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Newly qualified social workers and anti-racist practice in England

A qualitative study examining how newly qualified social workers in England experience and respond to racism in practice, and how social work education prepares them to challenge racism in health and social care contexts.

Key statistics 

  • the study included 67 newly qualified social workers within two years of completing their social work degree in England 
  • participants were drawn from multiple routes into social work: bachelor’s degree (31), postgraduate programmes (22), and fast-track routes such as Frontline, Think Ahead and Step-Up 
  • the majority were employed in local authorities (58 participants), with others working in the NHS or other settings 
  • the sample included 28 white participants and 24 Black participants, with others identifying as mixed race, Asian or other ethnic backgrounds 

Key messages 

  • newly qualified social workers report limited preparation during training for dealing with racism in practice 
  • racism occurs in multiple parts of the system, including interactions with colleagues, people who draw on care and support and partner agencies 
  • social workers from minoritised ethnic groups experience racism from people who draw on care and support and colleagues but often feel unsupported by management 
  • fear of being labelled “angry”, “problematic”, or “unprofessional” discourages practitioners from raising concerns about racism 
  • organisational cultures sometimes prioritise maintaining service delivery over addressing racist behaviour directed at staff 
  • the absence of practical frameworks or guidance leaves newly qualified practitioners uncertain about how to challenge racism 
  • barriers to anti-racist practice occur across several stages of the professional pathway, including education, placements and early employment 

Policy implications  

  • social work education programmes should provide explicit training on recognising and challenging racism 
  • employers should create organisational policies that clearly support staff who challenge racism 
  • managers should provide supervision and support for practitioners experiencing racial abuse from people who draw on care and support 
  • greater representation of ethnic minorities in leadership and academia may improve organisational awareness of racism 
  • organisations should facilitate open discussions about racism in supervision, training and team meetings 

Commentary 

This study examines how newly qualified social workers experience and respond to racism in practice during the early stages of their careers. Through focus groups with 67 practitioners, the authors identify significant gaps in training and organisational support for addressing racism within social work and related health and social care contexts. 

Participants widely recognised that racism exists within social work systems, including in interactions between professionals, in organisational decision-making and in experiences from people who draw on care and support. However, many reported feeling unprepared to challenge racism due to limited training during their degree programmes and early employment support programmes such as the Assessed and Supported Year in Employment. 

The research highlights structural barriers within organisations that limit practitioners’ ability to challenge racism. These include fear of professional consequences, lack of managerial support and workplace cultures where discussions about race are avoided. Some participants reported witnessing discriminatory treatment of people who draw on care and support or colleagues but feeling unable to intervene effectively due to uncertainty about organisational procedures or fear of repercussions. 

For practitioners from minoritised ethnic backgrounds, racism directed at them personally was a common concern. Several participants reported that cases were sometimes reassigned when people who draw on care and support refused to work with a Black or Asian social worker, without the behaviour being challenged. This approach prioritised service delivery but left practitioners feeling unsupported and exposed to further discriminatory behaviour. 

The authors also describe a “layering” of barriers across the professional pathway. As illustrated in the framework presented in the paper, obstacles can emerge from multiple sources, including limited exposure to diversity during upbringing, training programmes that lack focus on race, placements with limited diversity, and organisational cultures that discourage discussion of racism. These combined factors reduce practitioners’ confidence and capability to address racism in practice. 

From a health and social care equity perspective, the findings suggest that failure to address racism within professional training and organisational structures may affect both the wellbeing of practitioners and the quality of services delivered to racialised communities. Strengthening anti-racist education, improving organisational accountability and supporting practitioners to challenge discrimination are therefore important steps toward more equitable health and social care practice. 

Anti-racist interventions to reduce ethnic disparities in health and social care

An umbrella review examining anti-racist interventions that reduce ethnic disparities across healthcare, education and criminal justice in the UK.

Key messages

  • community health worker programmes and participatory care pathway design show promise in improving outcomes
  • culturally tailored education, multilingual tools and peer-supported skills-building interventions are effective for managing chronic conditions
  • integrating mental health and primary care improves access and outcomes for ethnic minority populations
  • generic quality improvement approaches also benefit ethnic minority groups
  • structural interventions, including minimum wage policies and links between care, housing and financial support, address wider social determinants.

Policy implications

  • service design should include participatory approaches that involve ethnic minority communities
  • culturally tailored and multilingual interventions should be embedded within routine provision
  • integration between mental health, primary care and community services may reduce access gaps
  • action on wider social determinants is likely to be necessary alongside service-level change.

Gaps

  • relatively few studies examine structural or socio-economic interventions
  • limited evidence on how anti-racist interventions translate across health and social care settings
  • lack of long-term evaluation of system-level interventions.

Commentary
This review highlights the importance of equity-driven approaches that explicitly address barriers faced by ethnic minority populations. While a wide range of interventions is covered, the evidence base remains weighted towards service-level change rather than structural action.

Participatory approaches, including community health worker programmes and co-designed care pathways, are identified as particularly promising. These approaches centre lived experience and help ensure that services reflect the cultural, linguistic and social contexts of the people they aim to support.

Culturally tailored education, multilingual tools and peer-supported interventions are shown to improve outcomes for people managing long-term conditions. In social care, similar approaches may help people navigate complex systems and reduce exclusion linked to language or cultural mismatch.

The review also highlights the benefits of integrating mental health and primary care. From a care equity perspective, joined-up provision may reduce fragmentation that disproportionately affects marginalised groups and improve continuity of support.

However, the limited focus on structural interventions points to an important gap. Addressing inequities in health and social care is likely to require action beyond services alone, including policies that tackle poverty, housing insecurity and financial stress, which shape people’s ability to access and benefit from care.