EXPERIENCES OF FAMILIES LIVING IN KINGSHURST, NORTH SOLIHULL A REPORT OF RESEARCH COMMISSIONED BY THE CHILDREN’S SOCIETY Pam Lowe, Demelza Jones, Karen West & Crispian Fuller, Aston University September 2014 CONTENTS Executive summary ................................................................................................................... 1 Introduction ............................................................................................................................... 5 The research .............................................................................................................................. 6 Background ............................................................................................................................. 6 Project plan and fieldwork ..................................................................................................... 8 Families in Kingshurst: Three vignettes .................................................................................. 10 Established Families .............................................................................................................. 10 Settled Families..................................................................................................................... 11 Transitory Families................................................................................................................ 13 Themes emerging from the research ..................................................................................... 15 Money and work ................................................................................................................... 17 Income and debt .............................................................................................................. 17 Employment, volunteering and training .......................................................................... 21 Community and relationships .............................................................................................. 26 Friends, family and community ........................................................................................ 26 Relationships with professionals and stigma ................................................................... 29 Crime and anti-social behaviour ...................................................................................... 33 Racial tensions ................................................................................................................. 38 The local environment .......................................................................................................... 40 Housing ............................................................................................................................ 40 Parks and play areas ........................................................................................................ 47 Kingshurst parade ............................................................................................................ 53 Services and amenities ......................................................................................................... 58 Health services ................................................................................................................. 58 Schools ............................................................................................................................. 59 Local amenities for children ............................................................................................. 61 Recommendations .................................................................................................................. 66 Developing Kingshurst and the local community ................................................................. 66 Developing infrastructure ................................................................................................ 66 Developing capacity in the local voluntary sector ........................................................... 66 Addressing stigma ............................................................................................................ 67 Inter-service working and relationships ........................................................................... 68 Developing a Children and Family Zone ........................................................................... 68 Acknowledgements ................................................................................................................. 69 Appendix: Evidence summary ................................................................................................ 70 FIGURES Figure 1: Kingshurst & surrounding areas ................................................................................. 6 Figure 2: LSOAs in Smith's Wood (left) & Kingshurst & Fordbridge (right) ............................... 7 Figure 3: Postcode-gang graffiti in Kingshurst ......................................................................... 36 Figure 4: The gates on the Parade ........................................................................................... 37 Figure 5: Types of housing in Kingshurst ................................................................................. 41 Figure 6: Draw & write sheets completed by primary-age children ....................................... 47 Figure 7: Broken play equipment at Babbs Mill ...................................................................... 49 Figure 8: Graffiti at Kingshurst Park ......................................................................................... 49 Figure 9: Kingshurst Park with Marsden Drive in background ................................................ 51 Figure 10: Kingshurst Parade ................................................................................................... 53 Figure 11: Entrance to Kingshurst Library ................................................................................ 56 Figure 12: Site awaiting redevelopment .................................................................................. 57 Figure 13: The doctor's surgery ............................................................................................... 58 Figure 14: Draw & write sheet ................................................................................................. 59 Figure 15: Draw & write sheet ................................................................................................. 62 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 1. This report sets out findings of a rapid-ethnographic research project commissioned by The Children’s Society and conducted by a research team from Aston University into the experiences of families living in Kingshurst – a neighbourhood within the metropolitan borough of Solihull in the West Midlands. 2. Statistics have shown that there are high levels of deprivation in the area; with child poverty ranging from 50% in Babbs Mill North to 16% in Babbs Mill South. This variation hides the different socio-economic position and mixed needs of local residents. 3. The project consisted of the production of an evidence summary, and interviews and observations with professionals and families living in the area. We spent time at sessions for pre-school children, attended local schools, and went to a range of organised children’s activities and other community activities. 4. There were two main limitations to the fieldwork. First, there were a number of other research activities ongoing in the area that had a significant impact on recruitment and limited what some informants shared with us. The second limitation was that we would have preferred to have had more contact with young people. 5. We found that there were three different groups of families living in the area. Each of the family groups represents different geographical and social network relationships: . Established families: Families with strong roots in the area . Settled families: Families who chose to live in Kingshurst, but plan to move on . Transitory families: Newly arrived families who have few local connections Each of these groups have different needs in terms of local services, and it is unlikely thatthat a single strategy will be able to meet their diverse needs. 6. Stigma is a significant issue for people living in the area. Many families reported incidents when they were judged or patronised rather than supported by local services or professionals, and disliked high levels of surveillance over family life. Reducing the stigmatisation of families is essential if trust of service providers is to be increased. 7. The majority of issues for Established and Settled families are structural in origin. They have need of better housing and decent jobs, but are well equipped to make full use of the resources they have access to in order to help their children reach their full Page | 1 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY potential. Transitory families would benefit from more community support providing it was available in a non-stigmatising manner. 8. There were marked difference between professionals and families in relation to children’s futures. Some professionals believed that many families in the area lacked aspirations for their children. In contrast, many families believed it was the low expectations of educational professionals that was an issue, whilst they stressed the importance of education in securing a future for their children. 9. For Established families, local ties were often strong