Making the Gender Making the Gender Equality Duty RealEquality Duty RealMaking the Gender Making the Gender Equality Duty RealEquality Duty Real

Dr Katrina Allen, Policy OfficerDr Katrina Allen, Policy OfficerChildren in ScotlandChildren in Scotland

Project: ‘Making the Gender Equality Project: ‘Making the Gender Equality Duty Real for Children, Young People Duty Real for Children, Young People

and their Fathers’and their Fathers’

Aberdeen 9 March 2010Aberdeen 9 March 2010

IntroductionIntroductionIntroductionIntroduction• Children in Scotland interest in gender

equality issues

• Gender Equality Duty

• How project fits within broader gender equality picture

• Survey background and results

• Key issues to consider today

• Next steps for project

Children in Scotland gender equality lens

Children’s wellbeing & development

Children’s rightsChild protection

Positive parenting support

Maximising opportunities /

life chances

•Safeguarding•Physical, emotional development

•Education, skills•Career paths

•Preparation for parenting/caring

•Safeguarding•Recognising influence fathers•+ engagement with fathers•Valuing caring roles

‘‘Making the GED Real’ projectMaking the GED Real’ project‘‘Making the GED Real’ projectMaking the GED Real’ project

‘Making the GED Real for Children, YoungPeople and their Fathers’ is a 3 year project,funded by the Scottish Government EqualityUnit (2008-2011)

Broad project objectives:• Monitor and report on the implementation

of the GED in Scotland

• Identify & share good practice examples

Project focus on Project focus on challengingchallenging::Project focus on Project focus on challengingchallenging::

• Gender stereotyping – particularly associated with caring roles

• Occupational segregation in professions serving children and young people

Project focus on Project focus on promotingpromoting::Project focus on Project focus on promotingpromoting::• Opportunities & support for fathers

to engage in positive parenting

• Support for fathers (as well as mothers) in the workplace

• Support for children & young people to choose from full range of education & career paths – without reference to gender

‘‘Fathers’ definitionFathers’ definition‘‘Fathers’ definitionFathers’ definition

Term ‘father(s)’ includes:

biological and ‘de facto’ fathers/male carers

(e.g. stepdads, foster fathers, non-resident fathers and grandfathers)

The Gender Equality DutyThe Gender Equality DutyThe Gender Equality DutyThe Gender Equality Duty

• Equality Act 2006 introduced the GED→ general duty on public bodies to promote

equality of opportunity & eliminate unlawful discrimination

→ specific duties for listed Scottish public bodies include:

- Publish gender equality scheme (2007)- Assess impact of policies and practices

on both women and men- Set gender equality objectives, plan &

take action to achieve- Report annually & review progress every 3yrs (due 2010)

The GED does The GED does notnot mean… mean…The GED does The GED does notnot mean… mean…

• Single sex services should be cut

• New single sex services should not be funded

• Services must be provided on an equal basis for women & men

Does mean…Does mean…Different needs should be assessed

Gender Equality jigsawHow do we achieve equality?

Equal Pay for equal

work!

End occupational segregation!

Tackle gender-based

violence!

Value and support both

men and women as

carers

Value and support both women and

men in every workplace &

political arena

Project within the bigger GE pictureProject within the bigger GE picture– o– other aspects of Gender Equalityther aspects of Gender EqualityProject within the bigger GE pictureProject within the bigger GE picture– o– other aspects of Gender Equalityther aspects of Gender Equality• National GED focus so far on:

- Equal Pay (Equal Pay Statements a requirement of specific public sector duties Scotland)- Occupational Segregation- Violence against Women

• Important not to lose sight of the connections between the different aspects of GE when focusing on specific areas!

