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Race Equality Advisory Forum

6 Areas for Action

This report is primarily about the actions needed to generate these improvements. Sector-specific actions are contained in the action plans which accompany this report. However, the Forum has also identified the following cross-cutting areas where progress is essential. These are:

• 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.

6.1 Mainstreaming of Race Equality into Planning, Policy Design and Service Delivery

The Forum supports the process of mainstreaming equality into all aspects and processes of policy-making, service design, service delivery, evaluation and reporting. The Forum also recognises that mainstreaming is a longer-term strategy. Until there is clear evidence of delivery by the public sector against the mainstreaming challenge it is essential for there to be a supporting programme of positive action.

6.2 Race Equality Training

The implementation of the general duty on the public sector to promote race equality in the Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000, along with the power for Scottish Ministers to impose specific duties on Scottish public bodies, will require a step change in the provision of race equality training.

In the view of the Forum, such a change is long overdue. The Stephen Lawrence Inquiry Report noted with concern the lack of effective training on race equality issues at every level of the police service. The Forum's own work has identified a pressing need for an early start to be made on developing race equality training to support the Scottish Executive's commitment to mainstreaming equality across all of its work and more generally across the public sector.

The Forum believes that to be effective race equality training must be:

• an integral part of the training programme of every part of the public sector;
• compulsory as opposed to voluntary or optional;
• authoritative, constructive, informative and relevant;
• based upon clear standards for content and delivery; and
• anti-racist.

The Forum asserts strongly that race equality training needs to include, but also go beyond, a multicultural approach. Familiarising participants with cultural differences is an aspect of race equality training, but participants must also be made aware of the real and multiple effects of racial discrimination and of the part which existing institutional practices can play in causing or exacerbating discrimination and exclusion.

An anti-racist approach would include an exploration of "personal, cultural and institutional racism" and would assist participants in identifying strategies to overcome various forms of racism and racial discrimination. Such training would also address baseline knowledge in areas of terminology and legislation without avoiding an examination of how personal values and attitudes contribute to institutional racism. An effective anti-racism approach would also be sensitive to the need for a multi-cultural approach.

A multi-cultural approach would sensitise participants to cultural, religious and linguistic issues and equip them to carry out their duties with confidence in a multi-faith, multi-lingual and multi-ethnic society.

The Forum also believes that race equality training can be delivered in various ways:

• as a discrete race equality course or component;
• within other types of course where issues of race equality permeate generic course content; and
• as part of broader equality training, recognising that people often face multiple discriminations and that it is helpful to embed race within a generic equalities approach.

In all cases independent evaluation of the effectiveness of training is necessary. This evaluation may, in certain circumstances, identify the need for refresher or further specialist training to support anti-racist approaches and the mainstreaming of race equality into policy-making, service design and service delivery.

To facilitate the delivery of race equality training in Scotland which meets the objectives and standards set out above, the Forum recommends that the Scottish Executive, in partnership with communities and others, develop:

• a database of race equality trainers and advisers;
• a national framework of core standards for race equality training; and
• in the longer term, an accreditation scheme for race equality trainers and advisers.

6.3 Public Appointments

In March 2000 the Forum received a presentation on the Scottish Executive's plans to modernise the public appointments system. The members registered concerns about the lack of participation of members of Scotland's minority ethnic communities in public bodies.

The Scottish Executive has inherited from the pre-devolution Scottish Office a target of 1.3% of all public appointments being held by members of minority ethnic communities by 2002. On present performance the Scottish Executive will struggle to achieve that target. The Forum considers it essential that a tailored positive action programme is developed and implemented to address the serious and unacceptable under-representation of people from minority ethnic groups in public positions.

For detailed recommendations on how this might be achieved, see Appendix E.

6.4 Employment in the Public Sector

The Forum received reports that across the public sector there is under-representation of, and under-utilisation of, the skills, energies and expertise of Scotland's minority ethnic communities. In September 2000 the Commission for Racial Equality published the findings of its research into equal opportunities and employment. While this research focused particularly on the private sector, it is likely that parallels can be drawn with the public sector. Two of the key findings of that research, which was based on a survey of 500 employers and 500 individuals, were that:

• two-thirds of the employers were unable to demonstrate that practical steps had been taken to put equal opportunities policies into practice; and
• minority ethnic employees, particularly minority ethnic women, were more likely than their majority ethnic colleagues to consider that discrimination had affected their working lives.

