Values and Ethics of Social Work - Essay Example

? Introduction The government of UK contributes greatly in the development of approaches to tackle inequalities and discrimination. Refugees in UK face numerous challenges in an attempt to adjust to life in UK, which are not common to established Asians, blacks and other minority ethnic groups’ migrants. The refugee comes to UK for protection, and fear of prosecution prevents them from returning to their home countries (Clarke 2006, p.1). The UK government in recognition to distinct challenges facing refugee, it funds the national Refugee Integration and Employment Service (RIES) through the Home Office. The UK government in 2005 launched a strategy to increase race equality, improve opportunity and strengthen society. The strategy recognized needs of refugee by integrating them in the Home Office Refugee integration strategy (Great Britain 2008 p.36). More recently, the government commits to support refugee integration by various strategies supporting the Refugee Council (Criminal Justice System Race Unit, the Home Office 2009, PP. 1-33) The equality strategies and schemes form an equality sector where refugees’ inclusion occurs in UK. The public bodies in UK integrate refugees in their race equality policies and scheme. The Audit Commission in UK, for example, views a person asylum status as a characteristic for consideration in assessing the impact of policy change on race equality (Audit commission 2004, p.2). Islington Local Authority integrates refugee through equality work such as collecting data on the number of refugee in an area. The Commission for Race Equality recommends school to consider the impact of policies on the refugee learners. Discussions What is discrimination? The exercise of power in society has its basis on the individual’s discrimination and oppression. Unfairness and inequality constitutes discrimination. Different groups in society require that Power be exercised differently. The exercise of power is in such a way that there are fewer opportunities, fewer resources, less protection and fewer rights available for a group than powerful or high status group. Oppression is worse than discrimination as it involves a lower evaluation of the worth of groups or individuals, a rejection, exclusion from valued social roles and even denial of their right to existence. Discrimination and oppression have an association with human beings trait and individuals that perceive them as different. Both discrimination and oppression have a basis on prejudice, stereotypes, myths and a lack of empathy and understanding (Nzira & Williams 2009, p. 4). What causes discrimination? Discrimination has its roots from the prejudice or assumptions held towards certain individuals or groups in society. The prejudice originates from negative stereotypes about individuals or groups that dominate an individual’s perception preventing a balanced perception. Stereotypes are difficult to change and fixed, thus reflecting a strong belief system which persists even when facts are illogical. The individuals expressing prejudice select certain information to support their views and ignore other information about the group or individual with which they have negative stereotypes. Prejudice alone cannot cause harm, but can become discriminatory when behavior towards an individual has its basis on prejudice. Many groups suffer discrimination at different times and in different places of the world. The target groups of discrimination change or develop with time. The target groups include women and girls, older people, cultural and ethnic minorities. In UK, discriminative behavior is common among the asylum seekers in UK (Kay 2005, p. 195-197). Types of discrimination Discrimination can be direct or indirect. Direct discrimination is open and manifests itself. Indirect discrimination is unequal treatment that does not manifest itself clear at first. Discrimination can be based on religious belief, gender, disability, culture, health status and cognitive ability. It can also be based on mental health background, place of origin, marital status and sexuality. Anti-discriminatory and anti-oppressive practice in social work Anti discriminatory practice concerns the development of working methods that promote equality of opportunity and avoid discrimination between different children and their families. It also includes behaving in a manner that is not discriminatory. Social practitioners should engage in anti-discriminatory practices at all levels of a society (Kay 2005, p 195-197). Anti-oppressive approaches focus on the problems that individual face at the personal level and the wider society systems that cause the problems through oppressive means. The approach requires individuals and the government to work together to change policies that are oppressive. The anti-oppressive approach has three key principles. The first principle involves empowerment of the client. The practitioner focus on assisting the clients gain more control of their lives. The second principle calls for working in partnership with the