• Key link: how we define feminine/masculine identity & ‘appropriate’ roles/attitudes/ behaviours

Project within the bigger GE pictureProject within the bigger GE picture– changing social context– changing social context

Project within the bigger GE pictureProject within the bigger GE picture– changing social context– changing social context

• Men increasingly want to be more actively involved in children’s education & development – benefits recognised

• Increasingly fathers expected to fulfill caring roles and women to develop careers

• Increasing emphasis on work-life balance and shift towards cooperative ‘shared parenting’ ideal

• Job market shift from male-dominated industries to service sector jobs which are more open to women

Project within the bigger GE pictureProject within the bigger GE picture– policy and services context– policy and services context

Project within the bigger GE pictureProject within the bigger GE picture– policy and services context– policy and services context

• Historical association of Gender Equality with women’s rights – challenge to engage men constructively with ‘gender equality’ issues

• Historical legacy of focus on mothers – provides support but also reinforces traditional roles

• Current positive parenting, early years focus – recognition fathers’ role

Survey overviewSurvey overview Survey overviewSurvey overview Focus 4 key areas – little attention GES/

reporting:• Engagement of fathers with services for children

& families• Recruiting men to children’s sector workforce• Challenging stereotypes in educational and

career choices of children & young people• Supporting fathers in the workplace

Aims:• Collate base-line data to track national progress• Increase understanding of opportunities &

barriers• Systematically identify good practice examples

Survey methodsSurvey methods Survey methodsSurvey methods • Combination qualitative & quantitative questions

• Invited all 32 LAs & 14 NHS Boards to respond

• 2 tailored questionnaires (LA, NHS)

• Balance between strategic perspectives & experiences of frontline staff

• 131 responses from 30 LAs – across education, children’s services, social work, human resources & corporate services

• 30 responses from 9 NHS Boards – clinical staff, managers, policy & equalities officers

Responses overviewResponses overviewResponses overviewResponses overview• Broadly positive about the GED & its

potential impacts

• Highlighted a no. of weaknesses & obstacles to effective implementation

• Diversity of priorities – in line with wide range of respondents

• Disconnect between GES priorities and objectives & activities within specific service areas

= missed opportunity?

Strengths & weaknessesStrengths & weaknessesStrengths & weaknessesStrengths & weaknessesKey strengths• Effective systems in place• Training staff• Focused leadershipAnd appointing dedicated equalities officers

Key weaknesses• Delivering change in practice – no. 1• Lack of management leadership &

coordination• Low levels awareness & understanding

gender equality issues

Obstacles to implementationObstacles to implementationObstacles to implementationObstacles to implementation• Lack of time & capacity

• Lack of staff ‘buy-in’ to gender equality agenda (including managers)

• Competing priorities – equalities & for service delivery

• Perceived administrative burden

• Gender equality treated as ‘bolt-on’ not a core value in service delivery

3 tiers of engagement

parents / carers

fathers

specific fathers

Key messagesKey messagesKey messagesKey messagesTargeting men/fathers requires

thought to issues such as:

• Timing

• Language

• Images

• ‘Hooks’ to engage

• Ongoing support

Key messagesKey messages

‘Gender neutral’ = ‘gender blind’ if different needs missed

• “Gender issues in day-to-day practice can be a hard concept for people to understand when the system traditionally feels it should treat everybody the same”

• “Lack of understanding from some quarters about why there is so much focus on equality when patients are treated as individuals”

Key messagesKey messages

Cultural change is not an easy or fast process

• “I was explaining local authority work to a P7 class. I asked the pupils why we had so few women councillors. One girl said: ‘I think men are better at that sort of thing’… I did not hear any opposition from her fellow pupils”

• “Consultation with a gender focus has been difficult… There wasn’t the interest in gender issues from either employees or community groups that there were for the other two equality strands of race and disability”

In summaryIn summary• GED Schemes & Reports not capturing

breadth of gender equality related activities & approaches – nor impacts

• Substantial professional engagement with range of interconnected gender equality issues

• Potential for ‘gender equality’ initiatives with much wider benefits for children & families as service users

• High demand for info. & opportunities to share practice examples

Questions for todayQuestions for today• How can GED schemes & reporting be better linked

to wider, gender equality related practice?

• How can we build coherent strategies that support long term cultural change & complementary measures across service areas?

• How can we get people more interested in gender equality issues?

• How can we find the right balance between routine involvement of men in mainstream services & tailored, men-only initiatives/services?

• How do we target specific groups (e.g. men in childcare work, young fathers) without reinforcing stereotypes?

Next stepsNext stepsNext stepsNext steps

• Summary report of 2 events

• Website development– case studies– links to other sites/info. sources

• Follow-up survey 2011

And finally…

Contact:Kat Allen, Policy Officer, Children in Scotland

Email: kallen@childreninscotland.org.uk

Tel: 0131 222 2440

http://makinggenderequalityreal.org.uk

Thank you!