Translating migration information to a local context: evidence from the Barnsley Migrant Worker Research project

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Translating migration information to a local
context evidence from the Barnsley Migrant
Worker Research project

• Robert MacKenzie, Chris Forde, Zyama Ciupijus
• 1st April 2011

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The Barnsley Migration Impact Fund project and
our research

• Barnsley Migration Impact Fund Initiative (funded
  2009-2010)
• Aimed to develop infrastructure and support
  networks to assist with integration on migrants
• Develop interventions to help alleviate pressure
  points in areas such as housing, policing,
  schooling, young people.
• As part of this initiative, researchers from
  University of Leeds were funded to provide
  evidence on numbers of migrants, their
  experiences and needs (Barnsley Migrant Worker
  research project)
• Research took place between December 2009 and May
  2010

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Aims of the Migrant worker research project

• Provide evidence from multiple statistical
  sources on the migrant population of Barnsley
• Identify the work places, schools, places of
  worship, places for social activities, and
  neighbourhoods in Barnsley where migrants were
  working/living/studying/socialising
• Provide evidence on the experiences of the
  migrant population in terms of accessing services
  in Barnsley, health, education, youth services,
  housing ,English language learning and other
  support services, particularly targeted towards
  the migrant population  (both formal and
  grassroots)
• Provide evidence on experiences and needs of the
  migrant population with regards to work
• Provide the Steering Group with a better
  understanding of the issues facing migrants
  living/working in Barnsley.

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The research

• Project ran from December 09- April 2010
• Two phase approach combining quantitative
  statistical analysis and qualitative data
• Phase 1 Analysis of existing secondary data
  sources
• National statistical data Worker Registration
  Scheme, National Insurance Number Database, GP
  registration records .
• All three were disaggregated to local level,
  allowing for comparative and longitudinal views
• Meta-analysis of locally provided data from
  Migration Impact Fund Steering Group

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The research (2)

• Phase 2 Conversations with migrants
• Scoping interviews with support groups
  representatives (9)
• In depth interviews with individuals and families
  (20)
• 3 Focus groups (30)
• Non-participant observation at community centre,
  church and shop

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Phase 1 Finding Barnsleys migrant population

• 2510 National insurance numbers issued to
  migrants from the A10 accession countries between
  2002-2009
• National sources suggest a return rate of 50-60
  this would suggest a figure of around 1250
  migrants remaining in Barnsley
• Sharp fall in the numbers issued since 2007
• 75 of NI numbers issued to Polish migrants
• Numbers as proportion of working age population
  1.8
• For comparison, proportions are higher in
  Bradford (4.1), Doncaster (4.1), Wakefield
  (3.2), Leeds (2.8), Sheffield (2.2), Rotherham
  (2.1)

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Worker Registration Scheme Data

• 1200 migrant workers registered with employers in
  Barnsley between May 2004 and September 2009
• Numbers peaked in 2007, and have fallen during
  recession
• Majority of registrants are young (75 aged
  between 18 and 34), and male (61).
• Wage rates concentrated around the minimum wage.
• Registrants concentrated in labouring, food
  processing, packaging, process operatives

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Reflections on WRS/NINo data sources

• National Insurance numbers and WRS data useful
  for comparing across Local Authorities/regions
• Also useful for looking at changes over time
• Unlikely to suffer from double counting
  problems

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Reflections on data sources (2)

• Neither NINO or WRS identifies outflows
• WRS only covers 8 Central European countries
• WRS does not cover self-employed or family
  members of registered migrants
• Both are more likely to pick up migrants in
  formalised, regular employment
• WRS is employer-led so may pick up region of
  work, rather than residence
• NINo more inclusive
• - potential to pick up spouses/partners who are
  not working
• - more likely to identify residence of migrants
• but it will not pick up non-regular (illegal)
  migrant workers

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Other official sources of data

