Using Constructivist Grounded Theory to Examine the Experiences of Black British Female Managers: A Worked Example

Staff working at children and young people’s services (CYPS) are often charged with the responsibility of restructuring, developing, and putting into effect policies and procedures that are supposed to safeguard their clients and their colleagues from the effects of institutional racism. However, there continues to be incongruences between some leaders’ espoused commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion, and their actions. In this paper, I draw on a larger research project to critically reflect on the usefulness of constructivist grounded theory (CGT) as a methodological approach for developing understandings about the experiences of 10 Black British female managers working for CYPS. To demonstrate the utility of CGT, I share extracts from interviews, examples of my reflexive accounts (or memos), and my findings are discussed. In essence, the findings illustrate challenging practices that prevent Black British women from progressing their careers, including subtle and explicit forms of racial prejudice, discrimination, and institutionalized racism. In this sense, it can be concluded that despite CGT research being an intense and time-consuming endeavor, it is an effective method for developing insightful understandings about discriminatory practices that can thwart Black British women’s careers in CYPS.