Embedded Files
The Case
The Case
Zahrah is a single mum that has recently arrived in the area. She is currently pregnant with her second child and she is in the process of claiming asylum.
You learn that, before arriving in the area, Zahrah lived in London with her daughter, Anika, for four years and they did not have immigration documents. She came to the UK seeking a better life for both of them, and because she didn't want her daughter to be circumcised. Whilst in London, she lived with a male relative and a woman, but not with a partner. When she became pregnant a second time, they encouraged her to visit the hospital. As Zahrah and Anika were 'undocumented', she was resistant to seeking medical help, as she was afraid that contact with services would lead to them being made to return to her home country.
However, when Zahrah started to experience some health issues early in her pregnancy, she did have to visit an antenatal clinic. The midwives checked that she was okay and then she went home. Although they did not ask for her immigration documents, they suggested that she get in contact with a social worker to access some help.
Zahrah decided to follow this advice and, once in contact with the social worker in London, she was advised to start the process of claiming asylum. She did this and, as a result, she was moved to the city where you are working.
She and Anika are currently living in a hotel room. They have no social networks, they do not know the area, and Zahrah is worried because Anika often cries because she misses her friends in London.
Additional information shared by Zahrah
Additional information shared by Zahrah
"I came because they wanted to circumcise my daughter. So, I married into a family where most were circumcised, but my husband didn’t believe in circumcision and my husband tried to say no, so they tried to force me [...]. When they tried to do the same with my daughter, I managed to escape so I ran away from the house. So, I ran to a different state. "
"My daughter is sad. She cries because she is nine years old and she had some friends in the neighbourhood in London. There was a woman who helped me grow her, the person who hosted me. She’s crying that she doesn’t want to leave her family, because they are our family."
"I did not apply before to get asylum because people said they were going to deport us if we tried to do that. And I was not looking for anything that would make them deport us. So, I thought we can survive, let’s just live here, no-one knows us."
Additional information
Additional information
The Kumbala family are from Nigeria
Mum: Zahrah is 25 years old and 7 months pregnant.
Daughter: Anika is 9 years old.
Reflecting on 'cultural bias': Using the case study
Reflecting on 'cultural bias': Using the case study
NB: Case studies can be used by an individual, or to facilitate a group exercise for a team of practitioners.
Read the case study and write down:
Your immediate thoughts about the family in the case study.
Anything else that you would like to know, and why you would like to know this.
Anything that makes you feel uncomfortable and why this is the case.
Then consider:
How you would come into contact with Zahrah and/or Anika in your professional role.
Write down the specific questions you might ask Zahrah and/or Anika.
Write down any potential risks and strengths within this family.
Return to the notes that you made about anything you identified that makes you feel uncomfortable, or as a risk or strength. Then reflect on:
If and how any of the points you identified are influenced by assumptions - or 'automatic thoughts' - about the family's cultural background.
What factors influenced and informed the assumptions that you have made.
How your own cultural background has influenced or informed these assumptions.
Links to other themes
Links to other themes
The focus of this exercise is to explore the ways in which a practitioner's cultural heritage, existing knowledge about cultures, and dominant stereotypes and/or labels, can impact on their work with migrant families.
Each case study is also likely to prompt reflections related to the other themes considered on this website. The themes that may be of particular use for this case study are:
Page updated
Report abuse