1. Dr. Siobhan Laird Siobhan.laird@nottingham.ac.uk
New Approaches to Race, Ethnicity, Culture and Faith in Contemporary Anti-oppressive Practice
Dr. Siobhan Laird

2. Increasing Diversity

3. Population Ethnic minority groups, England and Wales, 20111
England and Wales Percentages
White
Irish
0.9
Gypsy or Irish Traveller
0.1
Other White
4.4
Mixed/ multiple ethnic groups
White and Black Caribbean
0.8
White and Asian
0.6
White and Black African
0.3
Other Mixed
0.5
Asian/Asian British
Indian
2.5
Pakistani
2.0
Bangladeshi
Chinese
0.7
Other Asian
1.5
Black/ African/ Caribbean /Black British
African
1.8
Caribbean
1.1
Other Black
Other ethnic group
Arab
0.4
Any other ethnic group
1. This chart excludes White British (80.5 per cent)
Source: Census 2011, Office for National Statistics
Population

4. Workforce Non-UK Born Country Social Workers New Zealand 6% Australia
13%
Philippines --
India
Zimbabwe
South Africa
16%
Nigeria 3%
Ghana 8%
Jamaica 9%
Canada
Poland 2%
Republic of Ireland
14%
Germany
Workforce Non-UK Born

5. Workforce
19% of students registering as social workers have a non-white background
(GSCC, 2010)
Internationalisation of the response to problems of recruitment in London has resulted in 48% of social workers being non-UK born in that region
(ONS, 2006)

6. Policy Drivers
Retreat from multicultural approaches by both the Coalition Government and Labour opposition, despite internal tensions, due to perceptions around:
Islamic extremism in UK and abroad
Creation of ethnic ghettos and isolated communities
Lack of community cohesion
Race related riots in inner cities
High numbers of immigrants
Additional costs of providing services to ethnic minority communities

7. Current Policy Directions
Integration
Problematizing of ethnic and faith minorities
Reduced emphasis on anti-racism

8. Social Work Practice
Since 2000 government issued policy and practice guidance, national minimum standards, national frameworks and codes of practice relating to child welfare and protection have required social workers to take into account in care planning the religious, cultural and ethnic needs of children and their families. This has been complemented by the growing raft of anti-discriminatory legislation culminating in the Equality Act 2010 and the Equality Duty

9. Social Work Education
Historical tension between anti-oppressive models emphasising anti-racism
and
approaches employing cultural awareness or cultural sensitivity

10. Evidence from Inquiries
Victoria Climbié killed aged 7 years
black social worker interpreted Victoria’s obedience in terms of ‘the Afro-Caribbean family script’
Spirit possession cited by perpetrators as a reason for abusing Victoria, no enquiry made about faith
Tyra Henry killed aged 1year
Perception of grandmother as able to cope as carer due to positive stereotypes of African- Caribbean women
Mother treated as single parent despite male partner visiting relationship

11. Evidence from Serious Case Reviews
Ajit Singh killed aged 12 years
Mother complained white social worker racist and culturally insensitive, worker changed, no evidence found to substantiate accusation
Too much weight given to mother’s ethnicity and religion to explain her behaviour
Khyra Ishaq killed aged 7 years
Mother’s male partner idiosyncratic interpretation of Islam and believed Khyra possessed by Djinns. No engagement with family’s faith by social workers
Diamond Dwomoh killed aged 10 months
Social workers lacked cultural awareness of feeding practices and significance of body image

12. ASKED: Campinha-Bacote
Cultural awareness - self examination of own cultural background, prejudices, assumptions
Cultural skill – ability to collect relevant cultural information
Cultural knowledge – acquiring knowledge of other cultural groups
Cultural encounter - engagement with other cultural groups to challenge stereotypes
Cultural desire – motivation to engage

13. LIVE & LEARN Model: Carballeira
Like - work with people from ethnic minorities Inquire – about the history, beliefs, social norms and family structures of other ethnic groups Visit – adopt position of respectful observant visitor Experience – seek out social interaction with people from minority ethnic communities including peer relationships

14. LIVE & LEARN Model: Carballeira
Listen – observe and adopt styles of preferred communication
Evaluate – recognise distinct integration of culture with personality and avoid stereotyping
Acknowledge – similarities and differences between family members and areas of potential conflict with statutory services
Recommend – offer a range of interventions and consult family on their cultural appropriateness
Negotiate – openly discuss areas of conflict that appear to have a cultural dimension and work towards acceptable compromises

15. References
United States
Andrews & Boyle (2007) Transcultural Concepts in Nursing Care
Campinha-Bacote (2003) The Process of Cultural Competence in the Delivery of Health Services
Carballeira (1996) The LIVE and LEARN Model for Cultural Competent Family Services
Leininger & McFarland (2002) Transcultural Nursing
Devore & Schlesinger (1999) Ethnic-Sensitive Social Work Practice
Sue (2006) Multicultural Social Work

16. References United Kingdom
Mares, et al (1985) Health Care in Multiracial Britain
Henley & Schott (2003) Culture, Religion and Patient Care in a Multi-ethnic Society
Holland & Hogg (2001) Cultural Awareness in Nursing and Health Care
Laird (2008) Anti-oppressive Social Work: A Guide to Cultural Competence
Holloway & Moss (2010) Spirituality and Social Work