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Context: SDS recognised that customers don’t experience single characteristics in isolation and that it is often the interaction of different protected characteristics that creates the greatest inequalities.
Approach: Enhanced existing Focal Point Group approach to include intersectional consultation alongside their established single-characteristic groups.
Implementation:
- Maintained four established Focal Point Groups representing Care Experience, Disability, Race, and Women and Girls, each meeting 3-4 times per year
- Undertaken additional consultation sessions mixing partners from across all four Focal Point Groups
- Included organisations representing other protected groups in mixed consultations
- Allowed broader discussion on intersectionality through these cross-group sessions
- Ensured service design and development takes account of experiences of customers from equality groups
Impact:
- Broader discussion on intersectionality achieved through mixed consultation approach
- Service design and development now considers intersectional experiences
- Enhanced understanding of how different characteristics interact to create inequalities
Key Learning:
- Mixed group consultation sessions provide broader perspectives on customer experiences and generate richer insights
- Cross-group consultation ensures service design considers multiple characteristics simultaneously
- Additional consultation sessions can complement existing single-characteristic engagement approaches
- Including organisations representing other protected groups broadens intersectional understanding
(Source: SDS Equality and Diversity Mainstreaming Report 2021-2025)