CRWIA Stage 1
Screening – Key Questions
1. Name the policy, and describe its overall aims.
East Dunbartonshire Council Local Housing Strategy 2022-2027 (LHS)
Scottish Government Guidance (2019) states that the LHS must set out the strategic direction for the Council and its partners to tackle housing need and demand and to inform future investment in housing and housing related services including:
- Making it easier to access affordable housing
- Improving the quality of housing
- Preventing homelessness
- Providing housing and related services to specific groups
- Reducing fuel poverty
The LHS requires in depth analysis of the housing system and identification of housing issues that need to be tackled, there will be a set of high level actions under each outcome that will form the basis of the direction of the new LHS
2. What aspects of the policy/measure will affect children and young people up to the age of 18?
Individuals can become a Council tenant from age 16yrs or above. In addition, children and young people may be part of the family composition of a tenant or, neighbours of Council tenants. The Local Outcomes Improvement Plan (LOIP) has the following outcomes that directly impact children and young people:
- Outcome 3, Our children and young people are safe and ready to learn
- Outcome 4, East Dunbartonshire is a safe place in which to live, work and visit
- Outcome 5, Our people experience good physical and mental health and wellbeing with access to a quality built and natural environment in which to lead healthier and more active lifestyles
3. What likely impact – direct or indirect – will the policy/measure have on children and young people?
The new LHS will be based on analysis of the existing Strategy to identify where further actions are needed. Integral to the LHS is stakeholder consultation, which will provide an opportunity for people to influence the direction of the Strategy. There are a number of statutory requirements listed in the 2019 Guidance, the LHS also links to Scottish Government priorities, plans and targets and is linked to the Council’s Local Development Plan (LDP).
The LHS should demonstrate how it supports:
- Access to affordable housing
- House condition - SHQS
- Climate change
- Fuel poverty reduction
- Energy efficiency – EESSH
- Child poverty reduction
- Duties to homeless people
- Public bodies joint working
There are aspects of the above key areas that may affect children or young people either directly or indirectly. The development of the new Local Housing Strategy is likely to have a positive impact on children and young people.
4. Which groups of children and young people will be affected?
- Children of Council tenants
- Relatives of Council tenants that may reside from time to time in the Council owned home
- Neighbours of Council tenants
- Council tenants from age 16yrs or over
The Strategy is likely to have a positive impact on all children in East Dunbartonshire irrespective of any protected characteristic.
5. Will this require a CRWIA?
Yes, the intended impact of the LHS is wide ranging and considers all housing stock within East Dunbartonshire.
Authorisation
Policy lead
Claire McNeil, Policy Officer – Housing
Date 31/05/2022
Deputy Director or equivalent
Grant Mackintosh – Executive Officer Housing Service
Date 31/05/2022
CRWIA Stage 2
The CRWIA – key questions
1. Which UNCRC Articles are relevant to the policy/measure?
List all relevant Articles of the UNCRC and Optional Protocols.
All UNCRC rights are underpinned by the four general principles: non-discrimination; the best interests of the child; the right to life, survival and development; and the child’s right to have their views given due weight.
Article 2: Non-discrimination
Article 3: Best interests of the child
Article 6: Life, survival and development
Article 8: Protection and preservation of identity
Article 10: Family reunification
Article 12: Respect for views of the child
Article 13: Freedom of expression
Article 14: Freedom of thought, conscience and religion
Article 15: Freedom of association
Article 16: Right to Privacy
Article 18(1,2): Parental responsibilities and state assistance
Article 19: Protection from all forms of violence
Article 22: Refugee children
Article 23: Children with disabilities
Article 24: Health and Health services
Article 27(4): Adequate standard of living
Article 30: Children of minorities/indigenous groups
Article 31: Leisure play and culture
Article 32: child labour
Article 33: Drug abuse
Article 37: Inhumane treatment and detention
Article 39 Recovery and rehabilitation of child victims
2. What impact will the policy/measure will have on children’s rights?
Positive/negative/neutral.
The LHS will have a positive impact on the Children’s rights listed above. Through addressing the main priorities set out in the LHS the Council and its partners will aim to tackle housing related issues within East Dunbartonshire such as:
- Reducing levels of homelessness through the Rapid Rehousing Transition Plan
- Improving housing condition and tackling fuel poverty through the Scheme of assistance and Scottish Housing Quality Standard
- Ensuring our homes meet energy efficiency levels
- Tackling levels of poverty and deprivation
- Offering specialist housing and adapted properties, meeting wheelchair and accessible housing targets
- Ensuring children are living to an adequate standard by ensuring our properties do not fall Below Tolerable Standard (BTS)
- Providing a safe environment for children to live through tackling anti-social behaviour and domestic violence
- Promoting support services offered by the Council and its partners to young people who require it
3. Will there be different impacts on different groups of children and young people? Which groups of children will be affected by the policy/measure? Are there competing interests between different groups of children and young people, or between children and young people and other groups?
The LHS intents to have a positive impact on all children and young people living within East Dunbartonshire irrespective of any protected characteristics.
4. If a negative impact is assessed for any area of rights or any group of children and young people, what options have you considered to modify the proposal, or mitigate the impact?
If options to modify the policy/measure are included here, include associated resource implications where relevant.
The LHS will have no negative impacts on children and young people living in East Dunbartonshire. The LHS will be reviewed on an annual basis where this can be monitored and an action plan will be developed. The Housing service will review the CRWIA on an annual basis alongside the LHS.
5. How will the policy/measure contribute to the wellbeing of children and young people in Scotland?
Outline how the implementation of the policy/measure will support public bodies in Scotland to meet their duties to safeguard, support and promote the wellbeing of children in their area, with wellbeing defined by eight wellbeing indicators. The indicators are: Safe, Healthy, Achieving, Nurtured, Active, Respected, Responsible, and Included.
