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FOCUS GROUPS WITH MINORITY ETHNIC COMMUNITIES

CHAPTER FOUR PRIORITY ISSUES FOR MINORITY ETHNIC COMMUNITIES IN SCOTLAND

Introduction

4.1 This chapter of the report sets out the study findings from the focus group research with minority ethnic communities in Edinburgh, Fife, Glasgow and Grampian. The outcomes are analysed under the following headings:

• Priority Issues for Scotland's Minority Ethnic Communities
• Priority Issues for Specific Interest Groups
• Overarching Themes

Priority Issues for Scotland's Minority Ethnic Communities

4.2 In the focus group survey, participants were asked to consider areas of their daily lives which they considered to be important and of high priority. The groups were provided with the following list of potential topic areas drawn from previous research on minority ethnic communities. The selection of topics is discussed in Chapter 2. The topic areas provided were:

• Employment
• Health
• Provision of public services (Housing, Social Work and Transport)
• Being Part of a Community (social inclusion)
• Education and Lifelong Learning
• Justice and the Law
• Business Support
• Support Networks and Organisations
• Poverty
• Being Active e.g. volunteering

4.3 Participants were also asked to offer any additional topics or categories which they considered important. Further areas identified were as follows and are included in the analysis:

• Access to childcare
• Access to services
• Lack of representation
• Pensions and planning for the future
• Media representation of minority ethnic communities

4.4 Underpinning most of the issues were three significant themes. These were:

• Discrimination/ Racism
• Issues of culture and identity
• Access to and appropriateness and responsiveness of services

4.5 Table 4.1 contains details of the priority themes and how often they were chosen by the different groups. Focus group participants were offered a list of potential topic areas and asked to identify and agree through discussion the three most important topics in their daily lives. Participants were not restricted to these topics and able to include any others they considered important ¹⁵. This was the case for example with access to childcare and media representation. The topics chosen by different groups were obviously influenced by their composition, demographics, characteristics and so on. For example, health was more likely to be highlighted by older people and new mothers whilst business support was chosen by traders and business people.

Table 4.1 Priority Issues Identified by Focus Groups

NB: Not all focus groups chose 3 priorities, some chose more or less.

4.6 In this chapter, each of the topics will be discussed individually. Discussion of the priority issues raised under each topic is provided and focuses on issues specific to minority ethnic groups but also provides a summary of those which are more general in nature. This is followed by a series of solutions as offered by the respondents themselves.

Health

4.7 In focus group discussions, health emerged as the most often identified priority issue in the lives of participants. This was particularly the case for older participants and mothers with young children.

4.8 A wide range of issues was raised by participants on the topic of health. Some of these were clearly issues unique to the experiences of minority ethnic communities, whilst others could be related to all populations including the White majority. The main health related issues affecting people from minority ethnic communities can be broken down into the following areas; accessing healthcare, the cultural appropriateness of health care, working in the sector and the overall quality of health services.

Translation and interpreting services

4.9 Accessing health care services was highlighted as a particular area where a number of barriers exist for minority ethnic people. The most significant of these, especially for older people, is the barrier of language. The issue of language and inability to communicate effectively was felt to impact on the quality of experiences whilst receiving health care and manifested itself in a number of ways.

4.10 The most obvious barrier for people with a language difficulty is explaining what is wrong or the help that is required. It is also difficult or impossible to arrange an appointment or seek medical assistance. A number of participants talked of the frustration of not being able to communicate effectively.

"I get frustrated when I try to tell him [doctor] what is wrong. I don't have the right words" (young mother, Glasgow)

4.11 There was a general lack of awareness about the availability of interpreting services and how to access this resource. People tended to be unclear as to 'who' was responsible for contacting and paying for interpreting services. When interpreting services were accessed this was mainly to facilitate planned appointments. However, the language barrier made accessing either out of hours GP services or accident and emergency departments very difficult.

Time for interpretation

4.12 Using interpreting services can be time consuming and unless a 'double' appointment is made with, for example a GP, there is considerable pressure on all three parties, the patient, the interpreter and the clinician. The lack of responsive interpreting services is a particular issue in the case of an emergency. This was seen to be compounded by cultural differences towards healthcare and the delay in accessing health services. For example, one older Chinese person commented:

"Chinese people don't get medical help unless it is very urgent and they often leave it until the last minute to contact a doctor. There was the husband of one lady who had a stroke but did not get medical help quickly enough and died".

