The Scottish Government

« Previous | Contents | Next »

Listen

FOCUS GROUPS WITH MINORITY ETHNIC COMMUNITIES

CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION

1.1 This study was commissioned by the Scottish Executive to contribute to the on-going programme of developmental work for a proposed new survey of Scotland's minority ethnic communities and an associated research programme. The study is aimed at exploring the specific information needs of members of minority ethnic communities in relation to this programme.

1.2 This chapter of the report sets out the context for the scoping of views from minority ethnic communities within recent strategic, policy and legislative developments. It also locates the study within the context of the Scottish Executive's wider programme of research in this area. This wider research has informed the study as a whole and in particular the focus of the research topic schedule.

The strategic, policy and legal context of the study

1.3 This is a dynamic time in relation to research with minority ethnic communities with significant changes in policy and legislation. This study, therefore, is a timely exercise. Several significant developments in race relations such as the Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000 and the Stephen Lawrence Inquiry Report (1999) ¹ have emphasised areas for development in race relations and equality especially in the public sector. Simultaneously, the focus of policy on social justice in Scotland has highlighted issues relating to the social exclusion of different groups including minority ethnic groups. What follows is a brief overview of recent key documents and developments.

Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000 and The Stephen Lawrence Inquiry

1.4 Two of the most significant developments in race relations and equalities in the UK have been the introduction of the Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000 and the Report of the Stephen Lawrence Inquiry (MacPherson, 1999). These have particular implications for public institutions and authorities and the delivery of public services.

1.5 The Race Relations Act 1976 makes it unlawful to discriminate on the grounds of race, colour, nationality (including citizenship) or ethnic or national origin. This has now been amended by the Race Relations (Amendment Act) 2000, which has significantly strengthened and extended the original Act, in particular to extend the definition of race discrimination to areas where there were gaps in coverage, for example, in the public sector. The amended Act places a legal requirement on public authorities (that is any person or organisation carrying out public functions) to promote racial equality, equality of opportunity and good race relations and to mainstream racial equality into all of their functions. This applies to jobs, training, education, housing, public functions and the provision of goods, facilities and services. In response to this, the Scottish Executive published their Race Equality Scheme ² in November 2002, details of which can be found on the Scottish Executive Website. ( http://www.scotland.gov.uk/library5/society/wtre-00.asp)

1.6 Each public authority will have to assess where and how racial equality is relevant to the way it carries out its functions, and then build racial equality into its decision making and policy-making processes. Duties are likely to include ethnic monitoring and assessing and consulting on the impact of policies to ensure they meet the needs of all communities. The new Act should provide local authorities with an opportunity to engage with all their communities and ensure that their services effectively meet the needs of all users.

1.7 In particular, the amended Act provides a legal framework for the mainstreaming of race equality. Mainstreaming can be defined as ' making sure an equality perspective is part of the everyday work of government involving policy makers across all government departments, as well as equality specialists and external partners' (Race Equality Advisory Forum, 2001).

1.8 Common features of inequality which the Act hopes to address include the experience of direct, indirect and institutional discrimination; under-representation in senior positions and public life; experiences of exclusion, violence and abuse and restricted access to employment, goods, services and other material resources.

Race Relations and Equality in Scotland

1.9 The Stephen Lawrence Inquiry Report published in 1999 evidenced such discrimination and institutional racism within British institutions, in particular the Justice system, and set out a wide range of detailed measures to achieve institutional change in Britain. The report states:

"It is incumbent upon every institution to examine their policies and the outcome of their policies and practices to guard against disadvantaging any section of our communities." (MacPherson, 1999)

1.10 In Scotland, the Scottish Executive responded to the Stephen Lawrence Inquiry by publishing an Action Plan in July 1999 ³ which led to the setting up of The Deputy First Minister's Stephen Lawrence Steering Group in February 2000 to provide external scrutiny of the work of the police, Crown Office and others. Recommendations made by the group include a need to address the following relevant issues:

• development of performance indicators;
• addressing of the policy-practice gap;
• mapping of language services and an examination of standards for interpreters.

1.11 In 1999, the Scottish Executive also established the Race Equality Advisory Forum (REAF) to work in parallel with the Steering Group and oversee the implementation of the Scottish Executive's action plan in response to the MacPherson Report. The Forum was designed to promote the more effective sharing of learning and actions to tackle institutional racism in all areas and not just within the justice system.

