Supporting young people from
minority communities
Bridget Fisher
Head of BME Services ARC
Transition and Best Practice
Hallam University
29.01.10 0
Lots of Hope for the Future
1
Outline
It is difficult to plan services and improve outcomes if it is
not known who for and how many
7.9% of the population in 2001 classified themselves as
belonging to a BME community.
However there is a statistical skew which means a
higher proportion of young people are from minority
communities
The prevalence of LD in people aged between 5 and 34
is 3 times higher in the South Asian communities
2
“Those who have Mixed heritage have the
youngest age structure where 50% are under the
age of 16. The Bangladeshi, Other Black and
Pakistani groups also had young age structures:
38% of both the Bangladeshi and Other Black
groups were aged under 16, and 35% of
Pakistanis also fell into this age group.
This was almost double the proportion of the
White British group where one in five (20%) were
under the age of 16.”
www.statistics.gov.uk
3
Every Child Matters
The Government's aim is for every child, whatever
their background or their circumstances, to have
the support they need to:
be healthy
stay safe
enjoy and achieve
make a positive contribution
achieve economic well-being.
4
Facts and Figures
In England there are an estimated 12.3
million children aged 0 – 19.
It is estimated that 2.8% of children have a
learning disability.
There are 346,000 children aged 0 – 19
with a learning disability.
(Mencap July 2008)
5
Facts and Figures
There are 85,000 children aged 15 – 19 with a
learning disability. (Mencap 2008)
From 2009 20% of new entrants with learning
disabilities to adult social care will be from ethnic
minority communities. (Emerson & Hatton LDC 2008)
This gives an estimated 17,000 young people
from minority communities in transition to adult
services.
6
Only 42% of the senior managers in children’s services and
education were able to provide details of young people’s
ethnicity in out of area placements.
The needs of young people and their families from ethnic
communities were less well addressed in protocols,
commissioning documents and during the interviews. Councils
covering diverse populations told us that their ‘practice was
ingrained’ in meeting the needs of all communities. Overall,
however, there was little evidence that councils had given
diversity issues sufficient attention.
(Growing Up Matters: Better transition planning for young
people with complex needs, Commission for Social Care
Inspection, January 2007)
7
In the second national survey of
Partnership Boards undertaken by the
University of Lancaster, of the 54%
that responded only 22% said that a
race impact assessment had been
undertaken Š either for the board itself
or as part of a wider Equalities Impact
Assessment; and 48% said that no
checks were being done to make sure
services treated everyone equally
whatever communit y they belonged to.
(Hatton, 2007
Young People
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Young People
Culture is a key part of young people’s identity:
‘The majority of young people identified
themselves primarily according to their cultural
identity and not according to the fact that they had
a disability or learning difficulty. Many strongly
resisted any suggestion that they had a disability
or learning difficulty. This contrasts with the way
staff in services view them.’
(Aasha: working with young people with a learning
difficulty from a South Asian background, 2003)Y
10
‘Generally…impairment is only one part of a
young person’s identity. Other social factors,
including culture and religion, being male or
female and the experience of racial
discrimination influenced how they
experienced disability and impairment.’
(South Asian disabled young people and
their families, Social Care: Race and
Ethnicity Series, 2002)
11
On the whole children and young people
were clear about what they wanted to do;
their parents were less certain what options
would be available and how it would work in
practice. Some honesty and sensitivity is
needed as children and young people
become aware of the reality of their own
disabilities.
(My School, My Family, My Life: Telling it
like it is, DRC, 2006)
12
Adolescents and adults with a learning disability
from South Asian communities reported that
“double discrimination” led to a lack of culturally
appropriate services, limited friendships and a
lack of leisure activities (Azmi 97).
Many of the young people were socially isolated
and many had negative experiences at school.
