Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Policy

ADHD Lancashire Limited

 

1. Purpose

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ADHD Lancashire Limited is committed to promoting equality, diversity and inclusion in every aspect of its work.

We aim to create a welcoming, accessible and supportive environment where people are treated fairly, with dignity and respect. We recognise that people have different experiences, identities, strengths and support needs, and that some individuals may experience multiple or overlapping barriers.

We believe that fostering an inclusive community strengthens our organisation, improves the accessibility and quality of our services, and supports the wellbeing of the people with whom we work.

ADHD Lancashire Limited will not tolerate unlawful discrimination, harassment, sexual harassment, bullying or victimisation.

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2. Scope

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This policy applies to:

• Employees and job applicants

• Directors, trustees or members of the leadership team, where applicable

• Volunteers and placement students

• Contractors, consultants and facilitators

• Service users and programme participants

• Visitors, suppliers, partner organisations and other stakeholders

It applies to recruitment, employment, training, service delivery, events, online activities, communications, partnerships and community engagement.

Everyone representing or engaging with ADHD Lancashire Limited is expected to uphold the principles of this policy.

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3. Our principles

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Under the Equality Act 2010, it is unlawful to discriminate against someone because of any of the following nine protected characteristics:

• Age

• Disability

• Gender reassignment

• Marriage and civil partnership

• Pregnancy and maternity

• Race, including colour, nationality, and ethnic or national origin

• Religion or belief, including a lack of religion or belief

• Sex

• Sexual orientation

ADHD Lancashire Limited also aims to provide a respectful and inclusive environment for people of all gender identities, neurotypes, socioeconomic backgrounds, family circumstances and caring responsibilities.

This broader commitment does not alter or replace the protected characteristics and legal definitions contained in the Equality Act 2010.

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4. Forms of discrimination

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ADHD Lancashire Limited recognises that unlawful discrimination may include:

• Direct discrimination: treating someone less favourably because of a protected characteristic.

• Indirect discrimination: applying a policy, rule or way of working that places people who share a protected characteristic at a particular disadvantage, unless it can be objectively justified.

• Harassment: unwanted conduct related to a protected characteristic that violates someone’s dignity or creates an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment.

• Sexual harassment: unwanted conduct of a sexual nature that violates someone’s dignity or creates an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment.

• Victimisation: treating someone unfavourably because they have raised, supported or contributed to a concern or complaint relating to discrimination or harassment.

• Discrimination arising from disability: treating a disabled person unfavourably because of something arising from their disability, unless that treatment can be objectively justified.

• Failure to make reasonable adjustments: failing to take reasonable steps to remove or reduce a substantial disadvantage experienced by a disabled person.

Discrimination may be intentional or unintentional. It can also occur because someone is perceived to have a protected characteristic, or because they are associated with someone who does.

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5. Our commitments

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ADHD Lancashire Limited will:

• Foster an inclusive culture in which individual differences, experiences and contributions are recognised and valued.

• Treat employees, volunteers, service users and stakeholders fairly, with dignity and respect.

• Make decisions about recruitment, training, development and service access fairly and objectively.

• Consider proportionate and lawful positive action where evidence shows that a group is disadvantaged or underrepresented.

• Identify and eliminate unnecessary barriers across our policies, practices, communications, services, and events.

• Provide information in accessible formats where reasonably practicable.

• Discuss individual accessibility requirements and make reasonable adjustments for disabled employees, applicants and service users.

• Recognise that ADHD and other neurodevelopmental conditions may amount to a disability under the Equality Act 2010, depending on their effect on the individual.

• Avoid making assumptions about a person's needs based on a diagnosis, identity or protected characteristic.

• Challenge and respond appropriately to discrimination, bullying, harassment, sexual harassment and victimisation.

• Promote awareness of EDI principles through appropriate information, training and reflective practice.

• Encourage feedback from employees, volunteers, service users and stakeholders.

• Work with organisations that share our commitment to equality, accessibility and inclusion, where appropriate.

• Review our practices regularly and make improvements where barriers or inequalities are identified.

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6. Recruitment and employment

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ADHD Lancashire Limited will aim to ensure that:

• Job and volunteering opportunities are advertised and administered fairly and accessibly.

• Selection decisions are based on relevant skills, experience and role requirements.

• Applicants are invited to request reasonable adjustments during recruitment.

• Employment terms, training and development opportunities are applied fairly.

• Decisions relating to pay, responsibilities, development, performance and termination are made objectively and without unlawful discrimination.

• Employees and volunteers know how to raise an EDI-related concern.

• Reasonable steps are taken to prevent sexual harassment, including harassment involving clients, contractors or other third parties.

Any lawful positive action will be proportionate, evidence-based and consistent with the Equality Act 2010.

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7. Accessible and inclusive services

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ADHD Lancashire Limited is committed to making its services accessible to the diverse communities it supports.

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We will:

• Consider accessibility when designing services, programmes, resources, websites, communications and events.

• Invite people to share reasonable adjustments or communication requirements.

