South Ayrshire Council developed an Integrated Impact Assessment (IIA) to improve decision-making by systematically evaluating the impact of policies on various community groups.
The approach was driven by the need to address complex societal challenges and ensure comprehensive governance. This initiative sought to incorporate children’s rights, trauma-informed practice, child poverty and other agendas into the daily operations rather than looking at them in isolation.
The IIA integrates a Children’s Rights Impact Assessment, prioritising the UNCRC principles to ensure that children's rights are central to decision-making. Assessments are conducted early in the planning stages, allowing for necessary adjustments to mitigate negative impacts on children and other vulnerable groups. An accessible spreadsheet format outlines potential impacts, including specific tabs for children's rights and other cross-cutting agendas. This structure facilitates detailed analysis and promotes learning and awareness among staff regarding these critical issues.
This case study provides a useful example of developing an integrated approach to impact assessments. If you would like to learn more, you can watch the presentation on Integrated Impact Assessment by Kevin Anderson from South Ayrshire Council.
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Improving outcomes for people and communities affected by poverty, inequality, trauma and adversity: Joining the dots across key policy agendas (briefing)
There are a number of key policy agendas that are part of a broader ambition to improve outcomes for people and communities across Scotland affected by poverty, inequality, trauma and adversity. This briefing highlights the links across these and explores opportunities for re-framing these multiple policy ambitions as opportunities to work together around the common goal of improving outcomes for people and communities.
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Improving outcomes for people and communities affected by poverty, inequality, trauma and adversity: joining the dots across key policy agendas (infographic)
This infographic provides an overview of a small number of key national policy agendas, approaches and commitments, all designed to support a cross-policy, person-centred approach to improving outcomes for people and communities across Scotland affected by poverty, inequality, trauma and adversity.