Multicultural parenting: Preparation for bias socialisation in British South Asian and White families in the UK

Ethnic–racial socialisation describes how parents transmit information, perspectives and values relating to race and ethnicity to their children in highly multicultural societies such as the United Kingdom. It serves as an important parenting tool to manage increased diversity. One type of ethnic–racial socialisation is preparation for bias, in which parents aim to make children aware of discrimination and how to deal with it. Current research in the UK has neglected this area, particularly for second generation families, members of the host society and younger children. This paper discusses qualitative findings from an in-depth cross-cultural study focusing on 36 British non-immigrant White, Indian and Pakistani families with children between 5-7 years old. Using semi-structured interviews, the study aimed to understand mothers’ use of preparation for bias strategies in anticipation of their children experiencing discrimination or following racist incidents in highly multicultural environments.Mothers and children from all groups were found to have experienced discrimination and subsequently preparation for bias socialisation was used frequently by parents. The majority of British Pakistani families reported using preparation strategies whilst it was least reported in the British Indian families, with White families reporting intermediary use. Setting was particularly important in White families who discussed ‘informal segregation’ as causing a transformation in their neighbourhood and causing them to feel they were in the minority and thus more prone to experiencing discrimination. The study contributes to and increases understandings of ethnic-racial socialisation and will inform policy and theory on family life in relation to intercultural relations between both ethnic minority and majority groups.