1.12 The REAF (2001) report, 'Making it Real: A Race Equality Strategy for Scotland', sets out a challenge to the public sector in Scotland to eliminate institutional racism. The report also details a programme of action which REAF consider essential for progress in Scotland. The areas for action are outlined as follows:

• Mainstreaming of race equality into planning, policy design and service delivery;
• Race equality training;
• Public appointments;
• Employment in the public sector;
• Improved research, information and statistics;
• Reporting on the promotion of race equality;
• Translation, interpreting and access to information and services;
• Multi-agency working and measures to address and prevent racial harassment.

1.13 The Scottish Executive has responded to the REAF report (Scottish Executive 2002a, 2002b) and accepted the broad challenges set by REAF by committing to an ambitious work programme to deliver race equality across Scotland. The Scottish Executive's Race Equality Scheme (2002) details this work and includes individual Action Plans from each of the Executive's departments.

1.14 The Scottish Executive has begun to address the recommendations in the REAF report to improve research, information and statistics through the development of a programme of research relating to minority ethnic issues. This particular study consults with people from minority ethnic communities to explore their information needs in relation to new research proposals and forms an integral part of this programme.

1.15 In addition to policy developments in the area of race relations, significant changes in wider social and equal opportunities policy in Scotland has impacted on and informed race relations and equality issues, and vice versa.

1.16 In 1999, the Scottish Executive launched its Social Justice strategy with the publication of " Social Justice…a Scotland where everyone matters" declaring its new vision for communities in Scotland. The essence of this strategy is to ensure everyone in Scotland has the opportunity to participate to the maximum of his or her potential. The Social Justice report sets out a range of policy targets and milestones for promoting social justice and inclusion. The publication applies a lifecycle approach focusing on children, young people, families, older people and communities and sets a framework for social justice and the promotion of equality and fairness across groups and generations.

1.17 As a result, a distinct approach has been taken to emphasise and promote social inclusion and is based on the following five key principles:

• Integration
• Prevention
• Understanding
• Inclusiveness
• Empowerment

1.18 These principles are key to this research study which is about understanding the views and priorities of members of minority ethnic communities and including minority ethnic communities in research and consultation and so empowering these communities to identify and define their own priorities.

1.19 The principles are also mirrored in the Scottish Executive's Equality Strategy (2001) -' Towards an Equality Strategy'. Central to this strategy is making better policy and providing better services and promoting equal opportunities and tackling discrimination.

1.20 Both the Executive's Social Justice Strategy and Equality Strategy ⁴ make commitments towards improved information both for benchmarking and other measurement purposes and as a key mainstreaming tool. The Equality Strategy emphasises the need to work in partnership with communities and their representative bodies. This research study with minority ethnic groups is again an example of putting this into practice by consulting with members of minority ethnic communities directly about the research programme and incorporating their views in the planning process.

1.21 In response to the Equality Strategy and the recommendation to ensure effective consultation, communication and participation, the Scottish Executive held a series of grassroots events, one with minority ethnic people in Scotland (Scottish Executive, 2001d).

1.22 A series of issues emerged from this event about consultation and communication and are particularly relevant to this study and have informed its development:

• research work should be taken forward and translated into action;
• the process should recognise and reflect diversity among minority ethnic peoples and include the views of second and third generation groups;
• less visible groups should be targeted;
• there should be broad dissemination of results;
• feedback should be given to the communities involved;
• resources for travel, loss of earnings and childcare, should be made available.

The Minority ethnic Research Programme

1.23 The Scottish Executive committed itself in February 2000 to major new research aimed at providing better information on the circumstances and needs of people from minority ethnic communities. Central to this programme was a proposed survey of the circumstances of minority ethnic communities in Scotland. Developmental work to assist and inform the content and design of any survey and interpretation of survey findings was initiated. Preparatory initiatives so far completed within the programme comprise a Workshop on Researching Ethnic Minorities in Scotland (Reid-Howie Associates, 2000), a Scoping Study for a National Survey of Scotland's Minority Ethnic Populations (System 3, 2001) and an Audit of Research on Minority Ethnic Issues in Scotland from a Race Perspective (Netto et al., 2001). This study forms a complementary strand of research within the programme and is informed by these studies.

