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We damage Britain by denying its migrant past

We damage Britain by denying its migrant past

Brexiters spoke of ‘taking our country back’. But that was based on a false notion who we are as a people, and of our history of immigration Why has Britain’s response to the dismantling of the refugee camp in Calais been so lively – or ugly? Because it raises fundamental questions about who we are as a country. Migration is being discussed, but it’s a debate bedevilled by myth. There never was a time when Britain and the British identity was impervious to migration. Migration to Britain didn’t begin when we joined the EU. The more common but equally faulty story that Britain slowly developed organically from Anglo-Saxon roots, until the Windrush arrived from the Caribbean and changed everything, is an…
Dr Neil Thompson
December 1, 2016
Children affected by parental imprisonment

Children affected by parental imprisonment

No official record exists of children of prisoners as neither the courts, governments, nor local services ask routinely about them. They are unlikely to reveal themselves for fear of social stigma and bullying and so remain hidden from local services. Children with a parent in prison are Twice as likely to experience conduct and mental health problems, and less likely to do well at school. Three times more likely to be involved in offending. Sixty five per cent of boys with a convicted father will go on to offend themselves. Although the above figures are for England and Wales the trends are likely to be very similar for Scotland and Northern Ireland. Click here to read more
Dr Neil Thompson
December 1, 2016
‘The best social work I’ve seen wasn’t about filling out forms’

‘The best social work I’ve seen wasn’t about filling out forms’

When Ruth Ibegbuna looks back at her two years as a foster carer, one social worker’s visit stands out. “I had two young girls living with me, they both loved Disney. The social worker came round, sat down cross-legged on the carpet and had a really deep discussion with the six-year-old about the final sequence in Frozen for about 20 minutes,” she recalls. “She didn’t turn up with an agenda, she didn’t fill out any forms, or talk about LAC reviews. She just talked to the six-year-old about something the girl cared about. I was just watching it, thinking ‘this is brilliant work’. From that point on that girl adored that social worker completely. They had that bond.” ... Click…
Dr Neil Thompson
December 1, 2016
Neil Thompson’s Lesson for Living – Let go, even if you can’t forgive

Neil Thompson’s Lesson for Living – Let go, even if you can’t forgive

‘It’s important to forgive and forget’ is a widely used piece of folk wisdom. However, it’s not that simple. For someone to feel under pressure to forgive, they must have been hurt, betrayed or abused in some way. It is therefore questionable how realistic it is to expect someone to be able to find forgiveness in those circumstances. It can be not only unrealistic, but also unfair. To put someone under pressure to forgive when they are wrestling with the pain and insecurity they are experiencing can be seen as unhelpful and even as cruel. When they are already feeling ‘wronged’, they can then be made to feel that they are ‘in the wrong’ for continuing to hold feelings of…
Dr Neil Thompson
November 18, 2016
Innocent until proven guilty? Not if you’re poor…

Innocent until proven guilty? Not if you’re poor…

In a bizarre recent story a woman was told by the Government that she was to have her social security withdrawn due to a suspected fraudulent claim. The private company contracted by HMRC to search for fraud in the tax system, Concentrix, had determined that she was not living alone as she had claimed, but was instead cohabiting. Her partner, according to Concentrix, was the 19th century philanthropist Joseph Rowntree, a confusion that had emerged as a result of the woman living in a house provided by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation. This isn’t the only case where Concentrix has stopped people’s tax credits for bizarre reasons, they’ve also accused people of marrying their sister. However, to just blame Concentrix misses…
Dr Neil Thompson
November 18, 2016
Disability and poverty in later life

Disability and poverty in later life

This report explores the relationship between disability and poverty among the older population. It emphasises the additional living costs that disabled people face, and the importance of taking disability costs into account when making poverty assessments in the older population. The report considers alternative directions of reform for the system of public support for older people with disabilities, and casts doubt on some of the suggestions that have been made for improving the targeting of public support for older disabled people… Click here to read more
Dr Neil Thompson
November 18, 2016
Ten years of tackling age discrimination in the workplace

Ten years of tackling age discrimination in the workplace

Ten years ago, the Employment Equality (Age) Regulations 2006 (later replaced by the Equality Act 2010 on 1 October 2010) were introduced, marking the beginning of greater legislative efforts to tackle the unfair treatment of UK employees of all ages. Since then, there have been many landmark cases demonstrating that discrimination related to age remains with us in the 21st century workplace. A number of cases have also tested the robustness of the legislation, often leading to an outcome that sets a precedent for workplace policy development. The simple use of language within some job adverts was one of the first areas to fall foul of the legislation. For example, phrases such as “youthful enthusiasm” and “candidates in the first five years…
Dr Neil Thompson
November 18, 2016