The Public Sector Equality Duty Composite Report 2025
Contents
- The Public Sector Equality Duty Composite Report 2025
- NLC Equality Strategy 2019-2024
- Governance
- Fairer Scotland Duty
- Equality in the Council's Procurement Function
- Education
- North Lanarkshire Licensing Board
- NLC Employment
- NLC Equality Outcomes 2021-2025 Progress Report
- Progress 2021-25 Outcomes 1 to 3
- Progress 2021-25 Outcomes 4 to 6
- Progress 2021-25 Outcomes 7 to 9
- NLC Equality Outcomes 2025-2029
- NLC Equality Outcomes 2025-29 - Outcomes 1 to 3
- NLC Equality Outcomes 2025-29 - Outcomes 4 to 6
- NLC Equality Outcomes 2025-29 - Outcomes 7 to 10
- Next Steps
- NLC Employment Information
- NLC Employment Information - Sex
- NLC Employment Information - Disability
- NLC Employment Information - Ethnicity
- NLC Employment Information - Age
- NLC Employment Information - Sexual Orientation
- NLC Employment Information - Gender Reassignment
- NLC Employment Information - Religion and Belief
- NLC Employment Information - Marriage and Civil Partnership
- NLC Employment Information - Pregnancy and Maternity
- Occupational Segregation – Grades and Occupations – sex, disability and ethnicity
- NLC Equal Pay Statement
Progress 2021-25 Outcomes 4 to 6
Equality Outcome 4 - The educational attainment for children and young people with disabilities and/ or additional support needs, Gypsy/traveller children and young carers is improved
| Impact Area | Progress 2021-25 |
|---|---|
| The number of Care Experienced children and young people achieving Scottish Qualification Awards (SQA) rewards will increase | From 2022–2024 479 care leavers achieved 456 SQA at pass A-C. There was increase from 84 in 2021-22 to 235 care experienced young people in 2024. |
| The number of children with ASN completing award bearing courses will increase | 94.6% of ASN learners completed award bearing courses in 23-24 increasing slightly from 2021/22. |
| Attendance rates for children assessed as disabled will increase | Increase in attendance rates of young disabled people from 2021-24 from 85.9% to 87.1%. |
| Number of exclusions for children with an Additional Support need will decrease from 57.39% | There was an increase in the number of instances 2022/23 243, to 2023/24 - 27.8%. |
| % of young people with ASN reaching positive post-school destination increases | In 2022/23 90.5% ASN pupils have positive destination, with 22.95% employed. Data for 2023/24 not yet available. |
Spotlight Initiative - Raising Attainment
A particular focus on raising attainment for groups with protected characteristics has had a positive impact overall. By June 2024, the number of care experienced children and young people achieving SQA awards (a pass at level A-C) has increased to 95.7%. The number of children with additional support needs completing award bearing courses has increased 94.6%, with 90.5% ASN pupils continuing onto a positive destination post school including 22.9% in employment.
Equality Outcome 5 - Our schools are safe, accessible and inclusive
| Impact Area | Progress 2021-25 |
|---|---|
| Support Around the School Team (SAST) result in a positive outcome for a child or young person | Wellbeing Hubs operational in all 23 clusters. SAST - Renamed as Planning for Children’s Wellbeing meetings - established in every cluster with multi agency involvement on a monthly basis. |
| Schools using the Seemis wellbeing app to support planning processes | 100% of schools are using the Wellbeing App to support planning processes. The actions from Planning for Children’s Wellbeing meetings (these have replaced the SAST meetings) are recorded through this process and children’s plans sit within this. |
| Access to School Based Counselling | 1900 young people across all clusters are accessing Counselling via the school based counselling programme. |
| Establishments gaining equality related awards e.g. Rights Respecting Schools, LGBT | RRS- now have 148 schools in total which well exceeds the 5% target increase. LGBT Charter mark- although we have secondary schools who have gained this award, there has been a shift in thinking towards a more curricular approach through participation and training using the Time for Inclusive Education (TIE) materials. Council target is that all teaching staff will have completed the level 1 training by end of session 2026-27. Most secondary schools are participating in Mentors in Violence Protection (MVP) with identified staff trained in all schools. Equally Safe at School (ESAS) programme being delivered in a few secondary schools with a view to increase this in session 2025-26. |
| The Majority (50-74%) of establishments that have completed the racial equality and inclusion audit and/or training | |
| Engagement of pupil and parent councils with parents and pupils who share protected characteristic | No data held on this, will address moving forward. |
Spotlight Initiative - Tackling gender-based violence in schools
An event aimed at tackling gender-based violence in schools took place on 19 February at St Ambrose High School.
