EOC(3) MW 28

Equality of Opportunity Committee

Inquiry into Migrant Workers  

Response from Wrexham Council

Thank you for your invitation to submit information to your inquiry. Economic migration has been recognised as a significant challenge in Wrexham over recent years. As a result we have produced 2 key documents which I enclose for your information:

Migrant Workers Action Plan

In June 2005 Members approved a detailed action plan on issues associated with economic migrants coming to Wrexham to seek employment.  This action plan was a product of the Joint member/Officer Task Group on Migrant Workers established in February 2005.  It considered the implications for the Council and other public sector agencies arising from the increase of economic migrants coming to Wrexham.

Community Cohesion Strategy [draft]

This is Wrexham’s first Community Cohesion Strategy providing a strategic framework for community cohesion for the next three years 2008-2011. It has been developed by Wrexham County Borough Council in conjunction with other public and voluntary sector partners in Wrexham including the 'pilot’ Local Service Board (LSB).

The Strategy provides an opportunity to establish a clearer understanding of our communities, and to have a more effective dialogue with them in order to take forward specific cohesion activities. It recognises that community cohesion is a long term process.  Learning gained through the implementation of this initial Strategy will be used to develop actions in the future. While community cohesion embraces the coming together of all 'communities’ in terms of age, gender, faith, race and sexual orientation, language and disability this first Community Cohesion Strategy will focus mainly on cohesion in relation to race and ethnicity issues.

In addition I have provided a detailed response from our EAL service some brief answers to the specific questions you have asked - these are attached at Appendix 1.

If you require any further information please do not hesitate to contact me on the telephone number given above or via email at gillian.grainger@wrexham.gov.uk

Yours faithfully

Gill Grainger

Community Cohesion Co-ordinator

APPENDIX 1

Experiences of migrant workers and their families

Response

• Language difficulties exacerbated by limited access to translation and interpretation services;
• Limited provision of ESOL classes. Language issues can prevent individuals from practising their profession in the UK. This is exacerbated by difficulties in obtaining appropriate qualification equivalence. A local example is of a qualified librarian working as a cleaner;
• Lack of awareness of rights and entitlements e.g.  in relation to hate crime;
• Lack of awareness of local social customs e.g. relationship between the public and the police, local area car parking arrangements;
• Understanding different legal requirements e.g. car licensing requirements, seat belts etc;
• Limited access to appropriate accommodation;
• Vulnerability to unscrupulous employment practices;
• Limited access to appropriate information and support services.

The impact of economic migration on local communities

The impact of economic migration on local communities is one of the key reasons for the development of a Community Cohesion Strategy. The local concerns in relation immigration are addressed within the Strategy [attached for information].

Response

• The public service implications are detailed in the migrant worker action plan [attached]
• Communities are concerned about access to social housing, access to jobs and the impact of migrant children in schools - and negative media images can inflame these community tensions;
• Within Wrexham there is a shortage of private sector housing which makes it more difficult for the indigenous community to access accommodation. A pro-active approach from the Council’s Housing Department has meant that Council housing allocations are in line with local need and eligibility;
• Economic migration ensures that local businesses have the staff they need - local unemployment is currently in the region of only 2%;
• The most significant challenge to communities lies in the perception that Wrexham has a very large migrant population and that this is a challenge to the Wrexham way of life. Lack of accurate data encourages this negative view.

The regulatory framework

How does current legislation, such as the Gangmasters Licensing Act 2004, work in practice? To what extent is the current legislation enforced?

Response

The Gangmasters Licensing Authority [GLA] regulates those who supply labour or use workers to provide services in agriculture, forestry, horticulture, shellfish gathering and food processing and packaging.

Examples of good practice

The initiatives detailed below have been taken forward specifically in relation to migrant workers. It should be noted that these activities are set within an overall community cohesion framework which will address broader cohesion concerns. The draft ResponseCommunity Cohesion Strategy is attached for information.

Good practice in relation to developing greater understanding within the indigenous community:

Production of a myth buster in relation to asylum seeker and refugee issues;
Production of a myth buster in relation to economic migrants;
Information for local businesses - Profile newsletter;
Workshops for local businesses regarding employment and support for migrant workers;
Production and wide distribution of housing information that tackles myths in relation to housing allocations;
Positive articles has been produced in the local press;

Good practice in relation to developing greater understanding within the migrant community:

Production of translated housing and public protection information e.g. Houses in Multiple Occupation, bed bugs, recycling, fire safety;

Translated information booklet regarding local services and how to access them - information includes accommodation, employment, welfare benefits, shopping, leisure activities and emergency help [This is also available in English and Welsh for information];

English as an Additional Language [EAL] service in schools have provided a wide range of initiatives which have been included on the IDeA website as examples of good practice [please see separate submission, attached];

Provision of information and support in relation to child care and child care training;

Provision of single translation and interpretation service across the local authority;

Good practice in relation to support for Local Service Board partners:

