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Asylum Seekers in Scotland

DescriptionResearch commissioned by The Scottish Executive to explore the effects of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 on Asylum Seekers and devolved services in Scotland
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Official Print Publication Date
Website Publication DateFebruary 25, 2003

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2003

ASYLUM SEEKERS IN SCOTLAND

University of Stirling
Aileen Barclay, Alison Bowes, Iain Ferguson, Duncan Sim and Maggie Valenti with the assistance of Soraya Fard and Sherry MacIntosh

This document is also available in pdf format (432k)
CONTENTS

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
INTRODUCTION
BACKGROUND
AIMS AND OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
RESEARCH METHODS
MAIN FINDING
1.PERSPECTIVES ON SERVICES
2.COMMUNITY RELATIONS
3.OTHER LOCAL AUTHORITIES
4.MEDIA COVERAGE
5.GOOD PRACTICE
6.KEY ISSUES AND IMPLICATIONS FOR POLICY AND PRACTICE
CHAPTER ONE: BACKGROUND AND RESEARCH METHODS
1.1 BACKGROUND
1.2 AIMS AND OBJECTIVES
1.3 THE REPORT
1.4 PREVIOUS RESEARCH
1.4.1 Migration
1.4.2 Implementing legislation
1.4.3 Delivering services
1.4.4 Asylum seeker perspectives
1.4.5 Racism in Scotland
1.5 METHODS
1.5.1 Data collection
1.5.2 Data analysis
1.6 ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS
CHAPTER TWO: DISPERSAL IN SCOTLAND - ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
2.1 NATIONALITY, ASYLUM AND IMMIGRATION LEGISLATION
2.2 DISPERSAL IN SCOTLAND: ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF NASS AND SASC
2.2.1 NASS
2.2.2 The Scottish Asylum Seekers Consortium
2.3 ROLE OF THE SCOTTISH EXECUTIVE IN RELATION TO DISPERSAL
2.4 KEY AGENCIES INVOLVED IN DISPERSAL
2.4.1 Glasgow City Council
2.4.2 YMCA
2.4.3 The Scottish Refugee Council
2.5 ROLE OF OTHER AGENCIES
CHAPTER THREE: THE IMPACT OF DISPERSAL - SERVICE PROVIDER PERSPECTIVES
3.1 INTRODUCTION
3.2 THE IMPACT ON POLICY AND PROVISION OF SERVICES
3.2.1 The impact on policy
3.3 MEETING THE NEEDS OF ASYLUM SEEKERS
3.3.1 The needs of asylum seekers
3.3.2 Perceived strengths of services
3.3.3 Perceived weaknesses of services
3.4 PROBLEMS FACED BY ASYLUM SEEKERS
3.4.1 Racism and racial harassment
3.4.2 Social isolation
3.4.3 Waiting for a decision
3.4.4 Language problems
3.4.5 Poor communication
3.5 THE ROLE OF INTERPRETERS
3.5.1 No use of interpreting services
3.5.2 Use of interpreting services
3.5.3 Which interpreting services to use?
3.5.4 Experience of interpreting services
3.6 COLLABORATIVE WORK
3.6.1 Strengths of collaborative working
3.6.2 Weaknesses of collaborative working
3.6.3 Multi-agency training
3.6.4 Experience of referral to other organisations
3.7 COMMUNITY REACTION
3.7.1 Relations with local community
3.7.2 Impact of media coverage.
3.8 GENERAL VIEWS ON SERVICE PROVISION
3.8.1 Examples of Good Practice.
3.8.2 Problems in Service Provision.
3.8.3 Gaps in provision
3.8.4 Improving services.
3.9 CONCLUDING POINTS
CHAPTER FOUR: ASYLUM SEEKERS
4.1 INTRODUCTION
