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Equality & Disability

NIGALA is committed to promoting equality and good relations. We recognise that we have to do more to promote positive attitudes and to encourage the participation of people with a disability in public life.

We want to make sure we do this in a way that makes a difference to people and put in place what is necessary to do so. This includes people, time and money.

NIGALA has to follow the law under Section 75 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998. It says that in our work we have to promote equality and good relations. We have to treat people fairly and take account of their differing needs and to make things better for staff and people who use our services. It also says that we have to build better relationships between different groups of people.

We will also put everything in place within organisation to make sure that we do what we have to under the law (Section 75 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998). There are nine different equality groups that the law requires us to take account of:

  • Gender (and gender identities);
  • Age;
  • Religion;
  • Political opinion;
  • Ethnicity;
  • Disability;
  • Sexual orientation;
  • Marital status;
  • Those with and without dependants.

There are three good relations groups we need to consider:

  • Religion;
  • Political opinion;
  • Ethnicity.

We also have to follow the law under the Disability Discrimination (Northern Ireland) Order 2006, which says that we have to:

  • Promote positive attitudes towards disabled people and
  • Encourage participation by disabled people in public life.

This includes people with any type of disability, whether for example, physical disabilities; sensory disabilities; autism; learning disabilities; mental health conditions; or conditions that are long-term. Some of these disabilities may be hidden, others may be visible.

Both pieces of legislation require us to develop an action plan: an Equality Action Plan and a Disability Action Plan. We have to send these plans to the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland and then report every year on what we have done.

Please use the links below to access NIGALA’s action plans and associated documents:

CCGANI Equality & Disability Action Plan 2023-2028

CCGANI Equality & Disability Action Plans 2023-2028 Large Font

CCGANI Equality & Disability Action Plan 2023-2028 Consultation Document

CCGANI Equality & Disability Action Plan 2023-2028 Easy Read

CCGANI Screening Equality & Disability Action Plans 2023-2028

Annual Progress Reports 

CCGANI Annual Progress Report 2023/24

Five Year Review of Equality Scheme

NIGALA has committed to reviewing its Equality Scheme under Section 75 of the Northern Ireland Act (1998) every five years.  A review was completed during 2021/22.  Please click on the link below to view the report:

Five Year Review of Equality Scheme 2016/17 to 2020/21

Equality and Human Rights Screening 

The Equality Unit at the Business Services Organisation provides a range of equality services to NIGALA, including publishing our Equality and Human Rights Screening documentation. You can access this here.

Section 75 Complaints 

Section 75 complaints are integrated into the general complaints procedure within NIGALA. If you think we failed to comply with our Equality Scheme you can complain by contacting our complaints officer.  Guidance on how you can complaints can be found here.

For additional information about the Agency’s Equality Scheme, please contact:

Telephone: 0300 555 0102
For Text Relay: 18001 0300 555 0102
Email: admin@childrenscourtguardianagencyni.co.uk