Publisher's Synopsis
The response of social welfare agencies to the needs of ethnic minorities in Britain has been both patchy and piecemeal. Studies of social services and housing departments have consistently found discrimination, insensitive practice and a lack of awareness of the needs of a multi-racial population. It is clear that the issue of the relationship between minority ethnic groups in Britain and the social welfare services remains an important area for investigation, monitoring and reporting. - - Within Scotland, it is now recognized that, apart from the different institutional and legal structures north of the border, Scotland has a different migration history and a different set of minorities, in comparison with England and Wales. There is therefore an expanding body of research on minority ethnic groups in Scotland. - Recently, Scottish Homes, the national housing agency, has developed strategies for tackling the housing needs of minorities; the development of policies on community care is leading to more comprehensive planning of services and a greater co-ordination between housing and social work agencies; and there is increasing concern about the role of the health service in Scotland in satisfying minority ethnic needs. - In view of these recent policy changes and a growing number of research studies, this edited collection of work, focusing on the housing, social work and health services as they affect the minority ethnic population in Scotland, is particularly timely.
