Fair Work First Statement

Able Child is committed to the Scottish Government’s Fair Work First policy.

We are committed to be an organisation that engages employees in what we do, supports them through training and development opportunities, and promotes positive approaches to make Able Child an inclusive and dynamic place to work.

Security

We offer meaningful work which provides a reliable income offering contracts or sensible hourly rates. We do not use or issue zero-hour contracts and oppose the use of fire and rehire practice. Able Child’s minimum entry point is significantly above the Real Living Wage. This also applies to the minimum hourly rate received by contract workers. Our internal salaries, pay increases and promotions policies and procedures are reviewed annually and approved by the Board.

Voice

We support the development and wellbeing of our staff and create a friendly environment where there is space for staff to be heard. We have a nominated Staff Representative who consults with the senior leadership team and the Board to ensure effective communication and feedback with employees. We also carry out annual staff and Trustees engagement surveys to assess the levels of staff satisfaction with their roles and their work environment. Results are shared with staff and the Board and used to create action plans to improve the working environment for all employees.

Respect

We are fully committed to an inclusive culture that allows everyone a fair opportunity to participate as a full and valued member of the team. We have implemented diversity, equality and inclusion principles across our organisational strategy, ensuring all decisions and activities consider the concepts of meaningful inclusion, racial equality, gender sensitivity and child-led practices. We have strong policies in place to address bullying, harassment, discrimination and victimisation in the workplace, where we consider ‘dignity at work’ to mean being free to work without experiencing these four behaviours, in an environment where all staff are treated with respect.

Opportunity

We support our employees to work flexibly in a way that meets the needs of the organisation, the job, the employee themselves and the team. We offer flexible and family friendly working practices for all workers from day one of employment and embrace flexibility where possible. We run a fair and transparent recruitment process for all job opportunities and look to remove the barriers for people with disabilities or those from diverse backgrounds to ensure we build an organisation that is representative of the people we work for.

Investment

We support learning and development across the organisation at individual, team and organisational level using a range of opportunities.  We support line managers and employees to proactively engage in career performance and development conversations regularly, with scheduled monthly, quarterly and annual review sessions in place. We have budget for all staff to identify and attend chosen training courses, and we facilitate monthly staff meetings where staff have the opportunity to lead sessions or bring in external trainers to add to the knowledge and insight across the team.