Informal interpreting

4.13 There appears to be widespread use of informal interpreting services, principally in the form of family members, other patients and other doctors. A number of participants shared experiences where fellow patients, visitors, doctors or family members were brought from surrounding wards to act as 'impromptu interpreters' regardless of skill or technical ability. In one case, the person did not even speak the same language as the participant.

4.14 A Chinese participant recounted his experience when his daughter was born:

"My daughter was born deaf and it was very hard because my English is poor because I could not properly understand the diagnosis or prognosis or the treatment she would then get… because of the language it was also very hard for us to get support and help for us".

4.15 Participants also felt that it was considered their responsibility to ensure they attended hospital or GP appointments with an English speaking relative. This was considered harder as people got older and children moved away or were working and could not attend appointments. Participants also considered it inappropriate that health workers should expect a child or young person to translate for a parent or other relative.

4.16 The use of untrained interpreters or interpreters who are not trained to translate medical information raises important questions about the accuracy of the information translated, something that is particularly pertinent when complex medical information is being dealt with.

4.17 These issues and others in relation to translation and interpreting services have been highlighted as a priority area by the Action Plan resulting from the Stephen Lawrence Enquiry (Scottish Executive, 1999a) which recommends the mapping of language services and an examination of standards for interpreters, and by the Race Equality Advisory Forum (2001) who highlight translation, interpreting and access to information as services as an area for action. In response, the Scottish Executive commissioned a review of translating, interpreting and communication support services in the public sector in Scotland (Scottish Executive, 2001c). This report highlighted the inappropriateness of some services, the importance of social and cultural sensitivity and the relationship between the interpreter and those for whom the interpretation is provided. It emphasised the need for public service agencies to move away from a social provision model towards a social inclusion model which starts from the perspective that everyone has a right to the information and support which will enable them to participate fully in society.

Medical privacy

4.18 The use of interpreting services raises issues for service users about their privacy, for example, having to tell a stranger medical and bodily details was often considered to be undignified and patients wanted to be able to communicate directly with the clinician rather than through a third party. ¹⁶

Advocacy and support

4.19 Interestingly, over and above the language needs of individuals, many participants also felt that they needed some kind of advocacy and support service to help them to articulate their views, especially where there was a problem or issue. This is also related to the need for information in different formats and availability to people with English language difficulties, regardless of ethnic group.

4.20 In a few instances, particularly amongst younger people, the lack of language support and of culturally sensitive mental health services was mentioned. One young man from Fife asked:

"Do they (the Samaritans)¹⁷have anyone who speaks other languages other than English?" (young person, Fife)

Quality of service

4.21 Finally, the issue of language barriers was perceived to impact on the quality of service offered to patients. There was general agreement that language barriers often meant that people were told little about what was going to happen to them or that if they did not have a good understanding of English, they would be " fobbed off" with little attempt to help them understand what was happening. A number of participants felt they were treated as " second class citizens". One new mother commented that:

"Some women feel like they are treated as second class…our needs and preferences are often neglected, like our diet needs and culture." (young mother, Glasgow)

For this reason people believed that they were not always gaining access to the same quality of service as others. Although most participants were positive about actual services provided by health staff, it was still felt that language impacted on overall experiences.

The cultural appropriateness of healthcare services

4.22 The extent to which health care services are culturally sensitive and appropriate was a concern shared by all age groups. Language is, as discussed above, the main barrier for many people from minority ethnic groups, but especially for older people and some people whom have recently taken up residence in Scotland. However, a more widely shared experience is the perceived inability of the NHS in Scotland to take into consideration different dietary requirements and different concepts of appropriate behaviour, such as nudity in assisted bathing situations.

4.23 This need for cultural appropriateness and understanding was particularly highlighted by Muslim and Chinese women.

4.24 Evidence from the focus groups indicates a strong sense of dissatisfaction with the experience of hospitalisation and participants particularly raised issues about culturally inappropriate food. For example:

"I was offered the option of halal food when I went to hospital but was actually given vegetarian European food that I could not eat, so my family had to bring me food for me to eat." (Muslim woman, Glasgow)

"Hindu people are vegetarian¹⁸. I cannot eat meat but they aren't sensitive to this in hospitals. I've been given meat before even though I said that I am Hindu." (Hindu woman, Glasgow)

4.25 Although there may be a more general dissatisfaction with the quality of food provided in hospitals, the perceived inability to respond to people's different needs and the tendency to treat all patients as if they were the same, suggested to many participants that cultural differences are not tolerated or responded to adequately because they deviate from the norm. This is also an issue for anyone in the general population with different dietary requirements.

