A community in the shadows: experiences of a Somali community in Birmingham (21 February 2024)

Summary

In Birmingham, eight out of 10 Somali children live in ‘poor’ households with low levels of economic activity and high rates of mental health issues, such as PTSD. In the UK, six in 10 (59%) people in the Somali community live in overcrowded accommodation, compared to fewer than one in 10 (8%) of the overall population. Meanwhile, studies show that many Somali people find it difficult to access health and social care services, due to language and socio-economic barriers.

Suad Duale is a community activist, clinician, mother and researcher who grew up as a Somali refugee in Birmingham. In this blog for The King's Fund, she describes how unfair treatment of the Somali community leads to a collective lack of trust in professionals, particularly in the health system. She describes the issues contributing to the disparities faced by the community, including a lack of people from the Somali community in leadership roles who are able to advocate for the needs of the community. She describes the work of Dream Chaser Youth Club in Birmingham, where she volunteers by acting as a link to help people from the Somali community connect with health and care services.