• Respond to requests individually and avoid a one-size-fits-all approach.

• Provide reasonable adjustments where required by law and consider additional accessibility support where reasonably practicable.

• Use inclusive, respectful and non-stigmatising language.

• Review whether eligibility criteria, booking arrangements or service procedures create avoidable barriers.

• Consider the combined effect of different identities, disabilities and personal circumstances when responding to individual needs.

A person will not normally be required to disclose more personal information than is reasonably necessary to understand and respond to an adjustment request.

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8. Expected standards of behaviour

 

Everyone covered by this policy is expected to:

• Treat others with dignity, fairness and respect.

• Avoid discriminatory, intimidating, hostile or offensive language and behaviour.

• Respect people’s names, identities, pronouns, beliefs and individual circumstances.

• Cooperate with reasonable adjustments and inclusive working practices.

• Raise concerns appropriately rather than ignoring discriminatory behaviour.

• Maintain appropriate professional boundaries.

• Engage with relevant EDI information or training provided by the organisation.

Conduct that breaches this policy may result in appropriate action. For employees, this may include action under the organisation's disciplinary procedure. For volunteers, contractors, service users or other stakeholders, it may include ending an arrangement, contract or access to a service or event, where proportionate and appropriate.

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9. Responsibilities

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Leadership and management are responsible for:

• Implementing and communicating this policy.

• Modelling inclusive behaviour.

• Consider EDI when making decisions.

• Responding promptly and fairly to concerns.

• Arranging appropriate information or training.

• Reviewing identified risks, including the risk of workplace sexual harassment.

• Monitoring whether policies and services create avoidable barriers.

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Employees, volunteers and contractors are responsible for:

• Following this policy in their work and interactions.

• Treating others respectfully.

• Reporting discrimination, bullying, harassment, sexual harassment or victimisation.

• Cooperating with investigations and reasonable adjustments.

• Participating in relevant training or development.

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Service users and stakeholders are expected to:

• Treat employees, volunteers and other participants with dignity and respect.

• Follow relevant codes of conduct or participation agreements.

• Raise concerns constructively and provide feedback that may help improve accessibility and inclusion.

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10. Reporting concerns and making complaints

 

Concerns about discrimination, harassment, sexual harassment, bullying, victimisation or exclusion should be reported to:

 

Bernadette Ashton
ADHD Lancashire Limited
Email: bernadette@adhdlancashire.com

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Employees may also raise concerns through the organisation's grievance procedure. Service users and other stakeholders may use the organisation's complaints procedure.

If a concern relates to Bernadette Ashton, or if someone does not feel able to report the matter to her, the concern should be directed to:

Alternative contact: [Insert name, role and email address]

 

Concerns will be:

• Taken seriously

• Acknowledged and considered promptly

• Handled sensitively and impartially

• Investigated fairly where appropriate

• Shared only with people who need the information to consider or respond to the matter

• Managed in accordance with relevant complaints, grievance, disciplinary, safeguarding and data protection procedures

 

No one will be treated unfavourably because they have raised a genuine concern, supported another person's complaint or participated in an investigation.

Where appropriate, ADHD Lancashire Limited may seek independent advice, mediation or specialist support. Nothing in this policy removes an individual's right to seek external advice or pursue a legal remedy.

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11. Monitoring and data protection​

 

ADHD Lancashire Limited will review feedback, complaints, accessibility requests and other relevant information to assess how effectively this policy is working.

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Where equality monitoring information is collected, it will be:

• Collected only where there is a clear and legitimate purpose

• Relevant and proportionate

• Voluntary where appropriate

• Handled confidentially and securely

• Anonymised or aggregated wherever reasonably possible

• Processed in accordance with the UK GDPR, the Data Protection Act 2018 and the organisation's privacy information

Some equality monitoring information may be special-category personal data and will only be processed where a lawful basis and an appropriate additional condition apply. ICO guidance confirms that data relating to matters such as health, ethnicity, religious beliefs and sexual orientation receives additional protection.

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12. Legal framework

 

This policy has been informed by relevant legislation and guidance, including:

• The Equality Act 2010

• The Human Rights Act 1998

• The Worker Protection (Amendment of Equality Act 2010) Act 2023

• The Data Protection Act 2018 and UK GDPR

• The Public Sector Equality Duty under section 149 of the Equality Act 2010, where applicable

Since 26 October 2024, employers have been required to take reasonable steps to prevent sexual harassment of employees in the course of their employment. This includes considering risks involving third parties, such as clients or contractors. The legal duty is set out in the Worker Protection Act 2023.

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13. Review

 

This policy will be reviewed annually, or sooner if:

• Relevant legislation or official guidance changes

• A complaint or incident identifies a need for improvement

• The organisation's services or staffing arrangements change significantly

• Feedback indicates that the policy is not operating effectively

 

Feedback from employees, volunteers, service users and stakeholders will be considered as part of the review.

Policy owner: Bernadette Ashton
Approved by: Bernadette Ashton
Approval/review date: 4 August 2026
Next scheduled review: 4 August 2027
Version: 4.0