4.26 Varying cultural attitudes to privacy, nudity and modesty are also evident from the research. Participants commented upon the perceived reluctance of health care staff to appreciate such differences and to consider alternatives, such as wearing a light garment when bathing. This was mainly the case for female patients. One woman in Glasgow related her experiences of being asked to undress in front of medical students. She perceived this to be discriminatory :

"No one bothered explaining to me why this might be necessary." (Woman, Glasgow, non-specialist group).

An older woman in Edinburgh also commented:

"They may give you a female nurse to help you take a bath or shower but they don't understand that we don't want to be seen without our clothes on."

4.27 Amongst the groups of mothers with young children, most of the women also agreed that cultural and religious views were not taken into account in terms of pregnancy and childbirth. One example provided, was when one woman in Fife refused to have pre-natal scans or tests to detect potential abnormalities in development. She explained that her religious views prohibited abortion and so felt that the scan or test was not necessary for her. Although the refusal to have tests or treatments is not necessarily linked to religion or culture and can be a more general issue, in this case, the woman felt that the refusal to undergo such tests was interpreted as negligent and based on prejudice.

4.28 Gypsies/Travellers also highlighted discrimination and the lack of cultural understanding by health workers and especially GPs. A number shared experiences of being refused treatment because they are not registered:

"I've visited doctor's surgeries with an emergency just to be turned away because I'm a traveller. You're ashamed to give your site address at hospitals and doctors because you know you'll be turned away. There's only one doctor's surgery in Fife that I know of that will see Travellers." (Female Gypsy/Traveller, Fife)

4.29 In general, there was a perceived lack of knowledge and understanding amongst health workers about different cultures, religions and values.

Working in the health sector

4.30 Some respondents commented on employment within the health service for members of minority ethnic communities. The general impression is that racism exists within the sector. Although minority ethnic communities are represented, recruitment and promotion was not considered fair or equal. One Pakistani participant elaborated:

"The medical service recruit from other European countries where there are language barriers, but not from Asia or Pakistan. They do not value our (Pakistani) education experience. After the war, Asians were encouraged to go into the medical profession, as there was a shortage of doctors and nurses. Now that there is no shortage they would prefer to recruit their own." (Pakistani male non-specialist, Edinburgh)

General Issues

4.31 A number of issues were raised by participants which were not specific to minority ethnic groups but more generic in nature and related to the overall quality of health care services.

4.32 The most significant of these issues focused on accessing GPs and hospital doctors. Participants highlighted the waiting times for doctor and hospital appointments and the difficulty in getting an appointment quickly, for example, if an appointment is needed for a child. The inflexibility of appointment hours was also raised and considered particularly difficult for people who are self-employed as was the difficulty in getting a home visit.

4.33 The importance of the availability of female doctors for women was also raised but is not necessarily an issue specific to minority ethnic women.

Suggested Solutions

4.34 Within the focus group discussions, participants were asked to think through some of the potential solutions to the issues and barriers they had identified. These solutions as expressed by the participants are summarised in the table below alongside the issue raised. In discussions on health, all of the solutions focused on the improvement of interpreting services. This is significant given the importance placed on this area for action and recommendations have already been made with regards to shifting from thinking about languages to communication and from service provision to social inclusion and also with regards to the knowledge base of providers, the consistency in provision, service awareness, training of interpreters, the need for cross-sectoral co-ordination and the establishment of guidelines and standards. (Scottish Executive, 2001c)

Conclusion

4.35 From the discussions, the main issues affecting minority ethnic communities are not necessarily the quality of health care, although there are concerns over waiting times and levels of service, but concerns in relation to access to healthcare when a language barrier exists. This is seen to impact on access to services and the service itself. The inability to communicate effectively clearly impacts on the way people feel about the service they have received. Other issues emerged from cultural, gender and age needs, many of which also impact on the majority population.

Employment

4.36 Employment and education were considered by many participants to be inter-linked, and many of the issues overlap. The clear issue which emerged in discussions about employment was discrimination and racism in the labour market followed by access and information on the labour market and recognition of overseas qualifications and experience. Issues relating to self-employment, while overlapping with this discussion, were prioritised differently by the focus groups and are discussed later at chapter 4.114.