4.2 GENDER, AGE, NATIONALITY, RELIGION, LANGUAGES SPOKEN, LENGTH OF RESIDENCE
4.3 CURRENT SITUATION
4.4 OCCUPATIONS
4.5 ASYLUM STATUS
4.6 LIVING IN GLASGOW
4.7 USING SERVICES
4.7.1 What services had been used
4.7.2 Advice services
4.7.3 Housing services
4.7.4 Social work services
4.7.5 Legal services
4.7.6 Police services
4.7.7 Health services
4.7.8 Voluntary sector services
4.7.9 English lessons
4.7.10 Schools
4.8 INTERPRETERS
4.9 COMMUNITY RELATIONS
4.9.1 Safety and security
4.9.2 Integration
4.10 CONCLUDING POINTS
CHAPTER FIVE: COMMUNITY RELATIONS
5.1 INTRODUCTION
5.2 CHARACTERISTICS OF COMMUNITY GROUPS INTERVIEWED
5.3 FUNDING
5.4 GROUP REMIT
5.5 SERVICES PROVIDED FOR THE LOCAL COMMUNITIES
5.6 RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE LOCAL COMMUNITIES
5.7 COMMUNITY RELATIONS AND THE REACTION TO ASYLUM SEEKERS
5.8 THE IMPACT OF MEDIA COVERAGE
5.9 RELATIONSHIP WITH OTHER ORGANISATIONS
5.10 GAPS IN PROVISION
5.11 CONCLUDING POINTS
CHAPTER SIX: OTHER LOCAL AUTHORITIES
6.1 INTRODUCTION
6.2 THE STAGE NEGOTIATIONS HAD REACHED
6.3 THE LOCAL PROVIDERS GROUP
6.4 ISSUES REGARDING COLLABORATION AND CO-ORDINATION
6.5 ADVICE IN PROGRAMME DEVELOPMENT
6.6 EXPERIENCE OF NASS AND SASC
6.7 PREPARING FOR LOCAL PROVISION
6.8 THE VOLUNTARY AND PRIVATE SECTORS
6.9 STRATEGIC PLANNING
6.10 EXAMPLES OF GOOD PRACTICE
6.11 ORGANISATIONAL CAPACITY
6.12 RELATIONS WITH THE LOCAL COMMUNITY
6.13 MEDIA STRATEGY
6.14 INFORMATION PROVIDED TO ASYLUM SEEKERS
6.15 HOW ASPECTS OF THE PROCESS ARE WORKING
6.16 CONCLUDING POINTS
CHAPTER SEVEN: MEDIA MONITORING
7.1 INTRODUCTION
7.2 MEDIA CONTENT
7.3 TONE OF REPORTING
7.4 SCOTTISH HEADLINES
7.5 IMPACT OF MEDIA
7.6 RESPONSES TO MEDIA COVERAGE
7.6.1 Service providers
7.6.2 Community organisations
7.6.3 Asylum Seekers
7.7 CONCLUDING POINTS
CHAPTER EIGHT: GOOD PRACTICE
8.1 INTRODUCTION
8.2 GOOD PRACTICE IN SERVICE PROVISION
8.2.1 Support for asylum seekers
8.2.2 The Education Service
8.2.3 The Health Service
8.2.4 The Police
8.2.5 Voluntary Organisations
8.2.6 Joint Working100
8.3 GOOD PRACTICE IN COMMUNITY RELATIONS
8.4 EXAMPLES FROM ELSEWHERE
8.4.1 Support for asylum seekers
8.4.2 The Education Service
8.4.3 The Health Service
8.4.4 Voluntary Organisations
8.5 POLICY AND PRACTICE LEARNING
8.6 CONCLUDING POINTS
CHAPTER NINE: KEY FINDINGS AND IMPLICATIONS
9.1 KEY FINDINGS
9.1.1 Service providers
9.1.2 Asylum seekers
9.1.3 Community groups
9.1.4 Other councils
9.1.5 Media
9.1.6 Good practice
9.2 KEY ISSUES AND IMPLICATIONS
9.2.1 Good practice
9.2.2 Community relations
9.2.3 Information needs
9.2.4 Devolved services
9.2.5 Voluntary sector
9.2.6 The media
9.2.7 Moving on
REFERENCES
APPENDIX ONE: SCOTTISH HEADLINES

The views expressed in this report are those of the researcher and
do not necessarily represent those of the Department or Scottish Ministers.

Further copies of this report are available priced 5.00. Cheques should be made payable to The Stationery Office Ltd and addressed to:

The Stationery Office
71 Lothian Road
Edinburgh
EH3 9AZ
Tel: 0870 606 5566
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