Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Audit - Supported Living

Evidence to check

• • EDI policy is current and reflects equality, human rights and anti-discriminatory practice
• • Policy is relevant to supported living, tenancy rights, community access and individual choice
• • Staff can explain how EDI applies during everyday support
• • Examples show the policy has influenced support planning or service improvement

Evidence to check

• • EDI and unconscious bias training records
• • Staff can answer scenario-based questions about discrimination, inclusion and rights
• • Supervision or team meetings include EDI discussion where relevant
• • Refresher training or targeted learning is provided after concerns, complaints or incidents

Evidence to check

• • Support plans consider age, disability, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity where relevant
• • Staff avoid assumptions about identity, culture, relationships or ability
• • Tenant preferences are recorded only where the tenant wishes and where relevant to support
• • Support promotes equal access to care, housing-related support, healthcare and community life

Evidence to check

• • Support plans record cultural, religious, identity and lifestyle needs where the tenant chooses to share them
• • Daily notes show preferences are respected in practice
• • Staff can explain how they support the tenant's identity and preferences
• • Plans are reviewed when the tenant's wishes or circumstances change

Evidence to check

• • Support plan records religious, spiritual or cultural wishes where relevant
• • Support with faith events, prayer, festivals, food, dress or community links is recorded where agreed
• • Transport, staffing or communication barriers are considered
• • Tenant choice not to participate is respected

Evidence to check

• • Communication needs are clearly recorded in support plans
• • Language, easy-read, visual prompts, sensory aids, interpreters or assistive technology are used where needed
• • Staff can explain how the tenant communicates consent, refusal, distress or preferences
• • Communication support is reviewed when needs change

Evidence to check

• • Support plans record name, pronouns, relationships or identity preferences where the tenant wishes
• • Staff use respectful language and avoid assumptions
• • Tenant privacy and confidentiality around sexual orientation or gender identity are protected
• • Concerns about homophobia, transphobia or discrimination are challenged and recorded

Evidence to check

• • Staff can explain how they would challenge discrimination safely
• • Incident records show discriminatory behaviour is recorded and acted on
• • Managers support staff who raise EDI concerns
• • Tenants affected by discriminatory behaviour receive support

Evidence to check

• • Incident, complaint or safeguarding records include discrimination-related concerns
• • Actions and outcomes are recorded
• • Hate crime or safeguarding escalation is considered where relevant
• • Learning is shared and used to prevent recurrence

Evidence to check

• • Support plans record dietary needs and preferences
• • Staff understand food preparation, shopping or meal support requirements where relevant
• • Cultural, religious, vegetarian, vegan or allergy-related needs are respected
• • Concerns about access to suitable food are escalated and addressed

Evidence to check

• • Easy-read, pictorial, large-print, translated, audio or digital formats are available where needed
• • Tenants receive key information in a format they can understand
• • Staff know how to request accessible materials
• • Accessible information is reviewed for accuracy and usefulness

Evidence to check

• • Quality reports or audits consider equality themes
• • Managers review whether some tenants experience poorer access or outcomes
• • Feedback from underrepresented tenants is considered
• • Actions are taken where inequality or exclusion is identified

Evidence to check

• • Support plans avoid labels, stereotypes or judgemental wording
• • Policies and communication use inclusive language
• • Staff are corrected and supported where language is disrespectful
• • Tenants' preferred words, names and descriptions are respected

Evidence to check

• • Reasonable adjustments are recorded in support plans
• • Adjustments are made to communication, routines, environment, appointments or support approach
• • Professional advice is sought where needed
• • Adjustments are reviewed for effectiveness

Evidence to check

• • Recruitment and onboarding processes are inclusive
• • Reasonable adjustments are offered to staff where needed
• • Staff report feeling respected and able to raise EDI concerns
• • Development opportunities are fair and monitored for equality where possible

Evidence to check

• • Support plans record identity expression and preferences where the tenant wishes
• • Staff support personal choices without unnecessary judgement or control
• • Tenants' rooms or homes reflect their own style and choices
• • Restrictions on identity expression are avoided unless clearly lawful, proportionate and reviewed

Evidence to check

• • Feedback methods are adapted for different communication needs
• • Managers check that all tenants have opportunities to be heard
• • Advocacy or trusted-person support is offered where appropriate
• • Feedback from marginalised tenants leads to service improvements

Evidence to check

• • Support plans or activity records reflect cultural or identity-related events where tenants want this
• • Participation is tenant-led and not tokenistic
• • Staff avoid imposing celebrations or making assumptions
• • Events are inclusive and accessible

Evidence to check

• • Tenants are supported to understand housing rights where needed
• • Concerns about discriminatory treatment by landlords, neighbours or housing providers are recorded and escalated
• • Support with tenancy issues is fair and person-centred
• • Staff do not treat tenancy rights as conditional on compliance with care preferences

Evidence to check

• • Support plans record personal care preferences, including gender or modesty needs where relevant
• • Staff seek consent and protect privacy during personal care
• • Rota planning considers agreed preferences where possible and lawful
• • Concerns about dignity or personal care preferences are acted on

Evidence to check

• • Policy review records include EDI consideration
• • Policies avoid institutional, exclusionary or discriminatory language
• • Learning from complaints, incidents and tenant feedback informs policy updates
• • Staff are informed when policy changes affect practice

Evidence to check

• • Support plans identify sensory, communication and routine preferences
• • Staff understand triggers, calming strategies and preferred approaches
• • Environment and support are adapted where possible
• • Tenants are not forced into one-size-fits-all routines or communication methods

Evidence to check

• • Complaint records identify discrimination or inclusion themes
• • Tenant is supported to raise concerns in an accessible way
• • Actions and outcomes are clearly recorded
• • Learning is shared and used to improve staff practice or service arrangements

Evidence to check

• • Environmental reviews consider accessibility and inclusion
• • Barriers such as poor lighting, clutter, inaccessible bathrooms or sensory triggers are identified
• • Landlord or housing provider is contacted where adaptations or repairs are needed
• • Tenant feedback is included in environmental reviews

Evidence to check

• • Team meeting and supervision records include EDI themes
• • EDI is included in audits or quality reviews
• • Governance reviews discrimination, complaints, access and outcome themes
• • Actions from EDI monitoring are followed up

Evidence to check

• • Support plans record community inclusion preferences and barriers
• • Staff consider accessibility, transport, cost, culture, language and confidence
• • Activities are tenant-led and inclusive
• • Feedback is used to change activities that are not accessible or meaningful

Evidence to check

• • Tenant choices are recorded and respected where they have capacity
• • Staff challenge their own assumptions and seek guidance where needed
• • Family or professional disagreement does not override a capacitous tenant's choice
• • Support plans balance rights, safety and dignity without unnecessary control

Evidence to check

• • Staff understand links between discrimination, hate crime, abuse and safeguarding
• • Records show discriminatory incidents are considered for safeguarding escalation
• • Tenants are protected from repeated harassment, exclusion or abuse
• • Rationale is recorded where safeguarding is considered but not referred

Evidence to check

• • Support plans record healthcare access needs and reasonable adjustments
• • Staff support appointment booking, transport, communication or advocacy where agreed
• • Missed or declined appointments are explored respectfully
• • Barriers to healthcare access are escalated and addressed

Evidence to check

• • Tenant feedback includes dignity, respect, identity and inclusion
• • Audits check real examples of inclusive practice
• • Outcomes are reviewed for unequal access or experience
• • Quality improvement actions are based on tenant experience and evidence