Discrimination

4.37 Employment was perceived to be the most significant area of discrimination in the survey. Discrimination was considered to exist in recruitment and access to jobs and in the workplace itself.

4.38 Discrimination in terms of employment was perceived to be almost impossible to prove but to be borne out by labour market statistics. In Scotland employment rates for minority ethnic people of working age are lower than for white people: 63% of non-white males are in employment compared to 74% of white males. This difference is greater for women: only 32% of minority ethnic women are in employment compared to 68% of white women ²⁰. White graduates are more likely to be employed than their minority ethnic contemporaries. Many examples were recounted where individuals with degrees had either failed to get employment or where people had taken employment for which they were overqualified. Labour market statistics have also shown however that there are substantial differences between minority ethnic groups. For example, since the early 90s Indian men are more likely than White men to be found in managerial and professional jobs. Unemployment rates are highest amongst Pakistani, Bangladeshi and Caribbean communities.

4.39 Discrimination in employment was most often considered to be subtle and indirect. Examples offered were discrimination based on name, accent, way of speaking, dress and appearance and cultural differences. These were considered to be immediate barriers which

"affect your chances before people have even considered your application… but this is almost impossible to prove." (Grampian Trader)

4.40 All participants who perceived discrimination in employment admitted that it was almost always impossible to prove. However, most shared experiences of their own and of friends and relatives in the labour market. For example:

"I know my friend who has a Masters degree sent out over 100 applications for jobs and never heard back from one person. The white people in her class nearly all got jobs though. She still can't get a job and is now doing an IT course to get more qualified." (Young person, Fife)

"I hear stories all the time of black people with PhDs not getting work and
having to go and work with the fish or something." (Non-specialist, Grampian)

"I was doing an application for a summer job to get some work experience and I go to Muslim Camp and am active in the Young Muslim Group so I put this on my application. But then I showed it to some people and they told me to take it off my application, as people would think I was some kind of radical and fundamentalist. There are all these assumptions like if you wear a traditional head-dress then you are a fundamentalist and will be trouble." (Young person, Grampian)

4.41 Different groups representing different ethnic backgrounds and geographical locations felt that very few people from minority ethnic communities are employed in mainstream occupations and instead tend to be self-employed or employed as professionals such as doctors and lawyers. One Chinese man in Edinburgh commented; " You rarely see Chinese people employed in those jobs in-between". Traders in Grampian and Glasgow agreed that a reason why so many people from minority ethnic groups are self-employed was due to the discrimination in the labour market and the difficulty in finding work.

4.42 The gaps between qualifications and employment were considered large. Some participants of Asian origin commented in particular on how Asian children are high achievers in school but that this is not reflected in the labour market.

4.43 There are significant differences in educational attainment between minority ethnic groups. It is well documented from data collected on educational achievement that Indian children are now achieving better results in many areas of education than other groups including the majority population. However, other Asian children are faring less well, for example those from Pakistani and Bangladeshi communities.

4.44 Gypsy/Traveller respondents also highlighted discrimination in employment and again noted the high levels of self-employment amongst this group. One male participant commented that:

"I have never disclosed my ethnicity when applying for a job. I wouldn't get the job if people knew but once I'm established and they know me then I tend to tell people.".

4.45 There was interesting debate in a number of groups over the value of ethnic monitoring forms. A significant proportion of participants felt that monitoring forms which accompanied job applications led to discrimination and these participants perceived ethnic monitoring as a barrier. However, one participant in Aberdeen responded to other group members:

"How will we know how many of us ever apply for jobs and get them if we don't monitor ethnicity? This is very important if we are going to make any changes and use this to argue for better access for black people. Anyway, your name is going to give it away straight away." (Trader, Aberdeen)

Overseas Qualifications and Experience

4.46 A number of focus group participants had been educated overseas. This group felt that their education and employment experience gained outside of the UK was not as highly valued as that which had been gained in the UK. Participants saw it as important to gain and ' build up qualifications' in the UK to be able to access employment.

4.47 Another issue faced by people arriving from overseas was the need for a work permit and the perceived unwillingness of employers to complete the paperwork for this as well as a perceived unwillingness of employers to accept references from overseas. It was considered that this would be a problem faced by new asylum seekers and refugees.

