What is the Evidence of Early Intervention, Preventative Services for Black and Minority Ethnic Group Children and their Families?

Abstract

A focused literature review was undertaken in the summer of 2004 for the National Evaluation of the Children's Fund on early intervention, preventative strategies for black and minority ethnic group children aged 5–13 years of age and their families. Notwithstanding the disappointing evidence from a number of studies that preventative work was rarely undertaken, the literature review identified a set of reports whose main purpose was to examine the delivery of specific forms of family support services delivered in the community and at home. However, it found that social care interventions alone are not enough to support minority ethnic group families under stress and concerns about schooling and education are as urgent and pressing. Thus, the review also includes a discussion of the black voluntary school movement and schemes such as mentoring and mediation that aim to demonstrate community solidarity with families at risk of social exclusion.  The overall paucity of evaluated material on family support services for minority ethnic groups was a constant theme in this review and may reflect a lack of appropriate services. The demographic characteristics, on the other hand, point towards particular risk and vulnerability for some ethnic groups.

Keywords:

• child
• family support
• prevention
• minority ethnic groups
• black
• south Asian

Notes

Shama Ahmed currently works as a freelance social care consultant and tutor for a number of universities in the Midlands of England. Formerly, she worked for the Central Council for Education and Training in Social Work. She has extensive experience of developing race equality strategies for training, employment and service delivery. Correspondence to: Shama Ahmed, Independent Consultant, 9 Brampton Crescent, Solihull, West Midlands B90 3SY, UK; e-mail: [email protected]

¹In this paper, black and minority ethnic group refers to African, African Caribbean and south Asian people including those of Chinese descent. The term also includes people of ‘ mixed race’ who have one parent from these groups. NECF has commissioned separate reviews to examine relevant child care issues emerging for the new black communities of refugees and asylum seekers. All socially constructed definitions are in a flux and subject to change, often in response to global politics.