The Impact of ‘Race’, Culture and Ethnicity on the Practice of White, British Educational Psychologists Musrat Ashraf Professional Doctorate in Education and Child Psychology School of Psychology University of East London August 2016 A thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements of the University of East London for the Professional Doctorate in Educational and Child Psychology Declaration University of East London School of Psychology Professional Doctorate in Educational and Child Psychology This work has not previously been accepted for any degree and it is not being concurrently submitted for any degree. This research is being submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements of the Professional Doctorate in Educational and Child Psychology. This thesis is the result of my own work and investigation, except where otherwise stated. Other sources are acknowledged by explicit references in the text. A full reference list is included in the thesis. I hereby give permission for my thesis, if accepted, to be available for reading and for inter-library loans, and for the title and summary to be made available to outside organisations. Signed Musrat Ashraf August 2016 i Abstract One criticism of the increased ‘racial’, ethnic and cultural diversification of British society is the oft-repeated narrative in the British media about educational services being under enormous strain as they grapple with the influx of immigrant children moving into Britain. However, with figures indicating that children of immigrant parents, particularly those from minority ethnic backgrounds, face profound challenges in academic attainment and their school experiences compared to their non-BME peers, the changing demography of schools appears to be a matter of increasing importance for educational policy makers. With a significant number of the UK school population composed of those from linguistically, ethnically and culturally diverse backgrounds, it is unlikely for Educational Psychologists (EPs) not to encounter pupils who differ from them in terms of ‘race’, ethnicity and culture. However, with attitudes and perspectives of a culturally diverse population likely to be quite different from that of the helping professional, EPs must be adequately prepared to address the challenges presented when working with those from ethnically, ‘racially’ and culturally diverse backgrounds. Yet, herein lies the predicament. Since EPs rely on theoretical frameworks that are conventionally derived from a privileged, White Eurocentric/North American middle-class value system, the social, emotional and cognitive needs of other ethnic groups are likely to be neglected, as definitions of normality and abnormality may differ considerably. As a result of this, the need to become culturally competent as EPs has never been more important. On account of the researcher’s reflexivity on being a trainee from a minority ethnic background and, the majority of research into multicultural competence originating in North America, using a social constructionist stance, this study set out to explore the impact of ‘race’, culture and ethnicity on the practice of White, British EPs. Twelve EPs across three London local authorities were recruited to participate in the research and data collected via focus groups and semi-structured interviews. ii Data was analysed using thematic analysis which identified five final themes as impacting on EPs’ abilities to provide services to those from minority ethnic backgrounds; challenges of working with minority ethnic parents, the culture of schools, changes to education services, EP training courses and reflections on their role when working in a multicultural society. The implications of these findings for parents, schools, services, EP training courses and EPs are considered. In addition, the impact of this research on the researcher is also addressed. iii Acknowledgements This thesis has been a journey- a lengthy and transformational journey, which would have been neither attempted, nor accomplished, without the direction, assistance and support of many people. I would like to take this opportunity of acknowledging those who have been instrumental throughout this process: Dr Tina Rae and her heartening encouragement for me to pursue this topic, Dr Laura Cockburn for the many frank and honest discussions we had about life, for being a sounding board for my frustrations and for introducing me to the EP ‘Race’ and Culture Forum, to the EPs within the ‘Race’ and Culture Forum for making me realise I was not alone and, all the teaching staff within the UEL EP doctorate training programme for providing words of reassurance and praise- thank you all. Last but not least, I owe my deepest gratitude to Dr Mark Fox; a beacon of knowledge who took me under his wing and made me realise that the best, most inspiring and worthwhile paths, cannot be discovered without getting lost- several times. I remain indebted to him for getting me past many hurdles whilst on this journey. To my wonderful UEL friends; thank you all for promoting the worldview that some journeys can lead to new beginnings, without ending and can lead to beautiful adventures! Thank you, also, to my non-UEL friends who provided an assortment of welcome treats and distractions when I took myself too seriously! To my family- your prayers got me through! My heartfelt thanks, also, to the hardworking, dedicated and passionate EP participants for their precious time, honesty and openness in making this work possible. Above all, as a person of faith, I express my sincere gratefulness to God, almighty; whose infinite blessings and bounties in my life cannot be denied and, whose perfect words in the glorious Quran, have been a constant source of refuge and strength. iv Dedication This thesis is dedicated to two of the most important people in my life. My late mother; IB, whose insistence on the importance of Education! Education! Education preceded that of Tony Blair by decades and, whose love, tenderness, care and wisdom made me the person I am today. I miss you, Ammi. And, my darling husband; HAA, whose strong arms held me up when I struggled, whose beautiful words provided immense comfort and reassurance when I doubted myself and whose countless late-night readings and editing skills ensured that this work would reflect the efforts gone into it and be the best it could. Dearest H, the depth of my gratitude for the profound patience you demonstrated during this period, knows no bounds. You have been my greatest supporter, biggest comfort and strongest motivation and I am eternally beholden to you for your unwavering help, prayers, support and guidance. I love you more than you will ever know. v Contents Page Declaration i Abstract ii Acknowledgements iv Dedication v Contents Page vi Table of Contents Chapter 1: Introduction ................................................................................................. 1 1.1 The Fourth Force .................................................................................................... 1 1.2 Race, Culture and Ethnicity, BME, Diversity and White ........................................... 2 1.2.1 ‘Race’ ............................................................................................................... 3 1.2.2 Ethnicity ............................................................................................................ 4 1.2.3 Culture .............................................................................................................. 4 1.2.4 Black, Minority Ethnic (BME) ............................................................................ 5 1.2.5 Diversity ........................................................................................................... 5 1.2.6 White ................................................................................................................ 6 1.3 Ethnic Diversity in the US and UK ........................................................................... 6 1.4 Multiculturalism and Educational Attainments ......................................................... 8 1.5 Multiculturalism and Educational Experience .......................................................... 9 1.5.1 Low Teacher Expectations ............................................................................... 9 1.5.2 Institutional Racism ........................................................................................ 10 1.5.3 Single Parent Households .............................................................................. 10 1.5.4 Struggles with Identity and Mental Health ....................................................... 11 1.6 The Importance of Reflections in Research ........................................................... 11 1.6.1 Positioning the Self: My Story ......................................................................... 12 Chapter 2: Literature Review....................................................................................... 18 2.1 Overview of Chapter ............................................................................................. 18 2.2 Systematic Literature Search ................................................................................ 18 2.3 The Need for Multicultural Competence in Psychology ......................................... 19 2.4 Multicultural Competence in Educational Psychology ............................................ 20 2.5 Assessment .........................................................................................................