Access to Information

4.48 Knowing where to go for information and advice on employment and jobs was an issue for a number of participants. They felt that there is a lack of appropriate information although when asked if they would like services only focused on minority ethnic communities, most would not favour this preferring to access mainstream services.

4.49 Language was also considered a barrier to accessing appropriate information.

Geographical Variations

4.50 Interestingly, employment was not raised as an issue in any of the focus groups held in Edinburgh. It is unclear why this was but may reflect the buoyant nature of the current Edinburgh labour market and low unemployment rates. Further, different group characteristics will have impacted on responses. The Edinburgh focus groups included a traders' group, an older people's group, a school age group and a group containing mainly professional women. Unemployment would be less likely to directly affect these individuals.

4.51 Groups in Aberdeen highlighted the low unemployment rates and perceived few barriers to employment. These groups were less willing to accept that discrimination existed within the labour market as one man indicated:

"Aberdeen has a generally high employment rate anyway and I'd say there was almost 100% employment amongst Asian people here….. I don't think there are really any barriers to get a job for Asians unless they create barriers themselves. Like if people come here and don't learn English then they will find it hard it get a job." (Young person, Aberdeen)

Gender

4.52 The most important barrier raised by women in the research was access to childcare. Although this is not unique to people from minority ethnic communities and affects women in the majority population, the issue may be compounded by language and cultural differences. Another issue raised by a small number of women was the cultural barriers to women accessing the labour market.

General Issues

4.53 General issues which emerged alongside those specific to minority ethnic groups were the general lack of employment opportunities in certain areas such as rural areas and the lack of transport links in some areas, again a particular problem in rural and semi-rural areas such as Fife. As discussed in 4.51 above, the difficulty of combining work and childcare was also raised.

Conclusion

4.54 Overall, gaining employment was considered to be one of the highest priorities in people's lives. The inability to gain employment was considered to lead to the high levels of self-employment amongst minority ethnic communities but also to problems associated with unemployment such as loss of confidence, stress and social isolation. This lack of confidence was seen to result in many people from minority ethnic communities thinking that they need to gain more and more qualifications often becoming 'over-qualified'. There was also a fear that it led to depression and mental illness which individuals acknowledged was hidden problem in many cultures.

"I feel as though we have to try harder to prove ourselves and get that job but end up with more pressure and stress." (Young person, Aberdeen)

Suggested Solutions

4.55 A number of solutions were considered by the participants in relation to employment and the labour market. These are summarised below alongside the issue to which they relate. A solution was not considered for every issue.

Education and Lifelong Learning

4.56 There were a wide range of issues highlighted under the topic of education and lifelong learning. Whilst a large proportion of these were general issues which would be experienced by the majority population, others such as cultural sensitivity, racially motivated bullying and educating the majority population were specific to people from minority ethnic groups.

Culturally sensitive education

4.57 Both the parents of school children as well as young people themselves commented on the need for an education system which reflects the ethnic diversity of Scotland.

4.58 There were a variety of ways in which participants suggested that this could be done, ranging from the teaching of minority languages in schools to more positive images of minority ethnic people in educational material. It is unclear, for instance, whether all appropriate teaching staff are aware of cultural differences. For example, that Islam has a concept of art that discourages the representation of human images:

"I told my parents that we were drawing human figures in art class and they didn't want me to continue because in Islam it isn't allowed but I didn't want it to become an issue with the teacher." (School-age, Edinburgh).

4.59 The dominance of Christian religions in schools raises specific issues about the extent to which alternative faiths are tolerated not just within the education system but in the wider social context. Parents and children both commented that all school children would be familiar with the concept of Christmas but few would be equally aware of different religious festivals. Two responses to this issue were offered; firstly that religious education should be broader to cover all religions and secondly, that religious education should not be taught at all in schools.

