Beyond the NI Race Riots: A Student Social Worker’s Call for Solidarity
A serious incident; and an unacceptable response
As a student social worker in Northern Ireland, watching the serious knife attack in north Belfast and the disorder that followed has been difficult to process.
The attack was serious. A man has been charged and is scheduled to appear in court next month. But the subsequent riots, racist intimidation and attacks directed at people from minority ethnic backgrounds were not an acceptable response.
One individual’s actions cannot be used to blame, threaten or punish entire communities. Families who had nothing to do with the incident were left frightened in their homes. People going to work, taking their children to school or simply living in their neighbourhoods were made to feel unsafe because of their race, nationality or migration status.
That should concern all of us and it should particularly concern social workers.
Why this is a social work issue
Social work is rooted in human rights and social justice. These cannot just be words we use in lectures, supervision or policy documents. They have to mean something when communities are under pressure and when racism is being excused, minimised or ignored entirely.
As student social workers, we are taught to look beyond simple explanations. We learn that people’s lives are shaped by poverty, trauma, housing insecurity, discrimination, poor access to services and unequal opportunities.
Far-right narratives do the opposite. They take complex problems such as the housing crisis, pressure on public services or poverty and place the blame on visible minority groups. They make entire communities responsible for issues created by systemic inequality and political decision/indecision.
We need to be clear: concerns about housing, healthcare or local services can be real. But racism is not a solution to those concerns. Blaming migrants or minority ethnic communities does not create homes, shorten waiting lists or improve neighbourhoods. It simply creates fear and division.
What social workers can do
Social workers cannot resolve racism alone, but we can play an important role in challenging it.
That starts in our everyday practice. We can question assumptions in assessments and team discussions and challenge racist language and misinformation when we hear it. We can ensure families have access to interpreters, advocacy and information about how to report hate crime and/or intimidation.
We also need to recognise racist incidents as more than isolated “neighbour disputes” or “community tensions.” When someone is targeted because of their race, nationality or immigration status, this can affect their safety, mental health, housing, employment and children’s wellbeing; It is a safeguarding issue as well as an equality issue.
There is also a responsibility to support our own workforce. Social workers and social care staff from minority ethnic backgrounds or overseas may be feeling anxious about travelling to work, carrying out home visits or being visibly identifiable in their communities. Employers should be proactive, checking in with staff, reviewing lone-working arrangements, providing clear reporting routes and taking concerns seriously.
Building something stronger than fear
The answer cannot only be responding after harm has already happened. We need stronger relationships between schools, youth groups, community organisations, faith groups and minority ethnic-led organisations before a crisis begins.
Social workers can help create spaces where people can raise concerns, access accurate information and build relationships across difference. This is not about pretending difficult conversations do not exist. It is about making sure fear is not allowed to turn into blame.
Northern Ireland knows the damage division can do. As a student social worker, I want to enter a profession that learns from that history rather than repeats it.
That means being willing to listen, challenge, protect and connect. It means refusing the idea that dignity and safety are only for some people and it means choosing solidarity, even when division is louder.
For anyone who has been affected by the recent events in Northern Ireland, BASW has a professional support service which offers 1:1 wellbeing support. BASW members can access the service here.
Shannon is a BASW Student Ambassador currently studying at Queen's University Belfast.
