Last Updated on 22/07/2024
The Anti-Racism Accountability Group (ARAG) was set up in 2020 in response to events within the profession and wider society, which once again, brought into focus the continued pervasive and damaging impact of structural and systemic racism. We wanted to ensure that on the DClinPsy there is a group that is embedded in the course’s process and structure that can hold the course to account on its anti-racist practice.
With the establishment and ongoing oversight of ARAG, the programme has put into place a number of initiatives to:
- Establish a culture and expectation of anti-racist practice within the programme and within our external stakeholder groups: continually working towards race equity.
- Offer clarity, and work to establish safety, in the reporting of incidents of racism within the training context. This includes guidance and support in navigating Lancaster University and LSCFT reporting processes.
These initiatives include:
- Establishing a Reflective Space for trainees who experience racism to explore experiences of individual and systemic racism.
- Developing and utilising a trainee-led critical reflection tool to help us critically evaluate teaching on the programme.
- Supporting members of the staff team to undertake Whiteness in Clinical Psychology Training and then rollout the training to all staff and trainees.
- Day on ‘Anti-Racism as a Clinical Supervisor’ as part of Introductory Supervisor Training,
- Annual trainee Racism, Power & Privilege Survey.
- Each month all trainees and staff are given the opportunity to anonymously feedback on racist practices.
The ARAG meets once a month and its overall aims are:
- To explore, assess, collate and report systemic racist practice on the Lancaster DClinPsy programme
- To hold the DClinPsy to account for their actions regarding anti-racist practice
- Where appropriate, to address incidences and offer case by case solutions, in conjunction with LU and LSCFT policies and processes
- Where appropriate, to develop policies on anti-racist practice
- To provide an annual report on ARAG activity