Social Services Research Group
Saffron
Karlsen
University College
London
"I felt like I was the same as everybody else but then I was being treated differently": Recognising the impact of others on ethnic identification
Many measures of 'ethnicity' appear to operate from an assumption that it is enduring: persistent across time, place and even generation. This work suggests that such attitudes are overly simplistic. It uses qualitative data from respondents to the Health Survey for England to explore the experiences and attitudes of Bangladeshi, Caribbean, Indian, Irish, Pakistani and 'white majority' people and concludes that while people's understanding of 'ethnicity', in an abstract way, conforms to traditional ideas regarding cultural and biological inheritances; their appreciation of their own 'ethnicity' and the lived experience of being a member of a, particularly, ethnic minority group in England in the 'noughties' suggests a much greater influence for other people - including those both within and outside your 'own' ethnic group - on your opportunities for ethnic awareness and mobilisation than has been previously considered. Ethnic categorisation appears to be greatly affected by the opinions of those around you. While people may appropriate their own ethnic affiliation, then, the reaction of those around them will affect their appreciation of their ethnicity, and the salience it holds in their lives.
George
Binette
London Borough
of Camden
Assessing the Provision Mental Health Services to Refugees in the London Borough of Camden
Camden has the highest suicide rate of any English local authority. Between 1997 and 2001 this averaged 36 people each year. Given this disturbing statistic Camden Council set up a Scrutiny Panel on suicide prevention. It called for further work focused on certain groups at particular risk of exclusion and potentially suicide, not least refugees. Camden commissioned research in response to the Panel's work. It examined the mental health needs of local refugee communities, the services available to meet then and some of the problems and gaps in accessing and using mental health services.
The research confirmed that refugees and asylum seekers often experience a range of mental health problems as a result of personal histories and experiences both in their country of origin and in Britain . It suggested that particular conditions, such as post-traumatic stress disorder, may be more prevalent among refugees. There are also particular issues within individual communities such as potential health problems associated with long-term, heavy khat-chewing in the Somali community.
The findings reinforced the view that refugees often have complex and specific needs, which can go unidentified. They highlighted the particular problems associated with the mental health diagnoses and suggested that assistance will often only become available at crisis points.
While a range of statutory and voluntary sector services are available, most make no specific provision for the particular needs of refugees and asylum seekers. There is also a comparative lack of services for these communities in London generally. Information on service take-up is generally poor, as is data on the nature and composition of Camden 's refugee communities. Both need improvement to allow better monitoring and assessment of relevant mental services.
The research identified key obstacles to accessing appropriate services including language barriers and the lack of culturally appropriate service provision, with inadequate interpreting services seen as crucial. In tackling issues identified by the research, Camden and its partners are reflecting on a number of recommendations for action. These include:
Debbie
Kramer-Roy
Brunel University
Support needs of Pakistani families with disabled children in the United Kingdom
This paper describes the situation Pakistani families with disabled children living in the UK face, and proposes what the focus and approach of further research needs to be so that this situation can be improved.
The description of the current situation is based on the literature review carried out for my PhD research as well as extensive experience of working with Pakistani families with disabled children in a variety of settings in Pakistan and the UK. It shows these families are among the most disadvantaged in this society in terms of financial and social circumstances; housing; access to services and benefits; mismatch between felt needs and services provided; stereotyped assumptions and discrimination by service providers (as well as in society in general); perceptions of and attitudes towards disability within the Pakistani community; language problems; and poor informal support systems within the family and community. Mothers often bear the brunt of the situation and the rate of anxiety and depression among them is very high.
The research studies that have provided the data for painting this grim picture have largely remained descriptive and although their recommendations are clear and useful, they have not made a significant impact on support and service provision so far.