(Aawaaz project, Mencap 2007)
13
Therefore we are looking at supporting an
increasing number of young people,
educated here, who are possibly in the
difficult position of having all the issues of
moving into adult life combined with
professionals’ expectations of adulthood
and their own family expectations.
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Families
15
Some families may never have had
learning disability explained to them.
They may be hoping for a cure.
They cannot therefore adequately plan a
future for their disabled child.
Their aspirations may not be appropriate
for their child.
16
Families are often unaware of the route
of transition. They frequently do not
know about transition planning,
connexions services, or specialist
services.
The transition process seems to have
passed them by.
17
‘While transition plans for children with disabilities
aged 14 and over are a current policy, no parent in
our study reported being aware of a transition plan
for their teenager. However, transition plans are
urgently required, as parents reported great
uncertainty and anxiety about services for their
child after education stopped. Greater consistency
between child and adult services is also required,
as some parents reported that adult services that
had been offered to them did not meet the
language, cultural or religious needs of their child.’
(From Supporting South Asian Families with a
Child with Severe Disabilities, Hatton et al, JKP,
2004)
18
In addition, findings from the Aasha action
research project indicates the extent to which
some families from BME communities are
disenfranchised by financial difficulty and limited
access to English language:
‘There are high levels of poverty in this group.
Many of the parents speak little English and have
difficulty accessing the support that is available
because they do not understand social services
bureaucratic procedures.’
(http://www.skill.org.uk/)
19
Families/carers from minority communities are
frequently very concerned about the safety of
their young person with a learning difficulty and
can view drives towards independence as
actually neglect.
A lack of enthusiasm from a South Asian parent
towards greater independence for their child
does not automatically indicate a failure of the
parent to want best outcomes for their child.
Their understanding of ‘best outcomes’ may
differ from that of professionals.
20
Research findings show that professionals need to
make themselves aware of the different range of
attitudes that may be held by parents and carers
who are thinking within their personal value system
and the culture of the community to which they
belong.
21
There is little evidence to suggest that
informal networks were available to meet
the considerable support needs of
families.
In a survey of Asian family carers, when
asked to whom they would turn in a crisis
21% of carers did not know of anyone.
22
Talking about the future
23
‘A student had a transition meeting in Birmingham
which was held in the family’s community
language then translated into English for the
English speaking support workers. This was
possible because a facilitator who spoke the
family’s language was used.’
Every meeting should be geared to the young
person’s background and their individual cultural
needs are identified.
24
Bradford Project
“…families who had received support from
the liaison worker felt better-equipped to
help their son or daughter, whereas those
who did not receive help reported continuing
difficulties in gaining necessary access to
services, help and support”
“Making Us Count” FPLD 2005
25
So a key issue for workers supporting young
people at transition is to help them make the
decisions that are right for them in their own
cultural context.
To this end the information and support offered
to them as individuals should be fully explained
to their families.
Much evidence points to the need for families
supporting young people to have a link worker at
transition who understands the culture and the
various different pulls that the young person may
be experiencing.
26
Resources to Help
27
Valuing People Now is based on the recognition of
the human rights of people with learning
disabilities.
It emphasises their rights as citizens:
To be socially included
To have choice in their daily lives
To have opportunities to achieve independence.
28
There are currently many initiatives
looking at ways of improving services for
people from minority communities. The
National Advisory Group on LD and
Ethnicity meets 8 times a year to discuss
policy/strategy plans and comment on
them.
29
Transition Information Network
The Transition Information Network (TIN) is an
alliance of organisations and individuals who
come together with a common aim: to improve
the experience of disabled young people’s
transition to adulthood. TIN is a source of
information and good practice for disabled
young people, families and professionals. The
information is provided through a website,
magazine, e-newsletters and seminars.
30
TIN Provides:
A first point of contact for anyone needing information
about the transition process. Many pieces of legislation
and guidance cover the transition process. They are
from areas including: education, social care, health,
transport, leisure and employment.