The implementation of the LHS will support East Dunbartonshire Council in meeting their duty to safeguard, support and promote the wellbeing of children in the area through:
Safe:
- Ensuring children and young people have a safe environment and community to live, learn and play in
- Improving housing condition and quality
- Tackling anti-social behaviour within the area
- Tackling domestic violence
- Reducing levels of homelessness
Healthy:
- Tackling child poverty and areas of deprivation
- Working alongside partners such as HSCP to work towards improving health and wellbeing
- Reducing levels of fuel poverty
- Through specialist provision housing, adapted homes and meeting wheelchair targets
- Meeting energy efficiency
Achieving:
- Achieving housing quality and affordable warmth
- Providing homes in sustainable places where connectivity to schools and other local facilities is easy
- Delivering more homes in great places and communities
Nurtured:
- Working alongside partners to provide housing support
- Creating a safe community for children and young people to reside in through tackling anti-social behaviour, crime rates and domestic violence
- Ensuring connectivity to schools and other facilities is easy
Active:
- Promotion of reducing carbon emissions – encouraging walking/cycling within communities
- Ensuring communities are safe places for children and young people to take part in various activities such as play, recreation and sports
Respected:
- Having respect of the views of children and young people
Responsible:
- Staff have the correct training to deliver the aims of the LHS and provide necessary support to children and young people
- Staff are aware of the support other services and partners can provide
- Staff are aware of child protection processes
- Responsible for the delivering of the priorities and aims set out within the LHS and the monitoring of the strategy
Included:
- Communicate with children and young people about housing news and information via various platforms and communication methods
- Working with partners to ensure children and young people receive any help or support that they need to ensure they feel included and valued within the community in which they live
6. How will the policy/measure give better or further effect to the implementation of the UNCRC in Scotland?
This will inform Scottish Ministers’ duty to report to Parliament on children’s rights under the Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014.
The LHS has been developed in conjunction with various partners and stakeholders who work in close proximity with children and young people who have a vast knowledge and understanding of the Children’s rights. The LHS draft will be shared amongst the LHS stakeholder group as well as other partners and local authorities for feedback.
The LHS will be monitored and reviewed on an annual basis by the Council and the LHS stakeholder group and actions will be put in place. This will allow the Council to monitor the progress of the LHS and the wellbeing of children and young people in East Dunbartonshire. Further to this, it will allow the Council to review this CRWIA on an annual basis and make any necessary amendments. Annual updates will be published on the Council’s website.
7. What evidence have you used to inform your assessment? What does it tell you?
The evidence base may include demographic information, academic research, service monitoring/inspection reports, service evaluation reports, user surveys, etc. In particular, look at what existing evidence tells you about children and young people’s views and experiences of the relevant service(s); and/or what it tells you about children and young people’s views of the policy proposal. Identify any gaps in the evidence base, and set out how you will address these.
The LHS is evidence based and is informed by current housing documents as well as extensive review of other relevant documents and information several of which have relevance to children and young people within the area:
Housing Contribution Statement 2018
Housing Need & Demand Assessment 3 (HNDA3)
LHS Early Engagement survey
Rapid Rehousing Transition Plan
Health and Social Care Partnership Strategic Commissioning Plan 2022-25
Scottish House Condition Survey 2017-19
Council Tax data
Climate Action Plan
Local Development Plan 2 (LDP2)
Strategic Housing Investment Plan
Housing Statistical Annual Return
Economic Development Strategy 2017-2020
East Dunbartonshire Area Profile
Local Housing Strategy Early Engagement Survey – September/October 2021
Local Housing Strategy Development Conference Event – January 2022
Local Housing Strategy Option Appraisal Workshops – March 2022
A draft of the LHS will be made available to various partners, stakeholders, other Local Authorities and on the Council’s website for comment.
8. Have you consulted with relevant stakeholders?
This would include public or targeted consultations with children and young people, their parents/carers and the children’s workforce.
In order to develop the LHS there has been an extensive consultation process followed. As a first step, the Housing service developed an Early Engagement Survey in September/October 2021 which was opened for 6 weeks and heavily promoted through the Council’s website, social media accounts, and poster campaigns around the area. All residents were encouraged to complete the survey and provide feedback on various housing issues. There were over 200 responses to the survey, however it was an anonymous survey therefore we are unable to identify who respondents were.
In January 2022 a stakeholder conference was held, digitally via Microsoft Teams. There were over 80 partners and stakeholders in attendance to the event, this included representatives from public, private and third and community sectors many of which work closely with children and young people. The purpose of the conference was to agree on; an LHS vision, main housing issues to form the LHS priorities, and generate ideas for LHS actions.
Following on from the conference, smaller expert stakeholder groups were formed made up of various partners and stakeholders and during the month of March option identification and option appraisal workshops were carried out. These workshops allowed the key LHS priorities to be defined and systematically appraise the options.
9. Have you involved children and young people in the development of the policy/measure?
Is there enough information on the views of the children and young people who will be affected by the policy/measure that enables you to make an informed assessment of impact?
Although no children or young people were consulted specifically as a targeted group all residents, including young people were encouraged to fill out the Early Engagement Survey on the LHS. However due to Data Protection we took an anonymous approach to the survey so are unable to identify if any respondents were young people.
The LHS stakeholder group was formed of partners who work closely with children and young people; colleagues from Project 101 (the Council’s Youth Housing Project), HSCP colleagues which included Social Workers, East Dunbartonshire Voluntary Action colleagues who work with young people in the area, as well as Local Area Co-ordinator’s who work with young people 14+ who have a diagnosis of Autism or Learning Disability.