Integrated Impact Assessment Guidance
Step One - Integrated Relevance Assessment (IRA)
The first step is to consider whether a full assessment is required, this consideration should be done in the form of a screening process. Screening should be carried out at the outset of a 'proposal' in order to embed and include equality, human rights, children's rights and socioeconomic disadvantage at the earliest part in the process.
In order to complete the screening process effectively it is important to highlight/reflect the following:
- All available strategic documents associated with the proposed 'proposal'
- Any reports, consultations, external academic research and any in-house research for example data on service uptake/access, data on populations in need, that supports and informs the aims of the 'proposal'
- Areas of interest covering positive and negative impacts across all of the Protected Characteristics
- An indication of the degree of impact and how you know this
- provide a guide as to whether any impacts identified would or could be mitigated by an amendment to the 'proposal'
- conclude whether more detailed work is required to address any areas of concern, unanswered questions that have arisen or conclude that no areas of concern where identified
If whilst completing stage one you identify that no impacts have been identified and there are no areas for concern, then you mustgive adetailed explanationto support your decision rationale.This decision will require to be signed off by the Head of Service.
A detailed summary of the decision rationale must be included in any council reports and a copy of the IRA included in the background papers.
It's important to note that a review of the screening process can be actioned at any time, especially if new information becomes available or unforeseen consequences arise.