A focus for people accessing information about
legislation and guidance
A focus for accessing information on good practice so
others can use it. Articles, research reports, guides and
protocols about transition are produced regularly. TIN
records these resources, keeps them up-to-date and
provides information on them for others to access.
A website www.transitioninfonetwork.org.uk, a magazine
“My Future Choices” and an e-newsletter “Getting a Life”
31
National Transition Support Team
The programme is running from 2008 to 2011 with a
budget of £19 million.
The aim is that by 2011 all areas will have a transition
process in place which meets minimum standards and
with many areas achieving good practice in transition
support; and to be able to demonstrate higher level of
user satisfaction. (E.g. disabled children’s services
indicator NI54)
32
National Transition Support Team
The National Transition Support Team has three main roles:
Drive and shape the programme in local areas through work
with regional advisers, and disabled young people and their
families;
Engage with and exchange good practice in transition
through websites, targeted information sheets and other
resources to help build capacity; and
Identify the support needs of local areas and work in
partnership with regional advisers, the Department for
Children, Schools and Families and the Department of Health
to improve transition practice.
33
National Transition Support Team
Year 2
24 local areas received an extra direct grant of £37,500
to develop best practice and improve support across
transition in other areas (Oldham).
The 24 local areas who receive direct grants will work
directly with the national transition support team to
further develop effective practice.
All other local areas will be offered a range of support
and will be contacted by National Strategies and CHaMP
to look at what will be most helpful to each local area.
34
ARC
Member led organisation (mainly voluntary orgs)
Offers members a voice and representation at a
national level
News and policy updates
Various training LDQ - NVQ etc
CRB/POVA
Undertakes a wide range of projects of interest to
Members
BME Services Unit promoting good practice with
ethnic minority communities.
35
Moving On Up
We have a website www.movingonup.info for young
people at transition. It is a multicultural site.
An emailed newsletter for professionals Moving On
Update.
A guidance booklet based on the website has been
produced for families.
A guidance booklet on key cultural issues for
professionals has been produced.
We have held fundays for young people in Tower
Hamlets, Bradford, Oldham, Leicester, Luton, Leeds,
Durham and Birmingham
36
Making Things Better
37
Young people from BME communities face
more difficulties than most:
Poorly prepared
Different demands/expectations of them
Lack of good support for their families
May not be supported/encouraged into
independency e.g. work or independent living.
Want to have the same things as other young
people – security a place in society and a
chance to find their dreams.
38
NTST Guide and Framework
With funding from the ntst, Arc has produced a
Framework document with straight forward tips on
improving transition to adulthood services for young
people from BME communities.
It has also produced a Guide called “A Guide to
improving Services for Young People from Black and
Ethnic Minority Communities at Transition to Adult Life”
which gives more in depth explanations on why and how
to improve practice.
These are being launched at an event on January 29th
at Hallam University ,Sheffield.
39
Giving us a Voice
This project started November 2009 and is funded for
18 months by the Department For Communities and
Local Government under its Tackling Race
Inequalities Fund. The competition for this was
extremely fierce. This is the first project to be done
jointly by ARC, BILD and Mencap.
Each organisation is appointing two project workers to
work across the regions
40
is
Giving us a VoiceÕ an 18 month
project working right across the
country to involve people with a
learnin g disabilit y, their families and
carers, from minority ethnic
communities, in regional meetings to
inform local policy makers about what
they need and expect from services
Good Practice in Summary
Review numbers and start planning now
Liaise and build relationships with families over a long
period of time
Use link workers and facilitators as much as possible
Make sure all staff (including interpreters) are trained in
both cultural and learning disability issues
Person Centred Planning at transition is meaningful
Make all records and plans clear and understandable to
all involved
Research and use the resources currently available and
keep up-to-date with developments
Set out the procedures clearly
42
Contact Details
Telephone: 01246-555043
Email: bridget.fisher@arcuk.org.uk
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Thank you
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