client. This is by seeking agreement on work focus and acting when there is a shared understanding of the actions to be taken. The practitioner works on the actions the clients agree to or that the court legally directs to undertake. This principle requires a clear and honest communication at all times. It recommends that any assumption and agreements should be in a written form. This principle also provides that a practitioner can offer many choices even within strict legal requirements. The third principle involves minimal intervention and relates to the other two principles. The principle warns practitioner to be aware of their powers in relating with the clients (refugees). This is because they can find themselves working for the clients rather than helping the client work for themselves. The government agencies can mandate the practitioners to oppress the clients through their actions. The anti-oppressive approach operates at three levels; ideas, feelings and actions. The exploring of feelings allows a practitioner to understand the origin of a person’s oppression. This is a crucial step for alleviating the feeling by practitioner. The ideas allow the practitioner to concentrate on the clients feeling of self-worth and abilities. The building of client’s abilities and capacities allows them to view themselves as capable and empowered. The ideology of action relates to changes in the government agency, community and the wider systems that impact negatively on the client (Chenoweth & Mcauliffe 2005, p. 196-197). Thompsons PC model Thompson identifies three levels where discrimination and anti-discrimination practice occur. The three levels are the personal and psychological, the cultural and conformity to norms, and the structural and social forces. On the structural level, the historical believes about gender role and the superiority of ethnic groups influence the assumption that surround people. Some organization may value male employees than female employees. Structural economic systems can result in some communities living in deprived housing conditions. This reduces an individual life chances and opportunities. On the cultural level, discrimination may occur because people conform to expectation of others. On an individual level, discrimination can result from emotional reaction and prejudice (Stretch 2005, p. 86-87). Each of the levels within the PCS model interacts with the other in ways that reinforce prejudice and discrimination. This understanding on the interaction between the various levels is necessary. It indicates why it is possible to counter oppression by exclusion of one level and targeting the other. The dynamisms in this model are powerful such that the model negates any action that fails to address the entire interaction. The individual prejudice should be understood within the cultural context first before an analysis of its interaction with the structural context takes place. The three levels cannot be analyzed in isolation because they form an interactive dynamic that maintains social divisions and power relation in society. The PCS model provides an analysis to help practitioners understand the need to extend an action beyond community. This will address change at all levels to bring transformative social change. In addition to the three levels of power, Thompson provided an analysis to four types of powers. This includes ‘power to’, ‘power with’, ‘power over’ and ‘powers within’. The three types of powers are relevant to community workers. They provide an insight into ways of building action theory, which makes interventions on all levels, to work effectively within the principle of empowerment (Ledwith 2011, p. 145-147). The ‘power to’ is a personal power that helps individuals to achieve potential in their life. It helps community development officers understand that self-belief and self-esteem are fundamental to the process of change. It helps practitioners understand the way domination diminishes self-esteem and pathologies poverty through a culture of silence. The power is necessary in providing energy for change. The ‘power to’ relate to dominance and subordination that take place at the structural, personal and cultural levels. The three levels interact and reinforce each other making a change to take place at all levels before empowerment and equality. The ‘power with is crucial for the change process. It implies solidarity among groups and alliances to bring change for betterment of every person. The ‘power with’ is central to collective action because it brings equality. This power links practitioners from local a community projects to change movement. The ‘power within’ connects an individual to the community. It is the basis of self-worth, self respect and dignity, the foundation of integrity, mutual respect and equality. This power provides the confidence to act and take a risk. Power produces knowledge and empowers community workers. This forms the basis of transformation by community development agencies (Ledwith 2011, p. 145-147). Documented example of Discrimination in UK The British social