If you want to know whether a local authority was performative or genuinely committed to tackling racism in the social care workforce go and investigate whether those who participated and find out if they developed meaningful improvement plans following publishing their data. More importantly of they will plan to do so again.

NB the pilot LAs also included data on children’s.social care workforce. So now there is no funding will there be any action in this area.

This decision in itself is indicative of government and other institutions not taking note of what is evidenced for all to see, otherwise there would not be a need to have a WRES in the first instance. It is indicative of the voices of Black and global majority staff members not being listened to, heard or prioritsed in terms of equity. There can be no equality or inclusion until their is equity for all.

I for one, have no intention of standing back and making the last 3 years in particular, since the murder of George Floyd stand for nothing. I have felt and seen the racial trauma that Black staff members have endured, since he beginning of my long career in social wok and i refuse to go backwards. I will continue to progress the SC WRES objectives within my LA, with other senior leaders, along with anti-racist practice within the workforce. We cannot keep paying lip service to this work without taking appropriate action for change and that time for action and change is now.