Research

This page provides details of recent and on-going research conducted through the RACE partnership.

Despite much discussion of race disparities at the national level, the documentation of race disparities at the regional level remains limited. This undermines our ability to identify effective responses to these inequalities and evaluate initiatives designed to address them.

A recent University of Bristol-funded RACE investigation of the regional data on the Ethnicity Facts and Figures website, held by the Cabinet Office’s Race Disparity Audit highlighted significant gaps, and also problems with the data which was available. Our recommendations are that: 

• National, regional and local statutory authorities must respond to the requirements of the Equalities Act 2010 to collect detailed evidence on the presence of ethnic inequalities in a comprehensive range of indicators, using methods which meet current guidance for best practice. 

• The Government Statistical Office and the Cabinet Office must ensure greater consistency in the collection of data across sector, to enable comparability across sector and region. This includes consistent use of indicators of regional and local authority. 

• The Government Statistical Office and the Cabinet Office must also provide guidance on best practice approaches to collecting information on ethnicity, including where numbers of people in particular groups is low. 

• The Cabinet Office must invest the same effort in the analysis and presentation of data available at the regional level as it does those available nationally to ensure regional variations – in inequalities and data quality - are identified and addressed

We are pleased that the Race Disparity Audit has responded positively to our recommendations and is currently reflecting on the insights these offer for improving this practice.

We are currently working with University of Bristol students (funded through the Office for Students) to explore the regional data on race disparities available via the West of England Combined Authority (WECA), Bristol City Council and Office for National Statistics.

The RACE aims to offer a positive contribution to the many race equality initiatives on-going in Bristol and the wider region. At present, our understanding of the nature of, and relationships between, these initiatives is limited. We are currently working with University of Bristol students (funded through the Office for Students) to map the race equality space in Bristol. This will enable us to provide a comprehensive picture of the nature of the work being undertaken by local organisations. It will also enable us to establish where we may help plug data gaps which operate as barriers to this work.

A key RACE objective involves ensuring that regional race equality data is made available to those people who need it, in ways which are valuable to them. As part of our work with University of Bristol students we will explore both the data needs of local race equality organisations and also their preferences regarding the ways in which that data should be provided. We will be able to address some of these data needs immediately, via existing resources. Alternatively, these insights will offer value direction to future RACE research activity, as well as more effective approaches to data presentation more generally.

The University of Bristol has historically made a valuable contribution to local third-sector organisations through the provision of support for evaluation. However, the evaluation needs to academic and other organisations are quite distinct. Our collaboration with local race equality organisations, supported by University of Bristol students, will specifically explore both the needs for evaluation within each organisation and also existing strategies adopted to achieve this. This will enable us to develop a resource of effective evaluative mechanisms, and feed into on-going conversations within the University of Bristol regarding how their contribution may be enhanced.