Production and implementation of a migrant worker action plan which detailed areas of concern, action to be taken and any further emerging issues;
Council funding to voluntary organisation to support specific migrant worker support programmes i.e. Citizens Advice Bureau outreach support, Caia Park Partnership dedicated information and advice service and community based ESOL. Council funding has now been replaced by the Big Lottery funding;
Council funded project led by the Caia Park Partnership to develop a toolkit to support community groups wanting to encourage migrant worker participation;
Yale College have provided ESOL in the workplace and classroom provision is organised to coincide with shift patterns to ease access;

NEWI provide cultural awareness classes;
North Wales Fire and Rescue Service provide translated fire safety information;
The Roman Catholic Church in North Wales has appointed 2 Polish priests to support the community and promote cohesion.
Wrexham LHB has appointed 2 dedicated migrant worker health visitors who work in the community;

Suggestions

What action should be taken to improve the life experiences of migrant workers and their families and the communities in which they live and work?

Response

Welsh Assembly Government to provide a strong lead on immigration and cohesion issues;
Welsh Assembly Government to develop a more positive and pro-active relationship with the media in relation to immigration issues;
Welsh Assembly Government to provide increased information to indigenous communities about migration to Wales and its impact across the public sector as well as its social impact;
Welsh Assembly Government to work closely with the faith community and the voluntary and community sector to increase local understanding and support for new communities;
Welsh Assembly Government to take a lead in raising awareness of hate crime and taking steps to tackle it;
Welsh Assembly Government to clarify a national approach to the provision of translation and interpretation services;
Welsh Assembly Government to increase the provision of English language classes in order to reduce reliance on translation and interpretation services - providing cost benefits over the long term and increasing opportunities for community cohesion; Welsh Assembly Government to work with employers to raise awareness of the importance of their involvement in ESOL provision;
Welsh Assembly Government to support local authorities and their Local Service Board partners to provide localised information about access to services; and
Welsh Assembly Government to improve understanding of and access to qualification equivalence information. This would help to ensure Wales benefits from the skills and talents of its migrant population.
WAG/WLGA to develop closer working relationship with DCLG/LGA/IDEA on development/best practice issues on migration.

Responces From WCBC English as an Additional Language Service

The EAL service provides support for children in schools whose home language is neither English nor Welsh and helps children access the curriculum in partnership with mainstream teachers.

The service is centrally funded and is also in receipt of a Minority Ethnic Achievement Grant given on a yearly basis by the Welsh Assembly.

The service has always dealt with children from migrant worker families but the last four years has seen a large increase in numbers of children from Poland and Portugal

From 2003 to 2007 there has been an overall increase of 400% in EAL children in schools. This has, therefore, put a considerable strain on both schools and the EAL service.

Since September 2005 the service has seen a greater number of children arriving in secondary schools than has been the case in the past.

Experiences of Migrant workers and their Families

Challenges

Lack of understanding of Education System
Admissions procedure
School procedures e.g. attendance issues, holidays out of school time.
Curriculum
Communication difficulties with other agencies working with schools, e.g. health services, additional learning needs.

Overcoming the language barriers:

• Production of a leaflet on admissions procedures in Portuguese and Polish.
  Production of a leaflet on school procedures in Polish and Portuguese.
  Provision of bilingual support for induction meetings, curriculum support and parental consultations.
  Provision of bilingual resources in school.

The impact of economic migration on education services.

Challenges:

A 400% increase in the number of children with E.A.L. in last four years.
A large increase in total beginners to English
New pupils arriving weekly
Pressure on schools in certain areas e.g. Roman Catholic schools, town centre schools
A greater number of beginners to English arriving in secondary schools.
Greater number of children arriving at key stage 4
Children arriving:
with no previous educational experience
with low level literacy skills
with additional needs other than EAL
with no records of past educational history
Social concerns
Parents shift patterns lead to children being left on their own or at childminders at unsocial hours, resulting in tiredness at school.
Children rejoining parents after a lengthy period apart, sometimes to a new step-parent.

Advantages:

Cultural diversity enriching Wrexham schools
Provides an opportunity to promote awareness and understanding of different cultures in a practical way. Citizenship education
Increase in school population in certain areas.

Examples of good practice

Phased admissions
Providing teaching assistants to schools with high numbers of new arrivals
Providing resources for beginners in schools
Training of mainstream teachers
Funding for additional educational psychologist’s time to assist EAL staff in supporting and assessing EAL children with additional learning needs.
Supporting children and families through the use of bilingual support workers
Facility for children to take GCSEs in their home language
Encouraging celebration of cultural diversity e.g. implementing musical projects where children speaking different languages worked together culminating in a multi-lingual concert for the community.
Close liaison with other Children and Young Peoples services e.g. project with Behaviour Support Team on playground games from other cultures.
Liaison with other agencies working with migrant workers
Member of council run Community Cohesion Group.
Member of council joint action task group on migrant workers
Links with Portuguese embassy resulting in funding for a teacher of Portuguese to support home language and address underachievement.

Suggestions

Continuing funding of bi-lingual support
Greater funding for ESOL classes
Funding for Post 16
Summer schools

Shirley Berry
EAL Co-ordinator
Children and Young People Service
Wrexham