Inequality can often be built into systems and hard to see.
The Research in Practice briefing on anti-racist systems leadership highlights how Black and Global Majority children and adults are treated by the services meant to support them. Our briefing on promoting anti-racism in children and family services sets out why acting on the impact of racism is both important and timely.
As Essex County Council's anti-racist practice team describe, discomfort and silence around race can stall change, and many practitioners want to act but often lack the confidence to start.
Our wider body of work on equity, anti-racism and inclusion points to a range of approaches that help diversity, equity and inclusion move from a statement to practice.
Some of the things we know work include leading at the level of the system: and helping leaders understand how racism is built into policies, tools and practice across organisations and partnerships, and its principles transfer to other forms of discrimination too.
Another is using an intersectional lens: the Equity: Change Project, developed with academics, practitioners and people with lived experience, shows how intersectionality can increase equity – from direct practice to leadership and whole systems. It offers 28 practical and reflective tools, while Dr Suryia Nayak's blog explains why intersectionality is vital to anti-discriminatory practice.
A third is making change structural: at Essex, a dedicated anti-racist practice role has helped change recruitment practices and made anti-racism a more normal part of team conversations.
As the Equity: Change Project authors put in a quote:
Social justice work is emotional labour.
What helped them through the discomfort was a shared sense of purpose – and that is what learning alongside peers can offer. At Lewisham Council, for example, reflective anti-racist thinking spaces and a staff network have given colleagues room to share experiences and learn together.
Building on two successful events for diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) leads, we are launching a DEI Community of Practice. Please join us to share regular, honest conversation and learning.
We aim to ensure that members feel better equipped and more confident in progressing their DEI priorities.
Diversity, equity and inclusion: Community of practice
10:00-12:00, 8 December 2026
Research in Practice and National Children's Bureau are committed to advancing diversity, equity and inclusion.
Join our dedicated Community of Practice. It is open to colleagues who:
lead or contribute to diversity, equality, equity and inclusion in their organisation
support or coordinate employee networks.
Diversity, equity and inclusion: Community of Practice
Research and Practice and National Children's Bureau are committed to advancing diversity, equity and inclusion. Join our dedicated Community of Practice.
Equity: Change Project
Use intersectionality to explore the practices, attitudes and actions needed to overcome barriers, challenge oppression and increase equity in adult social care.
Anti-racist systems leadership to address systemic racism: Strategic Briefing (2024)
This briefing offers an overview of anti-racist systems leaderships. It includes concepts, resources and practice tools to support leaders to develop critical thinking and work in partnership to establish anti-racist systems.
Promoting anti-racism in children and family services
This briefing explains why taking action to acknowledge and address the impact of racism within the context of children and family services is both important and timely. The content is relevant for anyone working within children and family services regardless of role or level or seniority.
Why intersectionality is vital to anti-discriminatory practice
Because no one is just their race, and people impacted by racism are also simultaneously impacted by other forms of inequality and oppression, we need a method to understand the holistic impact of multiple oppression – that method is intersectionality.
Transforming anti-racist leadership in Lewisham Council
Kiren Ali, Sara Taylor, Julia Stennett, and Karen Morgan outline how social care leaders in Lewisham Council are supporting anti-racist leadership and the impact this work has had on staff and the children and families that they support.