This paper proposes that future research needs to take an emancipatory and/or participatory approach (for example Participatory Action Research or Emancipatory Disability Research), in which participants are facilitated to not only describe their issues, but to reflect on them, plan for change and take action. Participants of these studies need to include the disabled children themselves, their families, those who (can potentially) provide informal support and / or formal service providers. In this type of research the outcomes would not only include improved services and other support systems, but also help participants to gain more awareness, confidence, assertiveness and skills which will help them to secure a better level and quality of informal support and services beyond the research. Although the latter will not be easy to achieve for people who are currently so strongly disadvantaged and disempowered, without it is unlikely that significant improvements in support and service provision will be seen.
Key texts used in the literature review:
BYWATERS, P., ALI, Z., FAZIL, Q., WALLACE, L. and SINGH, G., 2003. Attitudes towards disability amongst Pakistani and Bangladeshi parents of disabled children in the UK : considerations for service providers and the disability movement. Health and Social Care in the Community, 11 (6), pp. 502-503 - 509.
CHAMBA, R., AHMAD, W., HIRST, M., LAWTON , D. and BERESFORD, B., 1999. Findings: Minority Ethnic Families Caring for a Severely Disabled Child. York : Joseph Rowntree Foundation.
FAZIL, Q., BYWATERS, P., ALI, Z., WALLACE, L. and SINGH, G, 2002. Disadvantage and Discrimination Compounded: the experience of Pakistani and Bangladeshi parents of disabled children in the UK. Disability & Society , 17 (3) , pp. 237-253,
HATTON, C., AKRAM, Y., SHAH, R., ROBERTSON, J. and EMERSON, E., 2004. Supporting South Asian Families with a Child with Severe Disabilities. First edition. London : Jessica Kingsley Publishers, Ltd.
Dr Terry
Di Paolo and Dr Geraldine Lee-Treweek
Manchester Metropolitan
University and the Open University
Layered Invisibility: the case of Italians and Poles in the UK
This paper critically explores notions of invisibility as they apply to European immigrant communities in the UK. 'Invisible' is a term that has frequently been applied by social researchers to various communities in the UK , including: Spaniards, Turks, Italians, Portuguese, Poles, Irish and Greeks. Moreover, notions of migrant invisibility have been used by those seeking to reinforce political positions on migrant labour and community cohesion. This paper contends that a critical examination of 'invisible' challenges the term's utility, reality and ownership. Invisibility emerges not only as a descriptor but also as a phenomenon that occurs within these communities. In part, invisibility stems from attempts at ethnic profiling that perpetuate the ethnocentricity and homogeneity of 'white' and 'non-white' as grouping mechanisms. Additionally, invisibility appears to be a consequence of meanings and inclusions associated with the broad term 'ethnic minority'. We argue here that statistical invisibility is produced via imprecise (and arguably insensitive) categorisations. On the other hand some migrant groups themselves might cultivate invisibility as a strategy for living in hostile environments.
This paper extends an awareness and understanding of migrant invisibility by using case studies of two migrant groups in the UK - Italians and Poles. Di Paolo, who is of migrant Italian heritage himself, is interested in the way particular data collection approaches have imposed invisibility upon this group. Lee-Treweek's discusses her qualitative work with the new migrant Polish community in Crewe and focuses upon the difficulties she experienced in capturing the strategies of invisibility which migrant groups sometimes deploy to protect their communities. Together these accounts explore how layers of invisibility need to be negotiated and understood to fully comprehend the experience of migrants and make these groups visible in policy agendas.
Juliette
Alban-Metcalfe
Real
World Group
Biased performance appraisal and other barriers to the career progression of Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BME) managers: Research evidence and moving forward
This workshop will discuss the findings of research conducted in the UK public sector which investigated the lack of representation of diversity in senior management through examination of career experiences of managers and in-depth analysis of the possibility of bias in appraisal.
Through a survey of 2,000 managers, evidence was found of differential career experiences of Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic compared with White managers in a number of areas including line manager support, provision of performance feedback, and exclusion from informal networks in the organisation.
Close analysis of appraisal ratings of 420 managers from a 360-degree feedback perspective also revealed significant evidence of apparent discrimination in ratings given to Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic and female White managers by bosses, most of whom were White males.
