Diversity, inclusion and anti-racism resources
We’re sharing a collection of resources that can be used to support good practice around diversity, equality and inclusion within the speech and language therapy profession.
We will be working with members to identify gaps in the guidance and resources currently available, as well as barriers to implementation.
RCSLT resources
- Podcast: Anti-racism in speech and language therapy – Leaders of the network group SLTs of Colour (Angela Whiteley, Heeral Davda and Dorett Davis) chat with the RCSLT’s chair, Mary Heritage, about the need for anti-racism awareness in the profession and the ways this is being taken forwards.
- Anti-racism in speech and language therapy programme of learning – A collection of learning materials as part of the RCSLT’s Anti-racism in speech and language therapy event, which took place in May 2021. These resources can be used to start conversations in your own workplace.
- Focus on Diversity – To mark Black History Month 2021 we celebrated our Focus on Diversity columnists by sharing their articles online.
- LGBTQ+ history month 2022 – A collection of Bulletin articles that explore some of the issues that LGBTQ+ SLTs and service users face.
- Bulletin: The Diversity Issue (PDF) – The July 2020 issue of Bulletin focused on how we can create equality, inclusion and opportunity for all across the profession.
- Careers and diversity fast facts – Statistics about the speech and language therapy student population.
- Supporting SLTs with disabilities in the workplace: a guide for all – A guide on supporting qualified SLTs, SLTAs, and SLT students with disabilities in the workplace, written in consultation with the RCSLT disability working group. It is designed for everyone, including disabled SLTs/SLTAs and students, managers, colleagues, and placement coordinators.
RCSLT news and updates
- Applications open for RCSLT Board Selection Panel members – 4 March 2022
- RCSLT welcomes new report calling for action to tackle ethnic inequalities in healthcare – 16 February 2022
- RCSLT members vote for board reforms at 2021 AGM – 12 November 2021
- Changing the RCSLT for the better – 15 October 2021
- Diversity and the future of the profession top agenda at RCSLT Board meeting – 21 July 2021
- Marking the one-year anniversary of George Floyd’s death – 25 May 2021
- Supporting equality, diversity and inclusion in speech and language therapy pre-registration degrees – 21 May 2021
- An update on the RCSLT’s diversity and anti-racism work – 24 July 2020
- Black Lives Matter: An update on the RCSLT’s diversity and anti-racism work – 15 July 2020
- Black Lives Matter: A statement – 4 June 2020
External resources
Cultural competence and speaking up
- Cultural competence e-learning – The first two modules are aimed at all healthcare professionals. The first session aims to describe what is meant by ‘culture’ and why it is important for health professionals to be aware of how this can impact health. The second session describes cultural competence and its importance for health professionals working across cross-cultural situations. The third session is aimed solely at midwives.
- Freedom to Speak Up programme – An online training programme aimed at helping healthcare workers to understand the vital role they can play to support a culture of speaking up in the workplace.
Leadership, management and recruitment
- Leadership for clinicians e-learning – Designed to support clinicians, of all professions, to develop an understanding of their role in contributing to the management and leadership of healthcare services.
- Clinical leadership – a framework for action – A 2019 guide for senior leaders on developing professional diversity at board level from NHS Improvement.
- NHS Leadership Academy – A set of leadership programmes for healthcare professionals at every level, including resources and actions for inclusion, equality and diversity.
- NHS Employers – Improving diversity in recruitment practices in the NHS
- Supporting the wellbeing and mental health of people of colour and Black people – guidance and webinars from the Mental Health Foundation.
Migrant health guide
- Migrant health guide – collection of Public Health England advice and guidance on the health needs of migrant patients for healthcare practitioners.
Putting in the work: An anti-racist reading and resource list
Articles
- The Guardian: Young, British and black – the voices behind the UK’s anti-racism protests
- CNN: Employees are tired of companies paying lip service to diversity
- Fast Company: How to be a less biased version of yourself
- Fast Company: How to confirm bias without alienating people
- Harvard Business Review: How leaders around the world build trust across cultures
- Medium: How to make this moment the turning point for real change
- Medium: Letter to a white man
- The Atlantic: America’s racial contract is showing
- White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack (PDF) by Peggy McIntosh
- Medium: Where do I donate? Why is the uprising violent? Should I go protest?
Videos
- Stay Woke: The Black Lives Matter Movement documentary (2016)
- TED Talks: Baratunde Thurston – How to deconstruct racism, one headline at a time
- TED Talks: Megan Ming Francis – Let’s get to the root of racial injustice
- Unfiltered with James O’Brien: Rapper, poet and scholar Akala deconstructs race, class, and Britain’s modern myths
- CrashCourse: Racial/Ethnic prejudice and discrimination
- The New York Times: A conversation about growing up black
- Big Think: Robin DiAngelo – Being nice is not going to end racism
- Color of Change: Tell Black stories
Books
- Springer Nature research publisher – A collection of books, articles and journals that endorse the statement Black Lives Matter
- Cambridge University Press – Protests, policing and race collection
- Why I’m No Longer Talking to White People About Race by Reni Eddo-Lodge
- Me and White Supremacy: How to Recognise Your Privilege, Combat Racism and Change the World by Layla F Saad
- Between The World And Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates
- Black Skin, White Masks by Frantz Fanon
- Whitewashing Britain: Race and citizenship in the postwar era by Kathleen Paul
- White Fragility: Why is it so hard for white people to talk about racism by Robin DiAngelo
- How to be less stupid about race by Crystal M Fleming
- Natives: Race and class in the ruins of Empire by Akala
- So you want to talk about race by Ijeoma Oluo
- White Rage: the unspoken truth of our racial divide by Carol Anderson
- The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the age of colorblindness by Michelle Alexander
- Women, Race, and Class by Angela Davis
- Small Great Things by Jodi Picoult
- The Good Immigrant by Nikesh Shukla
- Raising Free People: Unschooling As Liberation and Healing Work by Akilah S Richards
- Speech and Language Therapy and Professional Identity: Challenging Received Wisdom by Jane Stokes and Marian McCormick
- Arday, J and Mirza, HS (2018) Dismantling Race in Higher Education: Racism, Whiteness and Decolonising the Academy. London: Palgrave Macmillan.
