Equal Opportunities Policy

General Statement

The Bowlby Centre confirms its commitment to a policy of equal opportunities in The Bowlby Centre ’s selection and treatment of trainees, members and teaching staff, and in the provision of psychotherapy services to clients. The Bowlby Centre believes that all members, trainees, employees, staff and clients have the right to expect that all individuals will be treated with dignity and respect and that an environment will be created where unfair discrimination is not tolerated. The Bowlby Centre recognises that equality of opportunity is part of good practice, and is committed to the continuous development and implementation of policies that ensure equality of opportunity in the employment and advancement of therapists, trainers and other staff; the selection, teaching and assessment of trainees; and the provision of its services to the public. The Bowlby Centre therefore seeks to implement and actively adhere to an equal opportunities policy in all these areas of conduct.

The policy reflects good practice as well as statutory obligations under national legislation. The Bowlby Centre will seek to adopt practices required under future legislation.

The Bowlby Centre acknowledges that Britain is a multi-ethnic, multi-cultural society. The Bowlby Centre further recognises that many members of minority groups in the community have suffered, and continue to suffer, social exclusion and discrimination on the grounds of their age, colour, ethnic or national origin, race, disability, religious beliefs, or sexuality. The Bowlby Centre also recognises that institutionalised prejudices on the grounds of race, class and gender, have traditionally discriminated against and excluded black people, women and those from disadvantaged socioeconomic backgrounds, and prevented them from having equal access to opportunities in society. Civil rights movements developed in order to address this inequality and succeeded in the introduction of equal opportunities policies and legislation. As a charity and registered company, The Bowlby Centre seeks to implement an equal opportunities policy, to ensure that no individual will be disadvantaged or excluded as a consequence of their identity either on the grounds referred to, or on the basis of any other inappropriate distinction.

The Bowlby Centre has a responsibility to bring its equal opportunities guidelines to the attention of all members, trainees, staff and others working in conjunction with The Bowlby Centre. All members, trainees, staff and others working in conjunction with The Bowlby Centre have a personal responsibility to ensure that equal opportunities policies and practices are reflected in their day-to-day dealings with colleagues and clients.

General Principles

The Bowlby Centre will strive to ensure that: –
All staff, students and members of The Bowlby Centre and members of the public to whom CAPP is providing services have equal access to The Bowlby Centre facilities wherever it is appropriate and reasonably practicable to achieve this.

  • Language used in The Bowlby Centre ’s correspondence and literature reflects the spirit of this policy.
  • The Bowlby Centre provides an environment, and promotes a culture, in which no-one from a disadvantaged group in society will be subjected to abuse or discrimination on the grounds of their identity, including their age, class, culture, disability, race, gender or sexuality.
  • Monitoring of these procedures will be carried out regularly along with monitoring of The Bowlby Centre ’s employed staff, student population, and client population and referral procedures.
  • Training and guidance in the implementation of Equal Opportunities is provided for all relevant The Bowlby Centre members, staff and trainees, particularly those who deal with the recruitment and support of staff, or the selection, guidance or support of students and trainees.
  • Serious breaches of this policy are dealt with through the appropriate complaints procedure.

Employment, including contract staff

The Bowlby Centre will strive to ensure that:

  • Fair and open procedures are operated in respect of the recruitment, selection, training, promotion and dismissal of persons employed by The Bowlby Centre.
  • Advertisements of employment, and any written information sent to applicants, are nondiscriminatory, and do not impose requirements other than those based upon clear, consistent and justifiable criteria.
  • No applicant for any position will receive less favourable treatment than any other applicant on the grounds of their gender, colour, ethnic or national origin, race, disability, age, sexuality, socio-economic background, religious beliefs, and family circumstances, or any other inappropriate distinction.
  • No applicant will be placed at a disadvantage by the inclusion of requirements or conditions, which have a disproportionately averse impact upon members of any group to which the applicant belongs, where these requirements or conditions cannot be shown to be necessary for the satisfactory fulfilment of the demands of the position.
  • Selection procedures and criteria will ensure that individuals are selected on the basis of their relevant merits and abilities. The Bowlby Centre recognises that there may be a range of candidates, each of whom would bring different and valuable qualities to a particular post. In these circumstances The Bowlby Centre will ensure that selection of the successful candidate will be made on
  • the basis of clear, consistent and justifiable criteria.

Students and trainees

The Bowlby Centre is committed to ensuring that: –

  • Procedures ensure fair and equitable treatment in relation to the selection, teaching and assessment of students, and the referral of training clients to trainees.
  • The training provides an enabling and supportive framework in which students and trainees are free to develop their own learning whilst respecting and valuing differences.
  • The training provides students and trainees with an environment in which they will not be subjected to abuse or discrimination on the grounds age, class, culture, disability, race, gender and sexuality.
  • The training takes into account the impact of age, class, culture, disability, race, gender, and sexuality upon both students and clients, and that consideration and study of aspects of difference are integrated throughout the training.

Psychotherapy and Other Services

The Bowlby Centre will strive to ensure that: –

  • Referral and psychotherapy services are provided which are sensitive to the impact upon clients of gender, colour, ethnic or national origin, race, disability, age, sexuality, socioeconomic background, religious beliefs, and family circumstances.
  • Where appropriate, and particularly where clients request it, and where it is reasonably practicable for The Bowlby Centre to do so, clients will be referred to therapists of a specific relevant background or who have specific expertise in working with issues arising from the impact of the above factors.
  • No participant in The Bowlby Centre ’s services receives less favourable treatment than another on the grounds of gender, colour, ethnic or national origin, race, disability, age, sexuality, socioeconomic background, religious beliefs, or family circumstances. A participant may include clients, students, conference delegates and speakers.
  • No participant in The Bowlby Centre ’s services will be placed at a disadvantage by the inclusion of requirements or conditions, which have a disproportionately adverse impact upon members of any group to which the applicant belongs, where these requirements or conditions cannot be shown to be necessary for the satisfactory fulfilment of the demands of the position.
  • Training and conference accommodation provided or used by The Bowlby Centre will, so far as practicable, offer full mobility access, and be able to make available appropriate services for students, trainees and other users with disabilities.

Responsibility for implementation and monitoring

The Bowlby Centre as a whole is responsible for implementation of this policy. The Equal Opportunities Advisory Committee, convened by the The Bowlby Centre Chair and Vice-Chair, and this group in consultation with the Executive Committee, has overall delegated responsibility for coordinating the operation of the Policy and the development, maintenance and monitoring of supporting procedures. The Equal Opportunities Advisory Committee is responsible for reviewing existing procedures and ensuring that they are not discriminatory in their operation. The committee will include a representative from each Bowlby Centre committee, normally their diversity champion. It will meet regularly to assess strategy and identify priorities for action in respect of progress in equal opportunities matters. It will also monitor the operation of relevant policies and evaluate the outcomes of any monitoring procedures. Personal responsibility for the successful operation of this policy lies (a) with every member of The Bowlby Centre, particularly those responsible for recruitment, selection, supervision and development of staff and students and (b) with all Bowlby Centre students and trainees.

Complaints

Complaints of discrimination from students, trainees, members and employees of The Bowlby Centre shall be considered in accordance with the provisions of The Bowlby Centre’s complaints procedure and code of  ethics.

Review

It is The Bowlby Centre ’s intention to keep the Equal Opportunities Policy and procedures under regular review, to ensure that the commitment to equality of opportunity is sustained. This Equal Opportunities Policy will be formally reviewed after a period of one year, and thereafter at regular intervals of two years by the EOAC.