• Flag 4 GP registrations
• There were 4573 registrations with GPs in
  Barnsley by new arrivals from outside the UK
  between 2001 and 2008 (includes economic migrants
  and other new arrivals)
• Registrations peaked in 2007
• Registrations in 2008 equated to 0.4 of the
  Barnsley population
• This proportion is much lower than many other
  local authorities in Yorkshire
• Outflows of migrants
• no robust local authority data
• Intended length of stay responses by Worker
  Registration Scheme respondents gives some
  indication
• 57 of respondents in Barnsley said their
  intended length of stay was less than 3 months

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Reflections on GP data

• Flag 4s may be generated when an individual
  registers with an NHS GP if
• An individual was born outside the UK and enters
  England and Wales for the first time and
  registers with a NHS GP
• An individuals registration will also generate a
  Flag 4 if the previous address of an individual
  is reported as outside the United Kingdom, and
  time spent outside the UK is more than three
  months.
• Data do not allow us to distinguish between
  migrant workers, asylum seekers and refugees
• Migrant workers much less likely to register with
  a GP than other groups
• Perhaps data is most useful for tracking changes
  over time

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Data from local agenciesworking with migrants

• The following data were provided to us by local
  agencies
• This helped build a more representative picture
  of migrants in Barnsley
• Schools data
• Language as a mother tongue in schools in
  Barnsley
• Data on proportion of pupils in Barnsley schools
  for whom English is a second language
• Berneslei homes data on residents ethnicity
• Barnsley Community Safety Partnership data on
  racial harassment

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Schools data
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Schools data
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Schools data
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Phase 2 Conversations with Migrants

• Coming to Barnsley
• Decision informed by variety of motives
• Social contacts and labour market intermediaries
  played an important role
• Working in Barnsley
• Employment concentrated in labour intensive, low
  paid jobs
• Major employers Repak, Cranswick, Symphony,
  Koyo, Next, Ventura, Fosters Bakery, Freshpack
• Long working hours the norm
• Reports of bad treatment
• For some, work experience has improved over time

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Conversations with migrants

• Qualitative data provided insight into the
  experiences and needs of migrants
• This allowed us to examine in more detail some of
  the areas of interest to the Barnsley Migration
  impact Initiative
• Qualitative approach allowed key themes to
  emerge

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Living in Barnsley

• Neighbourhoods and Housing
• Geographic dispersal of migrant community
• Some concentration in Sheffield Road, Doncaster
  Road and Summer Lane
• Important locations for new arrivals (proximity
  to workplaces) but longer residence leads to
  search for better housing in other areas
• Largely reliant on private rental accommodation
• Long waiting lists for public housing
• Housing churn leading to problems with developing
  relationships and communication with welfare
  services

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Social, Religious and Community Activities

• Varied social activities
• Little suggestion of either concentration or
  exclusion from particular locations (e.g. pubs,
  bars)
• Socialise with migrant communities in other towns
  and cities
• Holly Rood Church important centre for Polish
  community

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Experience of Intolerance

• Experiences of intolerance widespread
• Manifestations of xenophobia go beyond race
• Poles often targeted on basis of numbers and
  perceived impact on local employment
• Increased since the economic downturn
• However, participants stressed their positive
  experiences of living in Barnsley
• Reported defending Barnsley against the
  perceptions of others

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The Experiences of Young People

• Generally positive experiences of school
• Good interaction with local young people
• Desire to finish school in UK and go on to higher
  education and/or employment
• Retain strong attachment to Polish origins
• Limited options for leisure time

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Accessing Healthcare, English and Community
Based Support

• Healthcare
• Waiting times for appointments
• Difficulty accessing specialists
• Paracetamol culture
• Lag in provision for chronic conditions
• Communication issues due to language
• English Language Training
• See as key avoiding social exclusion and
  accessing services
• Problems with access to ESOL classes due to
  working hours
• Gender dimension to accessing language training
• Important role played by voluntary organisations
  and community groups

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Conclusions

• Publicly available data useful fro tracking
  trends, and for comparisons between local
  authorities
• But these can only provide a partial picture of
  the population of new arrivals, their experiences
  and needs
• These data may help to identify key issues
• Local agency data along with qualitative data
  necessary for a more complete picture