Inclusive communication practices in the Scottish Government: FOI release

Information requested

1. Do you track requests for inclusive communication support in your listed authority? This could include (but is not limited to) requests for communication support for meetings (online or in person) and for static resources, e.g. large print, telephone calls, email/digital correspondence, Easy Read, Braille, Moon, Guide-Communicator support, BSL or Deafblind Manual interpretation or translation, Electronic Note Takers, audio descriptions, captions.

2. How many requests for inclusive communication support were made to you in 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024? Data in either a year-by-year breakdown, or as a single figure across 2020-2024 would be helpful; whichever is easiest.

3. How many of those requests for inclusive communication support made to you in 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024 were fulfilled? Data in either a year-by-year breakdown, or as a single figure across 2020-2024 would be helpful; whichever is easiest.

4. What types of inclusive communication support request were made to you in 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024? This could include (but is not limited to) requests for large print, telephone calls, email/digital correspondence, Easy Read, Braille, Moon, Guide-Communicator support, BSL or Deafblind Manual interpretation or translation, Electronic Note Takers, audio descriptions, captions. Data in either a year-by-year breakdown, or as a single figure across 2020-2024 would be helpful; whichever is easiest.

5. How many complaints did you receive about a lack of inclusive communication in 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024? Data in either a year-by-year breakdown, or as a single figure across 2020-2024 would be helpful; whichever is easiest.

6. How many complaints about inclusive communication made in 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024 have been resolved? Data in either a year-by-year breakdown, or as a single figure across 2020-2024 would be helpful; whichever is easiest.

7. Do you offer your staff training on inclusive communication?

8. If you provide staff with training on inclusive communication, is this training open to all staff or to selected groups?

9. What percentage of your staff accessed inclusive communication training in 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024? Data in either a year-by-year breakdown, or as a single figure would be helpful; whichever is easiest.

Response

While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance the Scottish Government does not have some of the information you have requested. The reasons why are explained below.

1. We have interpreted 'your listed authority' as the Scottish Government. The Scottish Government does not track inclusive communications support requests centrally. While Scottish Government individuals or teams may have requests recorded within their areas, there is no standardisation of inclusive communications requests that allow us to track these across the Scottish Government accurately. A Scottish Government-wide trawl of all inclusive communications support requests would be required for this query, which means a section 12(1) exemption applies.

2. The data required for this request is linked to question 1, which would require a Scottish Governmentwide trawl of all inclusive communications support requests. For this question a section 12(1) exemption applies.

3. The data required for this request is linked to question 1, which would require a Scottish Governmentwide trawl of all inclusive communications support requests. For this question a section 12(1) exemption applies.

4. The data required for this request is linked to question 1, which would require a Scottish Governmentwide of all inclusive communications support requests. For this question a section 12(1) exemption applies.

5. The data required for this request is linked to question 1, which would require a Scottish Government-wide of all inclusive communications support requests. For this question a section 12(1) exemption applies.

6. The data required for this request is linked to question 1, which would require a Scottish Governmentwide trawl of all inclusive communications support requests. For this question a section 12(1) exemption applies.

7. A trawl for inclusive communications training sessions was conducted with the Diversity and Inclusion Team, the People Directorate and the Communications Division. There were no live or recorded inclusive communications training sessions identified that were available to all Scottish Government staff during the period of 2020-24. There were written inclusive communications resources available to staff via Pathways, the Scottish Government digital learning platform. However, as this was available as written guidance it is not considered as formal training. In addition, the Scottish Government Communications Division has run Inclusive Communications Workshops since September 2022 to provide guidance for communications professionals to help inform inclusive messaging. Some Policy teams that have worked with the Scottish Government Communications Division, on national campaign activity, have also been included in these workshops.

8. The Inclusive Communications Workshops noted in Question 7 were scheduled with individual communications and policy teams, and there was no formal record of attendance or participation. Exemption 17(1) applies as no information is held on the corporate record.

9. As no inclusive communications training was available to all SG staff, exemption 17(1) applies as no information is held on the corporate record.

About FOI

The Scottish Government is committed to publishing all information released in response to Freedom of Information requests. View all FOI responses at https://www.gov.scot/foi-responses.