Press Release

Health and Well-being of Ethnic Minority Families

Thursday, 17 June 2010

A report into the Health and Social Needs of Ethnic Minority families in the West has today been launched in St Columb’s Park House.

Pictured at the launch of the, "Health and Social Needs among Migrants and Minority Ethnic Communities in the Western Board Area", report are from left, Julie McGinty, Public Health Agency, Gus Hastings, Peace III Partnership, Connor Keys, Western Ethnic Health and Well-being Forum, Deirdre Harte, NW Peace III Partnership and Paula Cunningham, Western Health Action Zone co-ordinator. Picture Martin McKeown. Inpresspics.com. 16.6.10

Within the Western Trust area and Northern Ireland in general, increasing patterns of diversity presents challenges. This is not just in the provision of services but also in developing collective ways of promoting and welcoming the inclusion of people from diverse cultures and ethnic groups into our society.

Some of the people who attended the launch of the "Health and Social Needs among Migrants and Minority Ethnic Communities in the Western Board Area", report. Picture Martin McKeown. Inpresspics.com. 16.6.10

The report highlights that ethnic minority families often live with a higher risk of suffering from poverty and social exclusion, many of whom maybe living almost invisibly within communities and whose experience of racism and discrimination can lead to increased social isolation, and recommends work to be undertaken in the future to ensure a more equal society.

The report was commissioned by the Western Health and Social Care Trust, in partnership with the Public Health Agency and the North West PEACE III Partnership.

Paula Cunningham, Western Health and Social Care Trust, welcomed the study saying “we are delighted to have completed the study which will inform the development of cross-sectoral services to improve access for Ethnic Minority Families and particularly welcome the partnership with the North West PEACE III Cluster. This report highlights the wealth of existing work within the West being carried out in partnership with community organisations supporting ethnic minority families and we must build on this foundation.”

Eileen McFarline, Chair of the North West PEACE III Partnership welcomed the study saying, “It is rewarding to see PEACE III funding being used in such a significant way, on research that will play an important role in shaping services to members of ethnic minority communities living in the North West. The NW PEACE III Partnership strives to contribute to the development of a peaceful and integrated society, in which members of all communities are helped to overcome the barriers they face. The report will certainly help us to achieve this for ethnic minority communities and I look forward to seeing changes that stem from it”.

Conor Keys, CHAIR of the Western Investing for Health Partnership Early Years sub-group, welcomed the outcomes of the study saying, ”the Western Investing For Health Partnership has been working in Partnership with Ethnic Minority Support groups and a range of other stakeholders for the last few years in order to improve access to services for Ethnic Minority groups, in particular, women with children. We are delighted now to have a document which will feed into the strategic development of this work. The research was funded and managed jointly by the Western Health and Social Care Trust, Western Investing for Health, Western Health Action Zone and NW PEACEIII Partnership. It is our hope that we continue to work together to bring forward the recommendations of the report.”

Note to Editors:

North West PEACE III Partnership

The EU Programme for Peace and Reconciliation in Northern Ireland and the Border Region of Ireland (known as PEACE III is aimed at ‘reinforcing progress towards a peaceful and stable society and promoting reconciliation’. The programme covers the period 2007 to 2013 and is managed by the Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB).

Theme 1.1 Building Positive Relations at the Local Level aims ‘to challenge attitudes towards sectarianism and racism and support conflict resolution and mediation at the local community level. Theme 1.1 is being delivered through local authority led partnership arrangements. For the NW PEACE III Cluster the local authority areas of Strabane District Council, Derry City Council and Omagh District Council came together to form a cluster and establish a NW Partnership to formulate and implement an Action Plan for the area. The Action Plan was submitted to the SEUPB in March 2008 and was awarded £4.733m under Phase 1 of PEACE III. Phase 2 will run from 2011 to 2013.

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