Final Report of the Morris Inquiry: The Case for Change

THE CASE FOR CHANGE
with issues relating to childcare and flexible working. GMP has a two year childcare
strategy. The co-ordinator assists officers and staff by:
● arranging flexible child carers;
● providing information on nurseries, particularly in relation to discounted
places and childcare voucher schemes; and
● raising awareness of flexible working e.g. part-time working and job share.
9.124 Whilst we appreciate that a similar resource would need to work differently
in the MPS, given the geographic profile of its workforce, nevertheless, we consider
that the MPS should examine the GMP scheme and how it might be adapted to
the needs of the MPS.
We also recommend that the MPS takes steps to ensure that its policy on
flexible working is fully understood and implemented, and that the Human
Resources directorate rigorously monitors that implementation.
We recommend that the MPS establishes a central resource to provide
guidance to managers on managing flexible working and to match requests
for flexible working with job opportunities.
We recommend that consideration is given to a childcare co-ordinator post
based on the Greater Manchester Police model.
9.125 Accommodating an individual’s needs extends to more than facilitating their
caring responsibilities. It also means ensuring they are able to do their job
effectively and contribute to the work of the organisation.
9.126 The Disability Discrimination Act 1995 (DDA) now applies to police officers.
We have received evidence on the steps the MPS took to prepare for this new
obligation and we have also received evidence that its preparations may not have
been as effective as might have been expected. The HMIC Thematic Inspection of
Workforce Modernisation found that most forces were at an early stage in developing
their approach to the impact of the DDA.
9.127 The DDA presents a particular challenge for all police services. Historically,
officers with disabilities have been medically retired but this practice reduced in
recent years as a result of considerable pressure from the Government. Police
services have therefore had to explore employment opportunities for officers with
disabilities and this has not always worked to the satisfaction of the officers concerned.
Often the jobs that they have been allocated have not made best use of their skills
and experience. The extension of the DDA to police officers underlines the need to
accommodate officers with disabilities. We have received evidence from a number
of officers who are aggrieved at the way they have been dealt with.
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