The event, a collaboration between NHS Lanarkshire and North Lanarkshire Council, brought together over 100 professionals from education, healthcare, policing, and the voluntary sector.
Keynote speakers included Laura Bates, founder of the Everyday Sexism Project, and Michael Conroy of Men at Work, both of whom highlighted the need for systemic change in schools to prevent gender-based violence.
Discussions focused on expanding initiatives such as the Mentors in Violence Prevention (MVP) programme and the Equally Safe in Schools approach, which aim to educate young people about healthy relationships and bystander intervention.
Barry Smedley, Chief Education Officer, emphasised the importance of the event: “Ensuring our schools are safe and inclusive environments is vital. By working together, we can empower both staff and students to challenge harmful attitudes and behaviours.”
Feedback from attendees was overwhelmingly positive.
The event underlines North Lanarkshire’s commitment to preventing gender-based violence and fostering a culture of respect and equality in schools.
Equality Outcome 6 - Increased opportunities for children and young people with protected characteristics to develop their employability skills to enable them to leave school with a positive destination
| Impact Area | Progress 2021-25 |
|---|---|
| Secondary schools are offering bespoke/alternative curriculum for pupils with social, emotional and behavioural difficulties. | For ASN learners, the development and integration of the We Aspire College demonstrates North Lanarkshire’s creative approach to providing an inclusive educational and vocational experience for young people experiencing adversity who require a more flexible and nurturing approach to learning. The impact of this new model and cultural shift has seen reductions in both exclusions and incidences of physical intervention for these young people (a reduction of an average of 111 exclusions pre-We Aspire to an average of 5 exclusions post-We Aspire; and a reduction from 26 physical interventions during 22-23 to 1 physical intervention during 23- 24. The incorporation of We Aspire. SEBN provisions into new purpose-built facilities within mainstream campuses provides increased opportunities for inclusion and sharing of resources and expertise. |
| Exclusions across the service (10%) | There has been a slight increase in exclusions from 11.3% to 11.5% (all sectors included). |
| Improved attendance rates for children (primary and secondary) for pupils identified as ‘at risk of disengaging’/social, emotional and behavioural needs. (Care Experienced, on the Edges of Care, ASN etc) | Improved attendance rates, Increase in attendance for ASN and Care experienced children overall at 1.35% and a reduction in the gap to 6.0%. Over the past five school sessions, exclusions of care experienced learners have reduced overall by 93% (158 to 11), learning days lost reduced by 93.5% (339.5 to 22) and the number of care experienced learners receiving an exclusion reduced by 88% (92 to 11). |
| Children with a protected characteristic achieving a positive destination | The development of a career progression pathway which provides the opportunity for progression from Modern Apprenticeship (SVQ 2 and 3) to Learning Assistant (NLC4 grade), to Enhanced Support Assistant (ESA, NLC7 grade) is beginning to support the Service to build a workforce for the future, creating increased opportunities for young people and new staff members. 5 SVQ3 MAs were supported during academic session 2023/2024. 5 young people were employed as Learning Support Assistants (NLC2) in session 2023/24. |
| Females gaining higher level qualifications in STEM subjects | Reduction in number of females gaining higher level qualifications in STEM subjects from 2022/23 – 2023/24 period. |
| Young people engaging in positive pathways programme will secure a positive destination | 109 young people enrolled on the PP programme. Of the 94 who completed the programme 98% entered a positive destination. 73% entering further education, employment, apprenticeships or other formal training, 27% remaining with the Pathways programme to access support from the Pathways team, Routes to Work and SDS to identify the next step on their career pathway. |
Spotlight Initiative - Summer Placements
128 students from local high schools, priority groups and New College Lanarkshire were celebrated at a special awards ceremony marking the conclusion of our successful summer 2024 work placement programme.
The six-week paid placements form part of the One Workforce Plan and Brighter Futures Programme, which prepares young people to become the workforce of tomorrow. The placements provide practical experience to prepare the students for future employment and address workforce challenges in traditionally hard-to-recruit areas.
Students enjoyed placements in key sectors including the Built Environment, Health & Social Care, Digital Technology, NHS Lanarkshire, external construction companies, and various council services.
The placement scheme was created to inspire and inform our young people about the many different career opportunities within the council and health services, and thanks to the support of local businesses, this has been expanded to include opportunities within the private sector. These real-life experiences give our young people an invaluable head start in securing future job opportunities
The placements also offer opportunities for girls and boys to get experience in non-traditional roles. Two girls had placements in construction and two boys were working in Home Support.
Recruitment for the 2025 Summer programme is underway.
