Care Plus Group are committed to ensuring its services are accessible, culturally appropriate and equitably delivered to all parts of the community and to promoting equal opportunity for every person, both within and external to the organisation.

We will not tolerate unlawful or unjustified discrimination, harassment and victimisation on any grounds at all, including the 9 protected characteristics of the Equality Act 2010:

• Age
• Disability
• Gender Reassignment
• Marriage and Civil Partnership
• Pregnancy and Maternity
• Race
• Religion or Belief
• Sex
• Sexual Orientation

Care Plus Group accepts its legal responsibilities in these respects and will implement all necessary action and training to ensure our commitments and compliance with regard to the Equality Act 2010 and the Equality Duty which came into force on 5^th April 2011 are fulfilled.  We also commit to monitor and review progress on a regular basis and take appropriate action if required.

We will ensure due regard to the following three aims of the Equality Duty to the need to:

• eliminate unlawful discrimination, harassment, victimisation and any other conduct prohibited by the Act;
• advance equality of opportunity between people who share a protected characteristic and people who do not share it; and
• foster good relations between people who share a protected characteristic and people who do not share it.

We will ensure consideration of equality issues influence the decisions reached by us such as:

• how we act as an employer;
• how we develop, evaluate and review policy;
• how we design, deliver and evaluate services;
• how we commission and procure from others.

We will:

• publish information to demonstrate our compliance with the Equality Duty within our annual Quality Account;
• set equality objectives at least every four years.

It is the responsibility of every employee of Care Plus Group to uphold and implement the Equality and Diversity Policy and to conduct themselves in a professional and considerate manner at all times – following standards of behaviour expected by the Group.