Delivering on a Promise
Supporting social care organisations to strive towards equitable practice
Who Are BME or BAME?
BME or BAME are acronyms commonly used to group together people from African, Caribbean, South Asian, and other racially minoritised backgrounds (see Glossary) within British society. While these terms reflect shared histories of slavery, colonialism, racism, migration, and exclusion, they can also mask important differences in lived experience.
At VOW, we recognise these limitations. We use Black, South Asian (see Glossary), and racially minoritised to be both specific and inclusive, while remaining open to how individuals choose to identify as language continues to evolve.
VOW was created in response to the experiences of Black and South Asian social work practitioners. Evidence from the Social Care Workforce Race Equality Standard (SC-WRES) continues to show that these groups are more likely to face inequitable practice, disciplinary action, and barriers to progression into senior roles.
The Context: Why VOW?
While the child and family social care workforce in England is moderately diverse at around 17%, and 27% in adult social care, this gets less so as people progress into more senior roles. A white male is six times as likely to be a senior manager as a black female and twice as likely as a white female.*
* Spillett, M (2014) Leadership Imbalance: Black and Asian leaders missing in action. Black and Asian Initiative
Is it a coincidence that Black, South Asian, and racially minoritised social work practitioners are underrepresented in senior management roles but disproportionately represented in informal and formal capability procedures and fitness to practise investigations? Or does this reflect the complexity of issues that include unconscious bias, microaggressions, racism, sexism, homophobia, disablism, and other forms of inequitable practice (see Glossary), alongside inadequate support mechanisms within organisations?
Experiences of inequitable practice in the workplace are not uncommon and can affect a practitioner’s ability to access personal and professional resources or respond effectively to challenges, particularly when feeling overwhelmed and unsupported. When left unaddressed, these experiences can erode confidence, wellbeing, and professional identity, leaving practitioners feeling isolated and negatively impacting performance.
In response, VOW was established to offer a much-needed strengths-based, supportive, confidential, and safe environment where dilemmas and challenges are explored, stories and feelings are validated, and strategies are developed to help practitioners move forward. VOW also recognises that practitioners' experiences may be further shaped by neurological differences and other intersecting factors. Unlike generic mentoring schemes, VOW offers a specialised service tailored to the lived realities of Black, South Asian, and racially minoritised practitioners, providing a unique CPD resource that is free to access.
At VOW, the term ‘social work practitioner’ is used to include newly qualified social workers in their first year of practice, family support workers, contact workers, personal advisers, youth justice practitioners, and those working with children, young people, families, and care-experienced young adults within children’s social care services.
While VOW is not currently designed for social work students, it recognises the unique pressures, challenges and dilemmas experienced during academic study and placements.
Mark* | A Social Workers Story
“I find that I am judged more critically than peers. I’m observed at work by colleagues more than others too. This critical observation comes from peers as well as from managers. This is due to perception and stereotypes of Black people, particularly men. The issues are that institutional racism is prominent in all of social care, children, and adult services. Just like in the police force.
Anyone reading this whether Black or White will feel that I am being paranoid. I’ve been a social worker and worker in other social care provisions for nearly 30 years. I’ve never experienced fitness to practice but I’ve had managers looking for ways to undermine my skills when I’ve been in the service longer than they have. I have peers reporting me to managers for the most trivial of reasons. I’m nearly 60 so I know what I feel and what I have experienced.”
Comment by social worker* (name changed) in response to Community Care article ‘Black & ethnic minority social work practitioners disproportionately subject to fitness to practise investigations, dated 31st July 2020
Metro Map - All in a day’s work! Experiences of Black, South Asian, and racially minoritised social practitioners along their social work journey!
The Metro Map is a reflexive tool developed by VOW to illustrate the dilemmas and challenges experienced by Black, South Asian, and racially minoritised practitioners across their social work journey.
As an aide-mémoire, it names and address inequitable practice. It can be used during systemic mentoring sessions, personal supervision, and training settings to support reflexivity (see Glossary) resilience, and learning.
Leaders
“It is no surprise that leadership and culture play a key role in creating obstacles while also providing the solutions that enable BME individuals’ success….We have also found that mentoring [has] consistently delivered results and it is incumbent upon all management to play their part in supporting people from all backgrounds.”
Baroness McGregor-Smith CBE 2017 1
Leaders are responsible for ensuring equitable and safe workplaces for all. By re-examining organisational culture, leadership styles, management structures, and capability procedures, leaders can begin to address inequitable practice in ways that are both meaningful and sustainable.
Today’s landscape is complex. Practitioners and leaders alike are navigating competing narratives around identity, belonging, and social justice. While some voices call for unity, others expose the lived realities of racism, bias, and exclusion. Effective leadership means holding this tension with honesty and courage, without minimising or silencing those affected.
The Social Care Workforce Race Equality Standard (SC-WRES), launched in 2021, underlines the responsibility of employers to monitor and act on inequalities. Yet lasting change continues to take time.
While VOW provides free, independent mentoring, equity in the workplace begins with leaders who listen, acknowledge, and act.
However, valuing a workforce involves more than recognising contribution. It is about valuing our workforce through action.
VOW 3S's© Sponsorship Programme (V3SSP) provides organisations with a practical and meaningful way of investing in their practitioners, creating opportunities for them to develop, contribute, influence, and thrive.
Through a structured sponsorship journey, organisations can actively support visibility, professional growth, and stories of success.
Find out more about V3SSP
For more information about our work with Black, South Asian, and racially minoritised social work professionals and to request support from our team