By Dr. David Patton
Associate Professor in Criminology, University of Derby
This synthesis draws together five complementary sources that, taken as a whole, offer a longitudinal and cross‑sector view of how ethnically and culturally diverse communities in Scotland experience services related to inclusion, mental health, alcohol and other drugs, and recovery, and what it would take to make those systems culturally safe and equitable. The IN‑Ren Strategic Action Plan is a co‑created roadmap that emerged from the Integration Network Renfrewshire’s relaunch and early network days, capturing priorities across housing, health, language access, employability, stigma, trust, and capacity building as articulated by member organisations and grassroots groups. The IN‑Ren Community Partnership & Collaboration Event Report reflects a one‑day convening of more than sixty participants from lived experience, community groups, third sector organisations, and public services, distilling cross‑cutting issues and near‑term opportunities aligned with the action plan.
Towards Culturally Safe Systems: A Thematic Synthesis of five reports for Recovery and Inclusion in Scotland (2008–2025)
March 2026