Policy & Law

Useful policies and legislative documents can be found below. This section is periodically updated with new material.

Submissions to Government Consultations

NEW May 2008 GUIDANCE - Guiding Principles for the Police Service in relation to the articulation and expression of religious beliefs and their manifestation in the workplace

Click here for the full document

NEW April 2008 Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills (DIUS) and the Association of Colleges (AoC) Consultation on Community Cohesion.

Many colleges recognise that successful educational outcomes are closely linked to creating a climate of mutual respect and support. They understand their position within the local area as a key gateway for young people and adults to go through, with many returning to positions within the community following training which puts considerable responsibility on colleges to be a key “place shaper” for their areas.

The document sets out:

• five key objectives for providers in promoting a cohesive society and tackling extremism and practical steps to achieve these
• differentiated approaches to allow for the different circumstances faced by colleges
• some of the main resources available to support this work
• how this work relates to the inspection process and to the new Framework for Excellence (more information below under ‘taking the work forward’)
• some of the issues for work-based training
• annexes on information on the legislative framework.

Click here for more information

Department For Children, Schools and Families: Homophobic Bullying - Safe to Learn: Embedding anti-bullying work in schools
This guidance provides school governors, heads, teachers and other staff with information about how to prevent and respond to homophobic bullying. It is intended to be read in conjunction with the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) resources on bullying and behaviour, particularly Safe to Learn, and is to be used against the backdrop of a school’s existing policies.
Click here for more information and to download the guidelines

Department of Health - Reducing health inequalities for lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans people - briefings for health and social care staff
Young lesbian, gay and bisexual (LGB) people can be vulnerable to a number of health risks because of people’s reactions to their identity. They may also feel stigmatised; there are very few role models for young LGB people, and many conclude that society will not approve of them.
Click here for more information and to download the guidelines for young LGB
More documents can be found in Further Tools section under Health

Equal Opportunities Commission Sectoral Guidance
This guidance relates the duty to specific sectors: central and local government, health, education, criminal justice, and the voluntary and community sector. There are separate documents for Scotland and England when required. Welsh sectoral guidance is awaiting finalisation of the Welsh specific duties and will be published in due course.

Visit the EOC web page by clicking here

Gender equality duty and schools - EOC guidance for public authorities (CSN) (Word Doc)

Getting Equal: Proposals to Outlaw Sexual Orientation Discrimination in the Provision of Goods and Services - Response to the Consultation by Schools Out

Policies and Legislation

Communities and Local Government (Part 2 Equality Act 2006)
Guidance on new measures to outlaw discrimination on grounds of religion or belief in the provision of goods, facilities and services
This document sets out guidance on Part 2 of the Equality Act 2006, and its implications for organisations within the private, public and voluntary sectors. The religion or belief provisions of Part 2 prohibit discrimination on grounds of religion or belief (or lack of religion or belief) in the provision of goods, facilities and services, in education, in the use and disposal of premises, and in the exercise of public functions. They provide protection from religion or belief discrimination that is on a par with the protection already provided on grounds of race and sex, as well as new measures prohibiting discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation. The religion or belief provisions of Part 2 do not deal with employment. Nor do they make specific provision to cover harassment.

Download the full Document here (pdf document)

North Lincolnshire Local Authority Promoting Diversity: Policy and Guidance For the Prevention of Homophobic Bullying 2006 (pdf document) NEW 19th MARCH 2007

Tackling Homophobic Hate Crime - CrimeReduction.gov.uk

Fairness and Freedom: The Final Report of the Equalities Review is published on 28 February 2007. The Panel is extremely grateful to all who have contributed over the course of the Review.
(Links to The Equalities Review - External Site)

Legislation and DfEE Guidance on Tackling Homophobic Bullying in Schools

Sexual Orientation Discrimination Regulations 1st December 2003

Employment Equality (Sexual Orientation) Regulations 2003

Sex and Relationships Policy (external link)

Them and Us - A guide to anti-homophobia policies and practice in secondary schools (PDF)

Model Policy Review (Microsoft Word document)

Anti-Bullying Policy

Equal Opportunities Policy

Documents are provided for information only, Schools Out is not responsible for the content of material in this section.