The Commission for Racial Equality's research and work by the Scottish Trades Union Congress and its affiliates has also identified serious issues in relation to direct and indirect discrimination in employment. These included harassment of minority ethnic employees by other employees and service users, as well as general feelings of frustration at the failure of organisations to value equality and diversity. There were also strong feelings that there was little support for minority ethnic employees in achieving their full potential and making progress throughout their working lives on an equal basis with majority ethnic employees.

As with other areas of the Forum's work hard data are difficult to come by without robust ethnic monitoring frameworks and effective reporting arrangements for cases of discrimination and racist behaviours and harassment. However, the Forum considers that there is sufficient anecdotal evidence upon which to base its recommendations on priority actions for Scotland.

The Forum noted the Home Secretary's publication of specific targets for recruitment of members of minority ethnic communities into the police, fire and prison services in England. The Forum acknowledges that in the Scottish context, where minority ethnic populations are concentrated in the cities of Edinburgh and Glasgow, centrally-set recruitment targets may not necessarily be appropriate. However, it does believe that the public sector should set and publish organisational targets. In doing so organisations may wish to reflect local circumstances. The Forum also noted the work of the Scottish Executive in developing a diversity strategy for its own employees.

In relation to the public sector as an employer, the Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000 proposals require all public sector employers, subject to the general duty, to have a specific duty to ethnically monitor staff in post and applicants for jobs, promotion and training. Public sector employers with more than 150 full-time employees should be subject to a specific duty to ethnically monitor and analyse grievances, disciplinary action, performance appraisal, training and dismissals and other reasons for leaving. There would also be a requirement to publish annually the results of that ethnic monitoring (using existing annual reporting systems wherever possible).

The Forum recommends that Scottish Ministers adopt the framework on specific duties on ethnic monitoring set out in the 2001 Race Relations (Amendment) Act consultation paper.

The Forum recommends that all public sector organisations:

• establish what barriers exist to equality of access to information about and participation in employment opportunities in their organisation;
• seek to identify what if any direct and/or institutional discrimination exist against applicants from minority ethnic backgrounds;
• equality-proof their practices and policies relating to recruitment, retention and progression of staff; such equality-proofing to include a race equality impact assessment;
• consider the relevance and contribution of positive action programmes, including the use of outreach work in minority ethnic communities and schools, colleges and universities. Specific programmes could also be considered for groups currently excluded from full participation in the labour market, for example through lack of English language skills or access to culturally-sensitive child-care or adult-carer facilities; and
• set organisational targets for recruitment, retention and progression of minority ethnic employees and report on those targets on an annual basis as part of established public reporting frameworks.

6.5 Improved Research, Information and Statistics

Improved disaggregated statistics, research and information on Scotland's minority ethnic communities are fundamental if a mainstreaming approach is to be successful. Scotland's minority ethnic communities are concerned, however, that the difficulties in obtaining such evidence has frequently appeared to get in the way of essential action to meet the needs and rights of the different communities. It is important that the public sector in Scotland collects data more effectively about minority ethnic communities and that these data then become the bases for prompt and efficient action.

6.5.1 Research

The Scottish Executive's Equality Strategy recognises that improved research is essential to delivering on the commitment to equality of opportunity for all. The Forum's own work has confirmed that this is equally vital if the interests of Scotland's minority ethnic communities are to be met. There are, however, significant difficulties in making progress in this area. These include:

• unstructured approaches to research: many of those attending the Scottish Executive's ethnic minorities research workshop on 2 March 2000 and those participating in the Forum's wider dialogue sessions in the summer and autumn of 2000 reported considerable dissatisfaction that some areas and issues were the subject of repeated research while others were neglected;
• difficulties in translating the results of the research into action on the ground. There is considerable evidence of frustration and dissatisfaction with the slow progress in implementing the findings of research and with inaction following publication; and
• a failure to involve minority ethnic communities in the design, implementation and evaluation
  of research.

The Scottish Executive's proposals announced in February 2000 of major new research into the experiences and circumstances of Scotland's minority ethnic communities was welcomed. The Forum considers it essential that the Executive continues to adopt an inclusive approach as it takes forward this programme. More information on the Scottish Executive's ongoing ethnic minorities research programme is contained in Appendix C.