4.60 Some parents also expressed concern over mixed gender education and a growing gap between themselves and their children in terms of education, especially traditional education. This gap was seen to be exemplified by children's unwillingness to use their 'mother tongue'. For example, one mother commented:

"I talk to my children in Urdu but they always reply back in English. I am scared that the language will die out or that my children will be able to speak it but not read or write in their ''mother tongue', so I send them to the Mosque to learn and speak in Urdu and to have religious classes." (Non-specialist, Edinburgh)

4.61 Gypsy/Traveller groups also highlighted specific cultural differences which were important to their communities but which were not recognised in schools and the education system ²¹. What emerged most strongly from this discussion are the main cultural differences between Gypsies/Travellers and non-Gypsies/Travellers. For example, there was a sense that mainstream, formal education was just one element of a child's all round education and that they could learn many relevant things from their parents. Overall, the views expressed indicated that Gypsy/Traveller children have very different needs and future lives from non-Gypsy/Traveller children. For example, the former would find 'work' rather than pursue a 'career' or have a 'job', or Gypsy/Traveller children need to be able to read and write but do not need more specialist, academic knowledge. For these reasons, leaving school at 14 (before examinations) was considered a valid option because any further education was unnecessary. It was also evident from what was said that boys were less likely to be sent to school in comparison with girls - the former could work along side their fathers at a very early age. Girls were often given the option of going to school or staying at home to help their mothers.

4.62 Schools were not considered to understand the needs or preferences of Gypsies/Travellers. For example, one participant said about her children:

"The school have assumed my children have left the school because we didn't come back in August but we had stayed on at another site because the weather was good." (White minority, Edinburgh).

4.63 Another participant however highlighted the education department in Falkirk who are experimenting with half-day classes, 4 days a week for Gypsy/Traveller children and giving them the option of staying in class at break time.

4.64 Overall, it was considered important for individuals from minority ethnic communities to be able to maintain their culture and language but it was considered equally important for them to learn English.

Discrimination and bullying

4.65 A small number of respondents highlighted the problem of racially motivated discrimination and bullying in schools for which evidence clearly existed. However few parents elaborated on their experiences or those of their children. Some parents were also unclear as to the extent to which the bullying of their children had been racially motivated or not. It is worth noting that this is a sensitive subject area and that a focus group setting may not have been appropriate for discussion of these experiences.

4.66 Gypsy/Traveller participants highlighted the problem of discrimination against their children in schools. All the participants indicated that their children were discriminated against at school, both by staff and fellow pupils in terms of name calling and generally being treated as 'different'.

4.67 Other forms of discrimination were evidenced by people who had been educated overseas. There is a strong perception that educational qualifications obtained outside Europe are not valued. As a result many individuals who hold degrees and or diplomas from another country find that it is necessary to retrain in the UK. People who have recently arrived in the UK and intended to settle were further penalised, it was argued, by being categorised as 'overseas' students and thus subject to higher fees than home students.

4.68 A number of participants found it necessary to re-train and re-skill in the UK often using organisations specifically focused on minority ethnic communities such as Meridian and EMEC in Glasgow and Skillnet in Edinburgh. A female participant in Glasgow told us:

"I trained as an accountant in Zimbabwe but just now I'm having to work as a checkout person in Tesco whilst I do this course (IT course)." (young mother, Glasgow)

4.69 In general, groups felt that there was less discrimination in schools and education than previously but that there remained little improvement in terms of equality in the workplace and labour market.

Lifelong Learning

4.70 A number of participating groups, especially those who did not have school age children, commented on issues around lifelong learning. The learning of English was considered crucial for all groups but it was suggested that different groups had different learning needs. Most participants were keen to improve their English to help them access more, participate more and to decrease levels of frustration. Although a wide variety of learning opportunities were perceived to be available in the local communities, the language barrier excluded many people from such opportunities.

4.71 This language barrier also impacted on the ability to access information on learning and information. Some participants also commented on the lack of learning materials and resources in languages other than English.

4.72 Cultural sensitivity was also highlighted as an issue for lifelong learning, for example, offering separate provision for men and women, and that access to lifelong learning could also be improved by adapting to the needs of different communities, for example accessing men at the Mosque.

4.73 There were mixed views over the provision of learning targeted at minority ethnic communities. Some groups, especially women and older people displayed a preference for minority ethnic specific courses whilst younger people tended to favour mainstream services.

Educating the majority

4.74 There was a general theme throughout many of the discussions concerning the need to educate the majority population about minority ethnic communities, their cultures, traditions and religions. The need to educate those involved in providing health, education and employment services were particularly highlighted. Such education was seen to help combat racism and discrimination and to

"get rid of the ignorance" and "increase people's understanding of us and our customs, like why we pray or why we wear a head-dress or why we don't eat pork." (Non-specialist, Glasgow)

General Issues

4.75 A number of issues raised were general in nature in relation to education and lifelong learning. These related to the school curriculum and choice of subjects, views on teachers and teaching and their ability to control disruptive classes, the physical state of school buildings and having to make career choices at an early stage in education. A point was also raised about the lack of information on lifelong learning and that community education was seen to be geared towards the needs of younger people and thus excluded older people.