- Pierce, C, Carew, J, Pierce-Gonzalez, D, and Willis, D (1978) An experiment in racism: TV commercials. In Pierce, C (Ed), Television and education (pp 62–88). Beverly Hills, CA: Sage.
- The Sum of Us: what racism costs everyone and how we can prosper together by Heather McGhee (2022)
- Rebel Ideas: The Power of Diverse Thinking by Matthew Syed (2019)
Resources
For families and children
Videos
- NYU Langone Health: Talking to children about racism
- TED Talks: Biz Lindsay-Ryan – Why we need to talk to children about race and difference
Charities
- Black Lives Matter UK
- Show Racism the Red Card
- Runnymede
- Blueprint for all (formerly known as Stephen Lawrence Charitable Trust)
- Stand Up to Racism
- SARI Stand Against Racism and Inequality
- Black Thrive – a partnership for black wellbeing
Microaggressions
These resources discuss microaggressions – what they are, guidance on how to challenge them, and tools to create a more inclusive culture in workplaces and beyond.
Websites
- Imperial College London: Microaggressions – what you should know
- Royal Pharmaceutical Society: Microaggressions
- Edinburgh University: Microaggressions
- The Micropedia of Microaggressions
Books
- Derald Wing Sue (ed) (2010) Microaggressions and Marginality: Manifestation, Dynamics and Impact. Wiley.
- Kevin L Nadal (2018) Microaggressions and Traumatic Stress: Theory, Research, and Clinical Treatment. American Psychological Association.
- Kevin L Nadal (2013) That’s So Gay!: Microaggressions and the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Community. American Psychological Association.
Articles
- Sue, DW et al (2007) Racial Microaggressions in Everyday Life. American Psychological Association.
- Nadal, Kevin L (2008) Preventing Racial, Ethnic, Gender, Sexual Minority, Disability, and Religious Microaggressions: Recommendations for Promoting Positive Mental Health in Prevention in Counselling Psychology: Theory, Research, Practice and Training (pp 22-27). American Psychological Association.
- Solorzano, D, Ceja, M and Yosso, T (2000) Critical race theory, racial microaggressions, and campus racial climate: The experiences of African American college students. The Journal of Negro Education. 69(1/2), 60-73.
Videos
- Derald Wing Sue: Microaggressions in everyday life. Wiley.
- Derald Wing Sue: Microaggressions in the Classroom: Manifestation, Dynamics and Impact. American Psychological Association.
Bullying
These resources discuss workplace bullying and harassment and provide guidance on how to handle these issues.
Websites
- Bullying UK: Workplace bullying resources
- Gov.uk: Workplace bullying and harassment
- Smart Pension: How to handle workplace bullying
- NHS: Bullying at work
- Royal College of Nursing: Bullying harassment and stress
- Royal College of Nursing: Bullying and harassment
- ACAS: Discrimination, bullying and harassment
- Mind: How to be mentally healthy at work: Difficult work relations
Books
- Adams, A (1992) Bullying At Work: How to Confront and Overcome It. Virago.
- Thompson, R (2013) ‘Do No Harm’ Applies To Nurses Too! Pittsburgh: Incredible Messages Press.
- Oade, A (2017) Bullying in Teams: How to Survive It and Thrive. Oade Associates Ltd.
- Oade, A (2015) Free Yourself From Workplace Bullying. Oade Associates Ltd.
- Oade, A (2010) Working in Adversarial Relationships. Oade Associates Ltd.
- Oade, A (2009) Managing Workplace Bullying. Oade Associates Ltd.
- Fields, T (1996) Bully in sight: how to predict, resist, challenge and combat workplace bullying. Success Unlimited.
Academic research and evidence-based practice
Our page on inclusive research and evidence-based practice supports SLTs to carry out inclusive, culturally appropriate and anti-racist research and to understand the current landscape of academia in relation to diversity and inclusion.
Through the RCSLT’s Sage research methods package, members can access the following titles and chapters for free:
- Jackson, P (2000) Race and racism. In: Research training for social scientists, p 49-58.
- Johns, T (2008) Learning to Love Our Black Selves: Healing from Internalized Oppressions. In: Peter Reason, and Hilary Bradbury (Eds) The SAGE Handbook of Action Research (2nd edition), p 473-486.
- Vavrus, M (2017) A Decolonial Alternative to Critical Approaches to Multicultural and Intercultural Teacher Education. In: The SAGE Handbook of Research on Teacher Education, p 473-490.
- Journal of the National Black Association for Speech-Language and Hearing – an international, peer-reviewed e-journal concerning communication disorders and differences within socially, culturally, and linguistically diverse populations, with an emphasis on those populations who are under-served.