Equality & Inclusion Strategy

Introduction

At Family Welfare, we are committed to promoting equality, celebrating diversity, and fostering an inclusive culture across all aspects of our work. As a community-based charity supporting individuals aged 5 and above across Wigan, we strive to deliver free, confidential, accessible, and welcoming counselling and advocacy services to people from all backgrounds and walks of life.

We acknowledge that Wigan is a diverse borough with significant levels of deprivation and some of the highest reported domestic abuse rates in the country. Many individuals and families we support experience multiple, intersecting disadvantages. We are committed to ensuring that our services are inclusive and responsive—delivered without discrimination or exclusion, and with an understanding of the barriers people may face.

This Strategy outlines how we embed equality, diversity, and inclusion into every aspect of our work. It recognises the barriers some individuals may face in accessing our services or participating in our workforce and provides a roadmap for continuous improvement.

Our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Vision

We aim to create an organisation where:

• Everyone accessing our services feels welcomed, heard, and valued.
• Board members, Staff, students, and volunteers reflect the diversity of the community we serve.
• Barriers to participation—whether physical, cultural, linguistic, or systemic—are identified and removed wherever possible.

Our Context and Current Challenges

Buildings & Accessibility
We operate from three sites of varying accessibility. One has full disabled access, one is partially accessible (lift, parking), and one—a converted terraced house—has limited access for disabled clients.
Action: Clients with mobility issues are offered appointments in fully accessible venues. We will signpost alternatives when this is not possible.

Translation & Language Access
We currently have limited access to interpreters or translated materials.
Action: We aim to identify local partners or funding to improve language support and reduce barriers for non-English-speaking clients.

Digital Access
Services are mainly delivered face-to-face, with some sessions via Teams or telephone.
Action: We are working to expand remote and hybrid counselling options, particularly for those with disabilities, caring responsibilities, or transport difficulties.

Workforce Representation
While we have a diverse team, we currently rely on two staff members from minority backgrounds to complete the annual Equality, Diversity and Inclusion questionnaire.
Action: We will explore anonymous and inclusive ways to gather demographic data and ensure all staff feel safe and encouraged to share feedback.

New Philanthropic Service
In January 2025, we launched a self-funded Adult Counselling Service to bridge a significant local gap in provision.
Impact: This expands access to mental health support for adults who cannot or do not wish to access existing statutory services like IAPT.

Key Objectives (2025–2026)

Access & Inclusion
Review building access annually and offer alternatives where full access is not possible

Language & Communication 
Explore partnerships or grants for translation and interpretation services.

Data & Monitoring
Improve demographic data collection across service users, staff, and volunteers.

Training & Development 
Provide annual Equality, Diversity and Inclusion training for all staff, trustees, and student counsellors.

Service Design 
Involve service users in shaping services, particularly those from underrepresented groups.

Digital Delivery
Expand remote access for those with transport, caring, or health barriers.

Measuring Progress

We will:

• Publish and review this Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Strategy annually.
• Monitor demographic trends in service users and staff.
• Use service user feedback, complaints, and access data to inform changes.
• Audit Equality, Diversity and Inclusion training uptake and staff development outcomes.

Governance and Accountability

The Board of Trustees holds overall responsibility for Equality, Diversity and Inclusion.

The Operations Manager ensures day-to-day implementation and reporting.

All staff, volunteers, and students are expected to uphold our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion values in their roles.