Education Authority Three Year Communications Strategy 2026/27 - 2028/29 Equality and Inclusion

Our Legal Duties

EA’s Equality Scheme sets out our commitments under Section 75 (s75), including engaging with stakeholders, and particularly children and young people, when developing and delivering our services. At the core of this, is ensuring that those most impacted by our decisions have a clear voice in how they are made. 

In addition, EA has a clear legal duty to consult with our stakeholders, particularly children and young people, on proposed decisions that affect them. This applies to both individual cases and wider service delivery. This duty can come from:

  • Direct legal requirements
  • EA policy requirements
  • Established consultation practices
  • The level of impact on individuals

EA has a duty to encourage, facilitate and support integrated education and supports DE in its duty to encourage and facilitate the development of Irish-medium education which involves engagement with stakeholders in this regard.

Tailored Engagement

Whilst EA’s legal duties to consult and engage, as outlined above, are outside the scope of this strategy, they are interlinked, and this will be reflected in the Engagement Framework (see Pillar 2 actions) being developed. Stakeholder feedback we receive, and relationships built through the implementation of this strategy, will help inform and strengthen how we meet these important obligations.

In line with a consistent Engagement Framework, to help inform decisions made we will:

  • Use stakeholder mapping to identify who we need to engage with
  • Create clear engagement plans
  • Develop targeted communications plans

This will ensure that the voice of those impacted, particularly in protected equality categories, is heard. EA’s Consultation and Engagement Guidance is available to support consideration of such engagement.

Accessibility

In developing the strategy, EA is firmly committed, under Chapter 6 of its Equality Scheme, to ensuring our communications are accessible to all stakeholders, meeting our statutory equality duties, and reflecting best practice in inclusive communications. 

We will:

  • Consider impacts on all Section 75 groups and protected characteristics when planning communications.
  • Ensure all digital content meets Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) standards.
  • Provide materials in different languages/alternative formats as appropriate or on request.
  • Use plain English and clear language in all communications and consider that some communications may require Easy Read versions for adults and children.
  • Consider when BSL/ISL translations would benefit the Deaf Community.
  • Consider the ‘digital first’ and not ‘digital only’ principle to meet the needs of ‘harder to reach’ staff and service users.
  • Ensure there is a fair representation of Section 75 groups in EA materials and messaging.
  • Ensure a consistent approach to the use of images, including photography in corporate publications, which reinforces a positive image of people with disabilities accessing our services.