Neurodiversity (FOI)

​Request

I would like a list of the organizations the States Employment Board (SEB) is working with in regards to NeuroDiversity to aid the Diversity and Inclusion strategy. As per the public hearing with the Chief Minister.

Response

As part of the development of the Diversity, Equality and Inclusion Strategy we have set-up a Neurodiversity network for staff led by staff, which includes membership from Neurodiversity professionals in Health and Community Services (HCS), Child and Adult Mental Health Service (CAMHS) and Disability Inclusion.

This network is currently engaging with and considering which external groups they feel it is most appropriate to work with, both on and off island, to help influence and shape the Government of Jersey’s approach to Neurodiversity in the workplace as well as to help raise awareness and understanding across the organisation.

At this stage, this is an internally focused employee led network group where we are seeking to hear more about the experiences of neuro divergent colleagues, internal professionals and other interested colleagues so that we can learn more from our own people and develop our future policies and approaches for NeuroDiversity as part of the wider Diversity, Equality and Inclusion (DEI) Strategy. The proposed future DEI Strategy and framework approach are due to be considered by the Executive Leadership Team and the States Employment Board in Q1 2022. Article 35 of the Freedom of Information (Jersey) Law 2011 has been applied.

Article applied

Article 35 - Formulation and development of policies

Information is qualified exempt information if it relates to the formulation or development of any proposed policy by a public authority.

Public Interest Test

In applying this article, the following points were considered, and on balance, in light of the below, a list of the organisations the SEB is working with in regard to Neurodiversity will not be published.

Public interest considerations favouring disclosure

• disclosure of the information would support transparency and promote accountability to the general public, providing confirmation that the necessary discussions have taken place

• disclosure to the public fulfils an educative role about the early stages in policy development and illustrates how the department engages with parties for this purpose. 

Public interest considerations favouring withholding the information

• disclosure of the fact that the Neurodiversity network has been established provides re-assurance to the public that Government takes steps to aid the Diversity and Inclusion strategy and therefore not considered necessary, weighing up the balance of public interest, to disclosure the specific organisations 

• during the period of establishing the most appropriate organisations to work with, disclosing a list compromising of all organisations the network are in discussions with, could negatively affect continuing engagement with organisations

• release of the information may generate debate that is not fully informed. This could affect the ability of senior management to consider and develop policy and improvements, including staff engagement, away from external pressures and to ensure the purpose of the network is not undermined in any way

• in order to best develop policy and provide advice, the network need a safe space in which free and open discussion can take place – discussions, whether written or oral with various professional parties, is considered as integral to policy development as iterations of documents are demonstrative of the policy development process

• premature disclosure of this information may limit the willingness of parties to provide their honest views and feedback. This would hamper and harm the policy–making process not only in relation to this subject area but in respect of future policy development across wider departmental business.