Race Equality Scheme - 2007 update
Why publish an update to the Race Equality Scheme?
The Race Relations Amendment Act 2000 places a duty on named public authorities to:
- review their policies and procedures;
- remove discrimination and the possibility of discrimination;
- actively promote race equality.
The Department for Education and Skills, as a public authority, is required to publish a Race Equality Scheme (RES) every three years which says what we shall do to fulfil that duty.
We published our first scheme in 2002 and a further scheme in 2005. We are further required to review the scheme annually and report on progress. The 2006 and 2007 updates report progress since the 2005 scheme was produced.
Why should you read the RES?
The requirement to promote race equality applies across all of the Department’s policies, functions and services for everyone we serve, from the earliest years to the education of adults of all ages.
The duty also applies to our role as an employer and to all staff in schools, colleges and other education and children’s settings.
Anyone with an interest in the education and children’s sectors should take the time to read the RES.
What happens next?
The 2007 update to the RES is the final review of the actions detailed within our 2005 Scheme.
Actions which are ongoing will be incorporated in to our Single Equality Scheme (SES) which we intend to publish in December 2007.
The SES will be a living document and bring together the three equality schemes required by law (race, disability and gender), synchronising their publication timetables.
The SES will be reviewed and updated annually.
Thank you
Thank you to all who have contributed to the RES and its updates.