Following the presentation, workshop participants will be encouraged to discuss:
Recommendations will be given as to how individuals and organisations can use the research evidence to tackle the issue of institutionalised discrimination against Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic managers in organisations.
Katherine
Twamley
City University
An exploration of strategies to recruit women from ethnic minority groups into health research
The inclusion of ethnic minority groups into health research has long been recognised as important for the development of an equitable health service attuned to the needs of distinct groups. Recruitment of diverse participants for health research is therefore a necessary part of this process; however, many investigators have reported difficulties in engaging minority ethnic groups into research. Failure to recruit adequate numbers or a sufficiently representative sample can lead to research bias, and/or limit the applications of a study.
Drawing on a qualitative research project into maternity care needs and experiences of second generation ethnic minority women in England , this paper explores the hurdles and successes of recruiting for social research with women from the following ethnic groups: Black African, Black Caribbean, Irish, Pakistani and Indian. We examine in particular the different strategies used by the researchers and their efficacy in a health setting. We also explore women's motivations and experiences in taking part in the study through retrospective interviews with participants and clinicians who recruited participants through maternity clinics.
Our preliminary findings suggest that the use of diverse recruitment methods, constant evaluation of recruitment strategies and the allocation of sufficient time and resources for recruitment are key design considerations. Secondly, we suggest that targeting women's motivations to participate in research will lead to a more efficient recruitment strategy and present the key findings from our interviews.
Louise
Ryan
Middlesex University
Recent Polish migrants in London : inclusion, exclusion and ethnic boundaries
EU expansion (May 2004) has had a marked impact on the levels of migration to Britain. While, the subsequent arrival of tens of thousands of Eastern European workers was in many ways unanticipated, it has been broadly welcomed as a boost to the labour force, bringing much needed skills as well as cheap, unskilled labour. These migrants were generally perceived as temporary and transient. As has been the case with many previous waves of migrants, there was a lack of structural planning in relation to the social needs of these new migrants. Concerns have recently been raised about inadequate housing provision leading to, in some cases, homelessness and rough sleeping among Polish migrants.
We have carried out a one year, qualitative study (funded by the ESRC) on the experiences of recent Polish migrants to London. As well as key informant interviews from a range of community and voluntary groups, we have also carried out four focus groups and 30 in-depth interviews with individual migrants. Our respondents identified a range of issues including language difficulties, poor housing conditions, as well as problems accessing health services. In addition, several spoke about unscrupulous landlords and exploitative employers. In some cases, this exploitation came from within the Polish community, but also from other 'ethnic minority' groups.
Several described experiences of 'discrimination' based on their status as 'outsiders', 'foreigners' and on stereotypes of being ethnically Polish and Eastern European. Many recounted incidences where they felt insulted or abused because of their Polishness. Their experiences raise questions about ethnicity, processes of inclusion and exclusion, the competition between different migrant and ethnic minority groups and the tensions that may exist at the margins of the economy and housing market. Our paper explores the policy implications of these issues,
The issues raised in this workshop concern the experiences of recent Eastern European Migrants to Britain , focusing in particular on the findings of our qualitative study of Polish migrants in London.
We argue that government policy has viewed these migrants as temporary workers and little or no provision has been made for their wider social, educational, familial and housing needs. Many are reliant on services and support from within their own 'community' and this has made them vulnerable to exploitation. Housing, employment and languages were the main issues highlighted by our respondents.
These issues have wider implications for other migrant groups and raise serious policy questions about identifying the service needs of these groups.
The relationships between these new European migrants and other more settled migrant or ethnic minority communities, especially in the job and housing markets, will also be explored.
We consider these issues to be very relevant to an understanding of the changing ethnic relationships in Britain today.
Our workshop will raise these issues and encourage active discussion and participation by all those who attend.