Conclusion

4.76 Overall, most people reported that they felt if a child was bright they would do well in education regardless of their ethnicity. The main criticism which emerged from focus group discussions was the lack of awareness of cultural diversity and the current narrow focus of religious and cultural education on Christian customs and beliefs.

Suggested Solutions

4.77 When asked to consider solutions to some of the issues raised, participants focused on cultural awareness, religious education, overseas education, racially motivated bullying and issues relating to Gypsy/Traveller children. The solutions suggested are summarised below alongside the issue raised.

Justice and The Law

4.78 Issues on justice and the law focused on the police and their reactions and responses to racist incidents. This is an area to which much attention has now been given since the publication of the report from the Stephen Lawrence Enquiry (MacPherson, 1999) and the introduction of the Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000. Recommendations have been made through the Action Plan in response to the Enquiry (Scottish Executive, 1999a) and research has been conducted to inform this area by boosting the minority ethnic sample in the Scottish Crime Survey (Clark and Leven, 2002).

Racist Incidents and Police Responses

4.79 For the groups who chose this topic as a priority, all reported high levels of racism and racist incidents.

4.80 A number of the participants had experiences of racially motivated assaults and crime, especially amongst the Trader groups. Traders shared experiences of racial harassment and racist attacks against them and their premises, and experiences of fraud and theft. This was common to all ethnic groups.

"They phone you up with fake orders and fake addresses and you go and deliver and nobody knows about it... or they come and pay you with a bung cheque, always the bung cheques and cards." (Chinese trader, Aberdeen)

"I have been attacked twice in my shop. One time they come with a bar and threaten me… No, they didn't hurt me but I was very scared. I don't work in the shop now, too much stress and scared all the time." (Indian Trader, Aberdeen)

4.81 In the case of young people, three young males shared experiences of violent attacks on the street. In these cases the participants stated that they had been detained by the police after the incidents rather than the perpetrators, as one explained:

"They took me instead of them because I tried to defend myself but they had attacked me. But the police don't believe us and believe what White people say." (Young person, Fife)

4.82 For some older participants, there was a general feeling of society becoming increasingly violent and of young people becoming increasingly disrespectful and lacking discipline. They also felt however that this was the case for everyone and not just minority ethnic groups or just the case for White young people. What made the experiences of older minority ethnic people differ from that of older people in the majority population was the further social isolation brought about by differences in language, culture and appearance.

4.83 Views on the police and their responses to racist incidents were generally negative and critical. The police were perceived not to treat people equally or to apply the law in an equal way. In general, most groups in the study shared the opinion that treatment by the police was not equal to that which the White majority population received. However, there were different levels of criticism against the police. For example, one Glasgow Trader commented:

"There is no justice, discrimination is rife…all the inspectors are all suspicious. This makes them (the police) aggressive and threatening us, always trying to trip up or pin down Asian people. They (the police) are racist from the top down. They're condescending with their attitude to Asian people." (Glasgow Trader)

4.84 A number of participants shared the view that " the Asian community is a hassle to the police" (young person, Aberdeen). It was felt that the police did not respond as quickly to calls from people from minority ethnic communities, if at all. An example was offered by a participant in Glasgow:

"When I was younger my family's windows were smashed in regularly but when we called the police didn't always respond, even when we dialled 999. In the end we blacked out our windows." (Non-specialist, Glasgow)

4.85 There was a sense of resignation amongst the groups which discussed this issue that this is the way it would be but there was also concern that by not responding then the police may even be " encouraging criminals and crime." (Non-specialist, Edinburgh)

4.86 In contrast, a group in Fife agreed that whilst incidents occurred, it was felt that the police are improving in monitoring and recording of issues whilst a Trader in Aberdeen felt that people from minority ethnic groups expected too much and had higher expectations than the majority population. He said " the police do come and they do have the procedures but we have too high expectations."

4.87 The need for increased information and understanding of police procedures was highlighted. It was acknowledged that people's knowledge of the complaints procedure for example is limited but also that such processes are so frustrating and take so long that people become disillusioned.

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