Training and support for disabled staff
Request and Response
1) For each HQ Directorate, what support, training, and development (excluding any specific CPS or Civil Service wide programmes, e.g. future leaders scheme) is provided internally to disabled staff at Grade 7 to achieve and succeed at attaining a Grade 6 and higher?
We are unable to provide a HQ Directorate level breakdown, as this data is not held in CPS. However, our CPS Disabled Staff Network (DSN) has provided the following programmes, across all HQ Directorates, to support personal development and career progression. Whilst the programmes were not restricted to disabled staff only, they were considered the primary target audience.
- My Personal Brand - Understand your personal brand and how to make yourself more memorable and distinctive
- Be My Best - Learn strategies to help support your career vision
- Make an Impact - Understand how to speak up, deliver compelling views and make an impact
- Dealing with Change - Explore own attitudes to change and develop personal coping strategies for managing change
- LinkedIn Essentials - Learn best practices to help build your brand and make an impact on LinkedIn.
- Since 2020 the DSN has also provided one to one support for members of staff who were seeking promotion, this included support on the application process and providing mock interviews. Those supported were successful in the recruitment process. Additionally, the main theme for the DSN Conference in 2021 was to explore and address common barriers to career progression for people with disabilities.
2) For each HQ Directorate, provide detail for the 2022 CPS or Civil Service wide Future Leaders Scheme:
- Percentage of disabled staff who applied
- Percentage of disabled staff applicants whose application was not supported or approved by the counter-signing manager
- Percentage of disabled staff who were successful.
The CPS holds no data concerning these questions. However, under section 16 of the FOI Act we have an obligation to advise what, if any, information may assist you with your request. You may find it helpful to refer your request to the Cabinet Office as the Future Leaders Scheme is run directly by them and so they may have data regarding these points. Their FOI e-mail address for such enquiries is: foi-team@cabinetoffice.gov.uk
2.1) If the counter-signing manager did not support or approve a disabled staff member application, was the disabled staff member provided with written reasoning and a development plan to enable the counter-signing manager to support future application?
No data held.
2.2) where a disabled staff member was unsuccessful, were they supported afterwards and provided with the opportunity of a development plan to help them succeed with future applications ?
All unsuccessful CPS applicants for the 2022 Future Leaders Scheme (FLS) were offered the opportunity for a development discussion with the CPS Head of Talent, as well as individual coaching provision, to support personal development and future career progression. All unsuccessful candidates were also invited to a Whitehall & Industry Group (WIG) lunch and learn session that covered the role a mentor could play in career development, including how to secure a suitable mentor as part of the ‘WIG mentor match’ programme.
3) For each HQ Directorate, provide a comparison of the number of days of training for disabled staff to non-disabled staff between 2021 and 2022
Note: We have interpreted your request to cover all training, given it was not explicitly specified for FLS, despite doing so in other questions.
- In the period of 2021 and 2022 a total of 19,968 days of training were recorded for all those staff within the HQ Directorates (excluding the Casework Directorates).
- In that same period the Declaration Rate for disability across all the HQ Directorates was on average 78.21%
- Table A below provides the Declaration rate for each HQ Directorate for the period of 2021 to 2022:
Table A
| HQ Declaration Rates by Division | Declared Disabled | Declared Non-Disabled | Undeclared & Prefer Not to Say | Declaration Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HQ Finance | 12.4% | 64.1% | 23.5% | 76.5% |
| HQ Communications | 8.6% | 57.1% | 34.3% | 65.7% |
| HQ DID | 10.8% | 70.9% | 18.4% | 81.6% |
| HQ Operations | 10.9% | 71.6% | 17.5% | 82.5% |
| HQ People Function | 14.9% | 64.6% | 20.5% | 79.5% |
| HQ Private Office | 10.5% | 79.0% | 10.5% | 89.5% |
| HQ Strategy & Policy | 19.4% | 52.8% | 27.8% | 72.2% |
| HQ Average | 12.5% | 65.72% | 21.78% | 78.21% |
- Table B below provides a % breakdown of all the recorded training undertaken by HQ Directorate staff between 2021 and 2022.
- The table suggests that whilst 12.5% of HQ staff recorded a declaration of Disabled, 16.1% of all recorded training during this period was undertaken by staff with a recorded declaration of Disabled.
- It also suggests that whilst 65.72% of staff recorded declaration of Non-Disabled, only 57.55% of all recorded training during this period was undertaken by staff with a recorded declaration of Non-Disabled.
Table B
| HQ Recorded Training | Declared Disabled | Declared Non-Disabled | Undeclared & Prefer Not To Say |
|---|---|---|---|
| HQ Finance | 346 Days 11.58% | 1878 Days 62.76% | 768 Days 25.66% |
| HQ Communications | 49 Days 8.19% | 338 Days 56.52% | 211 Days 35.29% |
| HQ DID | 705 Days 13.40% | 3383 Days 64.40% | 1165 Days 22.20% |
| HQ Operations | 512 Days 10.30% | 3224 Days 64.80% | 1237 Days 24.90% |
| HQ People Function | 649 Days 16.60% | 2346 Days 60.00% | 915 Days 23.40% |
| HQ Private Office | 110 Days 26.70% | 211 Days 51.20% | 91 Days 22.10% |
| HQ Strategic & Policy | 474 Days 25.90% | 790 Days 43.16% | 566 Days 30.94% |
| HQ Average | 406 Days 16.10% | 1738.6 Days 57.55% | 707.6 Days 26.35% |
- All CPS staff, regardless of personal characteristics, have access to and are encouraged to undertake development opportunities and learning.
- All CPS staff, regardless of personal characteristics or location, are encouraged to undertake a minimum of five days of learning in line with the Civil Service pledge.
- All CPS staff, regardless of personal characteristics, have access to a wealth of accessible learning, including an Individual Learning Account of £350 per annum to use for their personal development in addition to any required learning from the business.
- Whilst all our people are encouraged to self-declare in relation to personal and protected characteristics, we must always be aware that not all do so and, consequently, there are a number of undisclosed disabilities that we will not be aware of.
3.1) where the number of days training for non-disabled staff is higher than for disabled staff, what action is the specific Directorate taking to equalise?
The data presented in the two tables above suggests that the % of training undertaken by disabled staff is proportionate to the % of staff recorded with a declaration of non-disabled. In fact, the % ratio of training undertaken against declared disabled is slightly higher than that of declared non-disabled.
If you are not satisfied with this response, you have the right to request an internal review by responding in writing to the address below within two months of the date of this response. The internal review will be handled by a member of CPS staff who has not been involved with your original request.