Dr Roiyah
Saltus
University of
Glamorgan
The Benefits and Challenges of Voluntary-Academic Sector Research Partnerships: A critical reflection rooted in the Meleis criteria for cultural competent research
The aim of the workshop is to offer a critical reflection on some of the benefits and challenges of conducting research that seeks to improve the health of Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) groups, with a specific focus on voluntary-academic sector research collaboration. A recently completed study, on improving the quality of access to mental health information and service provision to targeted BME groups based in Wales , will be used as a case study. The critical reflection will be framed in the context of the eight categories or dimensions that Meleis (1996) proposed as essential for evaluating methodological rigour in research and scholarship: contextuality, relevance, communication styles, the awareness of identity and power differentials, disclosure, reciprocation, empowerment, and time. The workshop will conclude by highlighting the usefulness of tools such as the Meleis criteria in both the design and the evaluation of research activity.
Meleis, A. (1996) Culturally competent scholarship: Substance and rigor. Advances in Nursing Sciences 19:2, 1-16.
Tracey Bignall and Robert Williams
Race Equality Foundation
Mapping good practice to black and minority ethnic fathers
Policy and practice on parenting and family support have in recent years highlighted the role of fathers as parents. We have seen the development of support to fathers through the setting up of local fathers groups, through mainstream parenting support initiatives, such as Sure Start local programmes, and legal changes, which include the introduction of paid paternity leave. More recent proposals will provide opportunities for greater service development and provision to fathers. The Gender Equality Duty is the latest initiative to ignite debate about the role of fathers, with attention being paid to how employers and employees will respond to the new possibilities for arranging work patterns so that fathers too can play a part in childcare. Within this momentum of change, there is little mention of black and minority ethnic fathers.
While there is willingness to work with black and minority ethnic fathers, both research and anecdotal evidence continues to show that fathers from African, Asian and African Caribbean communities are not benefiting from these opportunities for a variety of reasons including limited knowledge of what support is available.
The Race Equality Foundation recently led on a project looking at parenting support for black and minority ethnic fathers. A nalysis of two networking events and a short mapping exercise exploring what services are provided to fathers, show that initiatives to support fathers from these communities are primarily within the black voluntary sector, and affected by resourcing issues, such as time limited funding. The findings from this exercise will be discussed, as well as exploring other factors which can affect the provision of support, such as stereotypical assumptions of black men and their families, or skills deemed necessary to provide parenting and family support to African, Asian and Caribbean fathers.
The workshop will then focus on a specific ethnic group by providing the opportunity to hear about a recent study on African Caribbean fathers. There is little research evidence on the experiences of this group of fathers and in particular of their health issues. Robert Williams will report on the qualitative study of 79 working class fathers and facilitate a discussion about links between the masculinities of African Caribbean fathers and their health experiences.
Vivienne
Foster
Cumbria
partnership NHS Trust
Equality & Diversity in the NHS: Making it a reality in Cumbria
Even if there is a commitment to equality and diversity and a willingness to proceed, many healthcare professionals do not know where to start. They need the opportunity to learn and reflect upon how to provide quality health care to people from different ethnic backgrounds, cultures, religions and lifestyle preferences. They also need to recognise the fact that we all have a tendency to stereotype.
This presentation will highlight the importance of integrating UK legislation, NHS policy, research evidence with local need. A practical example of how Cumbria NHS Partnership Trust are attempting to do this will be presented. The Trust in conjunction with Mental Health Strategies launched an initiative whereby of 10 - 15 Equality & Diversity Champions were created. The Champions come from a range of professional backgrounds and Trust areas. They have attended a series of workshops covering a range of topics including racism & mental health, migration & mental health, religion & mental health, sexuality & mental health, stigma, in order to enhance their knowledge, skills and confidence in relation to equality & diversity matters. An internet e mail discussion group and regular supervision structures have been established. This initiative is action focused. Engagement with local people and innovative practice is encouraged.
One of the Equality & Diversity Champions will present her experiences of being involved in this initiative.
Possible questions to discuss with workshop attendees include:
Possible learning points include:
Participants will be asked a series of questions throughout the presentation to make the workshop more interactive.
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