In taking forward the development of a Scottish ethnic minorities research programme the Forum therefore recommends that the Scottish Executive take the lead in the development of a capacity-building programme involving researchers and advisors from minority ethnic communities and community-led organisations.

6.5.2 Disaggregated statistics

The Scottish Executive's Equality Strategy acknowledged the importance of improved information and statistics on different communities of interest in Scotland. The Forum believes that progress in the gathering of information and statistics is vital if race equality is to be effectively promoted in Scotland.

The consistent use of improved ethnic monitoring frameworks is also fundamental to the effective implementation of the new general duty to promote race equality and the proposed race equality schemes to be prepared by specified public bodies under the Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000.

This will require the collection of disaggregated statistics on a more structured and comprehensive basis than has so far been the case. It is also likely to require the development and promotion of classification frameworks. It is essential for those developing revised classification frameworks to involve both the users and the providers of information.

Policing is an example of where classification categories affect both the providers and users of information and in reporting incidents the Forum consider that the categories used should:

• identify individuals in terms of who they are, i.e. their primary identities, e.g. Asian/Indian, European/English, African/Nigerian, etc.;
• distinguish between the nature of a "racist" crime, including the inherent racist attitude, and the identity of the victim;
• be consistent with the Macpherson Report.

6.5.3 Ethnic classification frameworks

Ethnic classification frameworks underpin effective monitoring and evaluation of action to eliminate racial discrimination and promote race equality. They are an essential part of the new positive duty on the public sector to promote race equality. Within the Forum there has been considerable debate about the language used in such frameworks. For the Forum this debate crystallised around the ethnicity framework for the 2001 Census. Concerns around the framework used were initially raised as a matter of principle by the Africans in the Forum.

The ethnicity framework used in the Census can be seen in Appendix H where the relevant Census question (15) has
been reprinted.

There was a recognition within the Forum that the categories used to define ethnicity in the question were inconsistent and problematic. An African ethnic identity within the Census framework was positioned under a "black" colour code rather than simply standing as "African". On the other hand, Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi and Chinese ethnic identities were placed under the ethno-geographic category "Asian". The Forum recognised a need to identify an approach to classifying ethnicity which reflects modern circumstances and the specific context in Scotland and which enjoys support from communities.

A number of actions have been taken and agreements reached to secure the spirit and intent of the Forum's discussions. This includes work with the Scottish Executive and its Central Research Unit, Statisticians Group and engagement with the Registrar General for Scotland (responsible for the Census) around data output from the 2001 Census, planning for the next Census and future data collection.

6.5.4 Principles for terminology and frameworks

Members of the Forum wish to continue to work with the Scottish Executive and the Registrar General for Scotland along with members of different communities to develop a phased work programme to explore issues of ethnicity, identity and culture in the Scottish context. This will also offer scope for considering issues of multiple identities to take account of the new question on religion in the 2001 Census, as well as other dimensions such as gender and disability. The aim should be to develop a more inclusive, non-discriminatory framework on ethnicity for use in all data collection and underpin mainstreaming race equality into better policy-making and service-planning.

As a starting point the Forum suggest that terminology and classification frameworks should aim to:

• be clear, coherent and consistent;
• recognise and reflect so far as practicable diversity within categories;
• allow individuals to identify with their own [ethnic] descriptors;
• not be hierarchical (i.e. avoid references to racialised categories);
• not be seen, or perceived to, favour any group over any other;
• not be divisive;
• focus on ethnicity rather than "race";
• be open to redefinition and change;
• not have direct resources implications; and
• contribute to opposing racism and eliminating racial discrimination.

It will be important that any necessary developmental work for a future Census, the reporting frameworks for the output from the 2001 Census and all public sector data collections disaggregated by ethnicity comply with these principles and reflect members of communities' own views on identity. This will also enable policy-makers and service-providers to meet needs in a non-discriminatory and culturally sensitive way using inclusive language.

6.6 Reporting on the Promotion of Race Equality

The Forum considers openness, transparency and accountability to be fundamental to the effective mainstreaming of race equality. These are central to the Consultative Steering Group's recommendations and are key components of the new positive duty legal framework. The Forum welcomes the Scottish Executive's commitment to report annually to the Scottish Parliament on its Equality Strategy.

