Bristol City Council has pledged to tackle race inequality in its social care workforce through a national, year-long pilot programme.
The local authority, which currently employs around 2,000 staff across adult and social care, has been selected as one of 18 councils to participate in the Workforce Race Equality Standard (WRES) scheme being run by the Office of the Chief Social Workers for Adults at the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC).
The programme was introduced to the NHS in 2015 and aims to progress workplace race equality in adult and children’s social care, and empower councils to address gaps or concerns of inequality in their workforce.
Through the WRES programme, local authorities must collect and submit data in key areas of the workforce, identifying and addressing disparities in experiences between white and black, Asian and minority ethnic employees.
Areas of investigation in social care departments include analysing senior representation, recruitment, progression and disciplinary action. Over the next 12 months, council officers will gather data using HR systems, staff surveys and internal engagement to develop an action plan to improve the council’s process, practice and culture.
Ann James, service director for children and families, said: “As a council, we recognise the need to further progress race equality in the workplace and challenge racism at all levels and in all forms.
"Through the programme, we aim to further increase diversity in our workforce, drive culture change and demonstrate action being taken in areas that need support.”
Principal social worker Maria Hamood said: “I hugely appreciate how integral our social care workforce is and how demanding and essential social work is as a career. It’s paramount that all of our social care workers’ voices are heard and that staff of all ethnicities feel respected and valued.”
Local authorities taking part in the programme must publish their data and action plans, which will build into a wider national report led by the DHSC.
Mark Harvey and Fran Leddra, joint-chief social worker for adults at the DHSC, added: “We are proud that Bristol is uniting with us to learn how to better understand the reality of being a marginalised employee in social care, both through data and the sharing of personal experience.
“The WRES is not the only answer and will make change in and of itself, but it is a commitment and one that many LAs have taken on, acknowledging that the journey will need to be open and responsive.”
