Associates
Throughout FCA, we know that embracing diversity and equality leads to a happy and productive workforce. We aim to harness a wide variety of skills and talents to produce the best possible results in all our dealings.
Through our inclusive approach to recruitment, FCA aims to integrate equality of opportunity into all of its employment activities. Our service provision to Local Authorities, foster carers, and looked after children and young people reflects this culture of diversity, ensuring that our services, recruitment and general business do not discriminate on the grounds of any protected characteristic (Equality Act 2010):
- Age
- Disability
- Gender
- Gender Reassignment
- Marriage or Civil Partnership
- Pregnancy and maternity
- Race & Ethnicity*
- Religion & Belief (or the lack thereof)
- Sexual orientation
- Religious beliefs
In addition to protected characteristics within the Equality Act of 2010, we also ensure that our services, recruitment and general business do not discriminate on the grounds of:
- Caring responsibilities
- Socio-economic background**
* Irish Travellers are recognised by the Race Relation (Northern Ireland) Order of 1997 as being members of a racial group. Our Northern Ireland operations actively monitor workforce composition and undertake periodic reviews as required by Article 55 of the Fair Employment and Treatment (Northern Ireland) Order of 1998.
** These lists are not exhaustive.
Inclusive foster care provision
FCA seeks to operate within a framework of fairness, openness, integrity and accountability, and expects the same of those providing services for the agency, or on behalf of the agency. Our key values and principles are set down to ensure that:
- All employment and service delivery policies and practices reflect a positive value for human difference and diversity.
- All staff and foster carers are aware of and understand the agency’s commitment to equality of opportunity and their responsibilities in relation to this. Training and guidance for staff and foster carers will reinforce this, especially training for those involved in recruitment and selection decisions.
- Our workforce has the knowledge, skills and abilities to provide high quality services within a clear framework of anti-discriminatory, including anti-sectarian, practice.
- Our services are responsive, accessible, sensitive and appropriate to those who need and may benefit from them.
Foster carer pre- and post-approval training encourages care provision that respects the ethnic, religious, cultural and linguistic background of children and young people who are looked after through our agency. Foster carers are provided with the necessary information, support and training to enable them to provide the best possible care and to promote the heritage of a fostered child or young person.
Diverse recruitment practices
FCA takes care to ensure that our recruitment practices reflect the diverse culture we aspire to promote throughout our company. Job descriptions and person specifications are prepared for every vacancy, details of vacancies are made available via internal and/or external advertising, or existing staff/workers within the Core Assets Group may be transferred. Applicants are shortlisted against the person specification, and selection decisions are made on the basis of merit.
The recruitment, support and training of both staff and foster carers reflects the agency’s commitment to having a range of employees and foster families sufficiently diverse to meet the ethnic, racial, cultural, linguistic and religious needs of children and young people requiring placement, as well as any needs relating to disability, gender, religion or sexual orientation.
Active participation of staff, foster carers, and children and young people is encouraged and facilitated in regards to the development and implementation of the FCA's policies, procedures and practices, with a clear and consistent focus on equality of opportunity.
In these ways, FCA ensures that all policies and practices are in line with relevant employment- and service-related legislative, regulatory and good practice requirements.
Find out more about equality and diversity in the workplace with FCA by reading our dedicated staff profiles.