The Forum recommends that the Scottish Executive take the lead on the development of race equality specific performance indicators and evaluation frameworks to inform the public sector's reporting of progress and implementation of race equality work as recommended in the Stephen Lawrence Inquiry Report and elsewhere in this report.

The Forum also recommends that Scottish Ministers adopt the February 2001 consultation paper proposals on the specific duty to report the results of race equality impact assessment of policies and services and consultations and monitoring of the impacts in policies, services and employment.

6.7 Translation and Interpreting

Translation and interpreting were repeatedly raised by members of communities as being key elements in the equitable provision, accessing and use of public services. The Forum therefore welcomes the Scottish Executive's establishment of a multi-agency groupto work towards improved provision of these services.

The Forum also encourages the public sector to develop and build on existing good practice, such as the good practice guidelines of the Scottish Forum for Public Service Interpreting and Translating.

The Forum recommends that the Scottish Executive and all public sector bodies, in preparing their race equality schemes to meet the requirements of the Race Relations (Amendment) Act, set out their arrangements for provision of, and access to, translation and interpreting services.

6.8 Multi-Agency Working and Measures to Address and Prevent Racial Harassment

In the home, in the work place and in the street, members of Scotland's minority ethnic communities can experience racial harassment and racist attacks. Effective responses to such unacceptable behaviour require multi-agency working. The Forum noted the parallels with the Scottish partnership on domestic violence and the development of the strategy to tackle domestic abuse. Considerable advances in an effective, immediate response to the needs of victims of domestic abuse have flowed from the setting up by the Scottish Executive of a multi-agency telephone hotline.

The Forum welcomes the undertakings in the progress report on implementation of the Lawrence Action Plan, to report further on the establishment of a 24-hour telephone hotline, to give support for remote reporting of racist incidents and to produce draft guidance to support multi-agency working in Scotland. Such a co-ordinated approach to the reporting and recording of racist incidents will contribute to greater confidence amongst communities of an effective and speedy response. The Forum looks to the Executive to take its commitment to supporting the victims of racist incidents and turn it into worthwhile practical responses across all key service areas including the police, housing, health and community care services and victim support schemes.

The Macpherson Report into the murder of Stephen Lawrence highlighted the importance of racism awareness and valuing cultural diversity in the Scottish context. Responsibility for raising awareness of the impact of racism and challenging it rests with a number of agencies. The Public Awareness Campaign "Domestic abuse _ there is no excuse" demonstrates the value of nationally-organised and Scottish Executive-resourced campaigns.

The Forum welcomes Jackie Baillie's announcement of development work on a national anti-racism and race equality campaign in her evidence on 5 June 2001 to the Scottish Parliament's Equal Opportunities Committee's Inquiry into Gypsy Travellers and Public Sector Policies. The Forum particularly welcomes the Scottish Executive's commitment to bringing forward the development work in dialogue with communities. The Forum recognises that such awareness raising will require a variety of approaches and a number of distinct strands. It considers that education of both young people and the whole community will be central to success. It also considers that media campaigns need to be part of a broader strategic programme including prevention, protection of victims and the provision of effective responses and services by all key agencies.

The Forum also noted the beneficial impact of more local campaigns specifically on anti-racism run by different local partnerships, such as the "See it. Believe it. Report it." campaign in Fife.

Another example of effective partnership working on anti-racism is the anti-racism training package "Racism: raising the profile", produced by the Central Scotland Racial Attacks and Harassment Steering/
Monitoring Group (RAHMAS).

Attacking the cancer of racist behaviours, attitudes and processes must start early. The Forum therefore welcomed and endorsed the recommendations of the Macpherson Inquiry on prevention and the role of education.

The Forum therefore recommends that the Scottish Executive take action to:

• support and develop multi-agency working to ensure an effective, timely and co-ordinated response to racist incidents and racial harassment;
• develop a strategic programme of work on the prevention of racist crime and racial harassment; protection and support for victims; and the provision of effective service responses by all key agencies; and
• develop and support a partnership with minority ethnic communities and public and voluntary sectors at a national and local level to encourage and support ongoing dialogue in all its work in this area.

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