policy focuses on issues of racial and ethnic discrimination among the asylum seekers. Until recently, the policy continues to ignore the impacts of religious discrimination and fail to recognize the importance of religion to Muslim communities. The inability of British social policy to consider the identity of Muslims reduces the effectiveness of earlier policies addressing disadvantage, integration and discrimination. The engagement of UK government with Muslims on the basis of religious identity remains problematic since the year 2001. The perceived needs of the state continue to marginalize the Muslim community. The discrimination remains in areas of education, employment and Muslim cooperation. The British policies continue to show reluctance in recognizing the increasing importance of religious identity among the Muslims and their experience of religious discrimination. The UK government used a restrictive dichotomy of black and white to non-white migrants of Britain’s postwar labor shortages period. The UK government extended the dichotomy to labeling individuals by their ethnic origins. In the census of 1991, the government of UK used refined ethnic categories such as the Pakistan and Bangladeshi groups. After 1991, the research and policy focus adopted religion as a category of identity in census. The British Muslim civil society groups succeeded to secure the exclusion of religious affiliations in the 2001 census. An analysis of census data showed that one third of Muslims households in UK live in deprived neighborhood, overcrowded accommodation, and deprived housing. The census also shows Muslim children growing up in poverty, poor housing and economically unstable household. The census also shows that Muslim asylum seekers comprised the biggest group that lacked formal education qualification among all faith groups in UK. The social and economic marginalization that Muslims experience in UK undermines their opportunities to participate in fully and equally in the society as other groups. A significant proportion of refugees and asylum seekers in UK are of Muslim origin. The Muslim refugee status accounts for their discrimination in various sections of the British government (Chebel D'appollonia & Reich 2010, p. 80-83). Ways in which social workers can help solve the various problems facing refugee in UK Community based association use the terminologies anti-discriminative and anti-oppressive practices interchangeably (McLaughlin 2012 p. 74; Heenan & Birrell 2012 p. 35). Community based association use Anti-discriminative and anti-oppressive practices to execute various functions in society. The functions include provision of services, information, advice and support for elderly and young. Functions can also include promoting of home culture, lobbying and pressure group activity (Griffiths& Zetter 2005, P. 14). 1. Social workers should pressurize the government to mainstream policies to meet the needs of the Refugee The refugees in UK express their desire to participate actively in the development of their local areas and the whole society. However, the lack of funding to Refugee Community Organization (RCOc) restricts the ability of RCOc to contribute in the building of links with local authorities, public service provider and other communities (Potocky-Tripodi 2002 p. 440). The need to make English language accessible to refugee is necessary for their integration in UK society (Bloch 2004, p. 7). This is with respect of the first claim of asylum, finding work and getting involved in social networks beyond the refugees own community. The UK government should provide funding to RCOs as part of the mainstream policies to fulfill the needs of the Asians, blacks and minority ethnic groups (Great Britain 2008, p 144). This will enhance the integration of support services to refugees, which are critical to refugee sense of belonging, safety and wellbeing. The UK government should also extend funding to asylum seekers for English Speakers of Other Languages and ensure refugees consultation through equality impact assessment and key strategies (Atfield & O'toole 2007, p. 1-77). 2. Social workers should pressure the government to address Refugee employment issues within UK private sector The asylum status of refugees makes them face direct and indirect discrimination from the private sector employers. The private sector recruitment policies discriminate against refugee without a national passport but instead have Home Office documents. The UK government has a role to ensure employers are clear on refugees training entitlements and work, and about employers’ responsibility. From a social worker perspective, the government should provide a clear guidance to the private sector employers on how discrimination against refugee occurs and clarifying employers’ obligation to prevent discrimination occurrence (ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk. 2008, p. 1-19). The Equality and Human Right Commission provide a short guide for employers on the documents that refugee’s posse as a supplement to the nation passport. The short guide demonstrates refugees’ work entitlement. The aim is to ensure employers have an easy guide to recognize that Home Office document in UK provides refugee entitlement to work. The government needs to promote the short guide to employers of private sector (ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk 2012, p. 6). 