Beverley Burke

Senior Lecturer, Liverpool John Moores University

Philomena Harrison

Senior Lecturer, Liverpool Hope University

Andrea Newman

Senior Lecturer, Liverpool John Moores University

Katrina Igbinovia

Research Practitioner & Student, Liverpool John Moores University

Title: From Student to Practitioner: Race, Racism and Social Work. Phase 1

This research focused on the experiences and perspectives of ‘BAME’ (Black, Asian and Minoritised Ethnic) social work students and practitioners within the Cheshire and Merseyside Teaching Partnership (CMSWTP) area as they navigate their journeys within social work programmes and the social work profession.

The aim of the research was to explore the lived experiences of ‘BAME’ students and practitioners of social work education and practice and make policy and practice recommendations to the CMSWTP.

During the first phase of the research, focus groups and individual interviews informed by anti-racist and anti-oppressive research principles were used to facilitate the dialogue with students and practitioners. Our analysis of the rich narratives shared with us during this process evidenced very clearly how individual and institutional racism traumatically and devastatingly impacted on the learning experiences of students, as well as the working experiences of practitioners.

The initial findings of this first phase of the research very clearly indicated that it was important for ‘BAME’ students, and practitioners to be provided with a safe space where they could discuss issues that were important to them. Engaging in these discussions, regarding their lived experience and perspectives of race and racism within social work was also a positive experience for the participants. They put forward several ideas as to how changes could be made. The outcomes of this phase of the research informed the aims and objectives of the second phase of the research which was funded by the National Institute of Health and Social Care (NIHR).

Partner: LJMU and LHU

Identified Lead: Andrea Newman, Beverley Burke and Philomena Harrison

Contact info: a.newman@ljmu.ac.uk

List of Resources

LGBTQ – List of community based organisations

Education & training (allsortsyouth.org.uk) – An organisation whose mission is to listen to, connect and support lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and exploring (LGBT+) children, young people and their families through youth work, and challenge exclusion, prejudice and discrimination in all areas of their lives.

List of Resources

• Bachmann, C. L., & Gooch, B. (2018). LGBT in Britain: trans report.London: Stonewall.  Open Access: Stonewall | LGBT in Britain – Trans Report (2017)
• Bradlow, J., et al (2017)  The School Report: The experiences of lesbian, gay, bi and trans young  people in Britain’s schools in 2017.London: Stonewall.  Open Access: Stonewall | School Report 2017
• Fish, J., (2007a). Mental health issues within lesbian,gay and bisexual (LGB) communities:  Dept of Health, London.  Open Access: Reducing health inequalities for LGBT: Briefing 9
• Fish, J., (2007b).Trans people’s health. Dept of Health, London.  Open Access: (PDF) Fish, J. (2007) Reducing LGBT health inequalities, Briefing papers for health and social care staff. London: Department of Health (researchgate.net)
• Government Equalities Office (2018)  National LGBT Survey Report  London: Government Equalities Office. Available at:  Open Access: National LGBT Survey: Research report – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
• Women and Equalities Committee (2016) Transgender Equality First Report of Session 2015-16.House of Commons.  Open Access: pdf (parliament.uk)
• Finding a Balance: How to ensure Equality, Diversity and Inclusion is for everyone. More in Common Report
• Positive Futures: How supporting LGBT+ young people enables them to thrive in adulthood
• Growing up LGBT+: The impact of school, home and
  coronavirus on LGBT+ young people

List of Resources

Thanks to Key references provided by Dr Jason Schaub, Department of Social Work and Social Care, University of Birmingham. Open Access hyperlinks retrieved by Karen Brownhill, Wirral Community Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust.

Our project website https://birmingham.ac.uk/lypsa will also have an animated video about the findings in the above study and a report from our large randomised controlled trial about the effectiveness of an e-learning training module for children’s social workers working with LGBTQ+ youth early next week.

