Equal Opportunities

The policy on Equal Opportunities is currently based on the following Isle of Man legislation and guidance:

• Employment Act 2006;
• Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 2001;
• Equality Act 2017;
• Isle of Man Promoting Equal Opportunities Handbook;
• Isle of Man Fostering Minimum Standards June 2007 (amended October 2013) - Standard 7.

Individuals have the right to be treated fairly and without discrimination, especially on the grounds of marital status, age, sex and sexual orientation, marriage and civil partnership, race, pregnancy and maternity, disability, religion or belief.

Manx Care is committed to promoting equal opportunities for all foster carers and adopters with whom they assess, train and support.

Manx Care will support foster carers and prospective adopters to ensure that looked after children and young people and their families are provided with fostering and adoption services which value diversity and promote equality.

All professionals working alongside foster carers and adopters will ensure that the assessment, training and support programmes are accessible to enable those to participate and that the assessment and panel process celebrates differences and places value upon them.

Foster carers and adopters have the right to be treated fairly and without discrimination, especially on the grounds of marital status, age, sex and sexual orientation, marriage and civil partnership, race, pregnancy and maternity, disability, religion or belief and supervising and assessing social workers must take account of this is their everyday practice.

Foster carers and prospective adopters will be supported, via their supervising social worker, to assist children and young people to develop respect for themselves and for others. It is also recognised that the services Manx Care delivers recognise and build on the strengths of children and young people from all cultures, religions, gender, age, sexual orientation, ability and backgrounds; in ways that meet their needs and help them to achieve their full potential.

Supervising Social Workers must ensure that foster carers and prospective adopters are supported in ensuring that their homes are welcoming to all children and young people that they care for. In addition to this, resources are used (where appropriate) to assist foster carers and prospective adopters in continuing to develop their understanding of the importance of promoting equality, diversity and anti-oppressive parenting.

Foster carers and prospective adopters must also be supported to ensure that children and young people are offered opportunities to try out new experiences, which are not restricted by traditional gender options/roles.

Foster carers, prospective adopters and professionals are expected to challenge attitudes, behaviour and language that are non-inclusive and discriminatory, in a positive way.

It is important for professionals, foster carers and prospective adopters to ensure that all children/young people are given the opportunity to be safely cared for and educated. Where possible, this is alongside their peers, in order to develop their full potential. 

Those working with and supporting children/young people must encouraged and support them to understand their rights and be well-informed about ways of challenging discrimination. 

Foster carers and prospective adopters are expected to identify local community resources that contribute to meeting the needs of children/young people. For example, identifying a local church that will ensure that the child/young person is able to follow their chose religion or identifying a hairdressers that are able to meet the hair care needs of a child/young person who is of a different ethnicity.

Where necessary, additional support accessed through supervision and training will be offered to foster carers and prospective adopters, who are finding it difficult to understanding diverse or complex situations for children. 

The supervising social worker and professionals must support the foster carer(s) and prospective adopters in providing a welcoming, comfortable and accessible environment that is safe and easy to use for children, parents, and relatives, particularly those with additional needs.

For example, ensuring equal access to its facilities and where possible, avoid physical features that make it difficult for people with a disability and make reasonable adjustments to improve the environment.

A foster carer, adopter child or young person, who believes that they have grounds for a complaint will be encouraged to speak to their supervising social worker/social worker in the first instance. If the matter cannot be resolved, the foster carer is invited to discuss the matter further with the Fostering Team Leader or Social Work Team Manager

It is also important to remember that a Looked After child or young person can also make their complaint via the Children's Champion, Children's Rights Officer, their Court Guardian, or their Independent Reviewing Officer.

If a satisfactory response is still not provided, a formal complaint can be made using Manx Care's complaints procedure.