1.24 The Workshop on Researching Ethnic Minorities was held in March 2000 and attended by approximately one hundred delegates from a range of organisations and backgrounds. This offered an opportunity for members of minority ethnic communities to inform the information needs and requirements for the developing programme of research on minority ethnic groups in Scotland. The proceedings of the workshop highlighted a range of issues that effect minority ethnic communities (Reid-Howie Associates, 2000). It identified key issues, gaps in research, sensitivities and good practice required for conducting research in order to develop a programme which is relevant, appropriately conducted, meaningful, inclusive and of benefit to minority ethnic populations in Scotland. Issues emerging from the workshop suggested a lack of contemporary data on the Scottish minority ethnic populations at a national level as well as a lack of robust disaggregated data. The need to take account of research findings which already exist relating to Scotland's minority ethnic populations was also emphasised.

1.25 The Scoping Study for a National Survey of Scotland's Minority Ethnic Populations (System 3, 2001) aimed at determining the detailed requirements for a new survey in terms of issues that needed to be covered as well as methodological options for meeting these requirements. The consultation process concluded that a new survey should be a quantitative exercise to represent minority ethnic communities; it would be a general multi-purpose survey and it would focus on adults although a survey of young people could run in parallel to a main survey. The consultation also identified a wide range of potential topics for inclusion in a survey. Core, demographic and household data were identified which could be investigated using standard, harmonised questions to facilitate comparability with other surveys. Other topics relating to culture and identity, ethnicity and employment, harassment and victimisation, health, public service provision, rural issues and social inclusion issues were also identified. In practical terms the study concluded that a survey would be unlikely to be able to accommodate all of these requirements or to include all geographical areas (i.e. the Scottish Islands) or certain minority communities such as Gypsies/Travellers, Refugees and Asylum Seekers. It therefore concluded that it would probably be necessary to prioritise issues.

1.26 Development work for survey and research needs has also been taken forward by the Audit of Research on Minority Ethnic Issues in Scotland from a Race Perspective (Netto et al., 2001). This was commissioned as a response to the recommendations emerging from the workshop held in March 2000 to take stock of existing research information within Scotland. The audit report discusses key themes and issues arising from the research, highlights significant research gaps and makes recommendations for future quantitative and qualitative research in this area. The main findings highlighted the lack of up to date quantitative data on Scotland's minority ethnic groups and suggests the need for relevant data to inform culturally appropriate service design, and illuminate any evidence of institutional racism and structural barriers restricting service use. This audit found that current research is focused on service users rather than providers, on housing, education, social care and health and fails to reflect the diversity of minority ethnic groups and geographical spread outside of Glasgow. The need for ethnic monitoring and for exploring issues of diversity within and between ethnic groups was emphasised. Issues of identity and active citizenship as well as rural issues were other highlighted topic priorities. For future research, the audit identified a number of cross-cutting research topics which are: monitoring and evaluation; the development of a national strategy for interpretation and translation services; identity issues; active citizenship and rural issues. Additionally, in terms of methodological issues, the audit stated that a user-led perspective and ethical code are fundamental to the research process.

1.27 Together, these projects have informed the plans for the research programme by identifying important survey topic issues, potential methodologies and steering appropriate research process arrangements. Importantly, there are two issues to emerge so far from the research programme. The first is the need to assess other methods of collating information on minority ethnic groups other than a new large-scale survey and second, that the work so far reflects the perspectives of minority ethnic representative bodies, academics and data users. To complement these views this current study was commissioned to focus directly on members of the minority ethnic communities in order to identify issues of relevance to their lives in contemporary Scottish society. The study aims to investigate in detail the requirements which data providers (i.e. members of minority ethnic communities) foresee as important for new research, including a new survey, and to facilitate, as far as is possible, the identification of views from a cross-section of minority ethnic communities both visible and non visible and of people of different ages, generations, gender, faiths and geographic location.

Structure of the Report

1.28 In the next chapter of the report, we provide details of the methodology used to undertake this study and include a commentary on issues, process and practice when researching minority ethnic communities and conducting large-scale focus groups. In Chapter 3 we present quantitative information to begin to build a profile of the research participants. Chapter 4 of the report contains the main findings and outcomes from the focus groups, highlighting the priority issues and themes identified, whilst Chapter 5 presents the findings on the proposed new survey. Finally, in Chapter 6 we conclude with a summary of findings and a series of recommendations focused on a proposed new survey and further research developments.

« Previous | Contents | Next »