• Abbott, D.et al. (2017). LGBTQI+* Disabled People and self-directed social care support. London: School of Social Care Research.  Open Access: LGBTQI+ Disabled People and self-directed social care support (nihr.ac.uk)
• Bradbury-Jones, C., Molloy, E., Clark, M., & Ward, N. (2019). Gender, sexual diversity and professional practice learning: findings from a systematic search and review. Studies in Higher Education,1-19. DOI: 10.1080/03075079.2018.1564264.  Open Access (accepted authors manuscript retrieved from HEI research website – missing tables and figures): pdf (bham.ac.uk)
• Cocker, C., Hafford-Letchfield, T (2010)  Critical Commentary: Out and Proud? Social Work’s  relationship with Lesbian and Gay Equality.British journal of Social Work,40(6), pp. 1996-2008.  Open Access: Cocker-Out_and_proud.pdf (mdx.ac.uk)
•  Cossar, J. et al (2017) Speakout: A Study of the Experiences and Identity Development of Lesbian ,Gay, Bisexual,Transgender And Questionino Youno People in Care – and the Support They Receive. Norwich: Centre for Research on Children and Families.  Open Access:SpeakOut – LGBTQ Young People in Care Matter – Groups and Centres (uea.ac.uk)
• Fredriksen-Goldsen, K. I., Emlet, C. A., Kim, H. J., Muraco, A., Erosheva, E. A., Goldsen, J., & Hoy-Ellis, C. P. (2013a).The physical and mental health of lesbian, gay male, and bisexual (LGB) older adults: The role of key health indicators and risk and protective factors. The Gerontologist,53(4), 664-675.  Open Access: Editor’s choice: The Physical and Mental Health of Lesbian, Gay Male, and Bisexual (LGB) Older Adults: The Role of Key Health Indicators and Risk and Protective Factors – PMC (nih.gov)
• Fredriksen-Goldsen, Karen 1., Loree Cook-Daniels, Hyun-Jun Kim, Elena A. Erosheva, Charles A. Emlet, Charles P. Hoy-Ellis, Jayn Goldsen, and Anna Muraco. (2013b)”Physical and mental health of transgender older adults: An at-risk and underserved population.” The Gerontologist 54, no. 3: 488-500.  Open Access: Physical and Mental Health of Transgender Older Adults: An At-Risk and Underserved Population – PMC (nih.gov)
• Henrickson, M., Giwa,S., Hafford-Letchfield, T., Cocker, C., Mule,  N., Schaub, J., and Baril, A.(2020) Research Ethics with Gender and Sexually Diverse Persons. International journal of Environmental Research and Public Health.17(18),6615.  Open Access: IJERPH | Free Full-Text | Research Ethics with Gender and Sexually Diverse Persons (mdpi.com)
• Hicks, S., & Jeyasingham, D. (2016). Social Work, Queer Theory and After: A Genealogy of Sexuality Theory in Neo-Liberal Times. British journal of Social Work, 46(8), pp. 2357-2373. https://doi.org/10.1093/bjsw/bcw103.  Open Access (accepted authors manuscript retrieved from HEI research website): pdf (manchester.ac.uk)
• Inch, E. (2017). Are you ready? Qualifying social work students’ perception of their preparedness to work competently with service users from sexual and gender minority communities. Social Work Education, 36(5), 557-574.  http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/02615479.2016.1237628.  Open Access (accepted authors manuscript retrieved from HEI research website): REady for anything? (brighton.ac.uk)
• Mason, K., Cocker, C., & Hafford-Letchfield, T. (2020). Sexuality and religion: from the court of appeal to the social work classroom. Social Work Education,1-13.  Open Access (accepted authors manuscript retrieved from HEI research website): pdf (strath.ac.uk)
• Russell ST, Fish JN. (2016) “Mental Health in Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) Youth”. Annual Review of Clinical Psychology. 2016;12:465-87. doi: 10.1146/annurev-clinpsy-021815-093153. Epub 2016 Jan 14. PMID: 26772206; PMCID: PMC4887282.  Open Access:Mental Health in Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) Youth – PMC (nih.gov)
• Schaub, J., Willis, P. and Dunk-West, P. (2017) Accounting for self, sex and sexuality in UK social workers’ knowledge base: an exploratory study. British journal of Social Work 47(2), pp: 427-446.  Open Access (accepted authors manuscript retrieved from HEI research website):Schaub.Willis.DunkWest.AccountingforSelf.Sexuality.docx_Post_Print_version.pdf (bris.ac.uk)
• Schaub, J., Stander, W. J., & Montgomery, P. (2022). LGBTQ+ Young People’s Health and Well-being Experiences in Out-of-home Social Care: A scoping review. Children and Youth Services Review (Open Access), https://doi-org.bham-ezproxy.idm.oclc.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2022.106682
• Schaub, J., Stander, W. J., & Montgomery, P. (2023). Residential Social Care Experiences of LGBTQ+ Young People in England: A Qualitative Interview Study, The British Journal of Social Work, 2023;, bcad158, https://doi-org.bham-ezproxy.idm.oclc.org/10.1093/bjsw/bcad158
• Willis, P., Raithby, M., Maegusuku-Hewett, T., & Miles, P. (2017). Everyday Advocates’ for Inclusive Care? Perspectives on Enhancing the Provision of Long­ Term Care Services for Older Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual Adults in Wales. British journal of Social Work. 47(2), 409-426.  Open Access (accepted authors manuscript retrieved from HEI research website): pdf (bris.ac.uk)
• Willis, P, Raithby, M & Maegusuku-Hewett, T. (2018). “It’s a nice country but it’s not mine’: exploring the meanings attached to home, rurality and place for older lesbian, gay and bisexual (LGB) adults’. Health and Social Care in the Community.  Open Access (accepted authors manuscript retrieved from HEI research website): pdf (bris.ac.uk)