3. Social workers should ensure that the government involves the refugees in UK public life and volunteering. Most new refugee arriving in UK fails to understand the concept of volunteering. The refugee countries of origin lack formalized or structured volunteer programmes. The UK government should avail volunteering information to asylum applicants early in the process. This encourages refugees to participate in volunteering programmes. Volunteering programmes assist in developing low levels of confidence and a lack of fluency in English among many refugees. Volunteering also helps build relationships outside a person’s own community and develop generic work skills. The UK government should provide additional information to mainstream volunteering organization. This will help them understand the right of asylum seekers and refugee to volunteer (refugeecouncil.org.uk, 2009). 4. Social workers should encourage UK public sector to prioritize work on race equality The community and voluntary sector are crucial in UK public sector. The community and voluntary organization can support the UK public sector prioritize its work on improving service quality and race equality. The community and voluntary agencies can provide advice and guidance to key government organization to help them discharge their equality duties. The government should take into account the impacts on refugee and asylum seekers while conducting equality impact assessment. The government should also consult the asylum seekers directly when addressing race inequality. This will help public organization understand how to overcome the barriers refugee face in accessing services within the public sector. The UK government by implementing the two recommendations, it will encourage and assist the government sectors such as the criminal justice agencies, the local councils and the NHS Trust prioritize their work on race equality (refugeecouncil.org.uk, 2009). References List Audit Commission. (2004). The Journey to Race Equality: Delivering Improved Services to Local Communities: Self Assessment Tool, London, Audit Commission. p. 2 Atfield, G., Brahmbhatt, K., & O'toole, T. (2007). Refugees' experiences of integration, London, Refugee Council. PP 1-77 Bloch, A. (2004). Making it work: refugee employment in the UK, London, Institute for Public Policy Research. P .7 Chenoweth, L. I., & Mcauliffe, D. A. (2005). The road to social work & human service practice: an introductory text, Southbank, Vic, Thomson Learning. Pp. 196-197 Clarke, R. (2006). Building on diversity: providing homes for refugees and strengthening communities, Coalville, Leicestershire, Building and Social Housing Foundation. p. 1 Criminal Justice System Race Unit, the Home Office. (2009). Moving on Together: Government's Recommitment to Supporting Refugees. Edition illustrated, Criminal Justice System Race Unit, the Home Office, 2009. pp. 1-33 Great Britain. (2008). All-party inquiry into antisemitism: government response; one year on the progress report, London, Stationery Office. p. 56 Great Britain. (2008). Community cohesion and migration: tenth report of session 2007-08. Volume 2, Oral and written evidence, London, Stationery Office. p.144 Griffiths, D., Sigona, N., & Zetter, R. (2005). Refugee community organisations and dispersal: networks, resources and social capital, Bristol, Bristol Press. p. 14 Heenan, D. A., & Birrell, D. (2011). Social work in Northern Ireland: conflict and change. Portland, OR, Bristol, UK, P.35 Kay, J. (2005). Teaching assistant's handbook: primary edition, London, Continuum. pp. 195-197 Nzira, V., & Williams, P. (2009). Anti-oppressive practice in health and social care, Los Angeles, SAGE, p. 4 Potocky-Tripodi, M. (2002). Best practices for social work with refugees and immigrants, New York, Columbia University Press. p.440 Ledwith, M. (2011). Community development: a critical approach, Bristol, UK, Policy Press. pp. 145-147 McLaughlin, H. (2012). Understanding social work research. Los Angeles, Calif., [etc.], SAGE, P.74 Stretch, B. (2005). Health & social care: AS level for Edexcel, Oxford, Heinemann. pp. 86-87 ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk. (2008). Prevention of Illegal working. [Online] Accessed 26th April 2013. Available at: http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/sitecontent/documents/employersandsponso s/preventingillegalworking/currentguidanceandcodes/antidiscriminationcode2008pdf?vi w=Binary refugeecouncil.org.uk. (2009). Refugee Council response to the Department for Communities and Local Government’s discussion document: Tackling race inequalities. [Online] Accessed 26th April 2013. Available at: http://www.refugeecouncil.org.uk/assets/0001/6372/RC_response_to_Tackling_Race_I qualities_final.pdf Read More