List of Resources

• LGBTQ+ Youth in Care Network: https://www.lgbtyouthincare.com/ (resource for those working with LGBTQ+ youth in care and LGBTQ+ youth themselves)
• Safe to be me Age UK
• LGBTQ+ Inclusion Mental Welfare
• LGBTQ+ good practice guide MIND
• Residential Social Care Experiences of LGBTQ+ Young People in England: A Qualitative Interview Study- Project website https://birmingham.ac.uk/lypsa has an animated video about the findings i a report from their large randomised controlled trial about the effectiveness of an e-learning training module for children’s social workers working with LGBTQ+ youth
• Social Care Institute for Excellence : Older LGBTQ+ People & Social Care
• National End of Life Care Programme: The route to success in end of life care – achieving quality for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people

Beverley Burke

Senior Lecturer, Liverpool John Moores University

Philomena Harrison

Senior Lecturer, Liverpool Hope University

Andrea Newman

Senior Lecturer, Liverpool John Moores University

Katrina Igbinovia

Research Practitioner & Student, Liverpool John Moores University

Title: From Student to Practitioner: Race, Racism and Social Work. Phase 2

Initial findings from the first CMSWTP funded research project: From Student to Practitioner: Race, Racism and Social Work, indicated that Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic students and practitioners had a positive experience of coming together in a safe space to discuss issues important to them regarding their lived experience and perspectives of race and racism within social work.

This NIHR funded continuation project aims:

• To provide professional development opportunities for BAME students and practitioners

Project objectives are:

• To provide 3 networking facilitated discussion forums where safe conversations can take place
• To discuss and develop thinking around Anti-Racist practice
• To evaluate the experiences of participation in the 3 events
• To write up and disseminate outcomes from Phase 1 and Phase 2 of the research

Partner: LJMU and LHU

Identified Lead: Andrea Newman, Beverley Burke and Philomena Harrison

Contact info: a.newman@ljmu.ac.uk

Come and learn more about social work with us and take your career to the next level. In Warrington we have placement learning opportunities for social work students in these adult social care teams, conveniently based in Warrington town centre in new office facilities: 

First Response Team

Preparation for Adulthood team

Under 65s teams

Over 65s teams

Safeguarding and Quality Assurance

These teams in Warrington adult social care also have good access to the whole borough and for commuting in the region:

Integrated Hospital Discharge Team

Intermediate Care Teams

To find out about why Warrington is a great place to live and work, our website is here with social work and team profiles, adult service videos, and job vacancies. For further information about student placements please contact professionalandworkforcedevelopment@warrington.gov.uk.

We look forward to working with you.

For further information about opportunities with Merseycare, please see flier by clicking the  link below:

Interested in Social Care or Work A5 14_6_22.v3_Merseycare

Aim & Objectives:

To explore the community-led approach taken by Reformed CIC and disseminate learning. A second, larger photo exhibition in the community that Reformed work to support. Raising awareness of the work of Reformed and research findings with local commissioners, practitioners and (potential) service users.

Partner: See initial proposal

Identified Lead: Gill Buck

Contact info: See initial proposal