Strategies to better safeguard children in
highly diverse communities
Research undertaken for Tower Hamlets LSCB
1
The commission
To review the
approaches taken by
LBTH in meeting the
safeguarding needs of
BME children and young
people; and to identify
possible developments
for the future.
2
The concerns
• Possible under and over representation of
children from some ethnic groups in referrals
to social care, amongst those subject to a child
protection plan and those in care.
• Are we doing the right things to safeguard all
Tower Hamlets children equally well?
• Are we doing them well enough?
3
The research approach
This was a 4 month research project in 2 phases:
• Initial ‘intelligence gathering’ interviews, data
analysis and a literature review
• Interviews with 31 informants from Children’s
Services and the voluntary & community sector
• Research team from Coram and DMSS
4
The demographics
• The overall LBTH population is 51% white, 34%
Bangladeshi and 15% other ethnic groups
• GLA Projections for 2009 estimate that in the
under 19 population
– 60% are Bangladeshi
– 23% are white
– 17% are from other ethnic groups
5
The statistics
Problematic due to:
• Population data
• Small numbers
• Some poor recording of ethnic group
Therefore tentative conclusion:
• Bangladeshi children are slightly under-represented
in referrals, those subject to a CP plan and in care.
White children are over-represented in care and
slightly under-represented in referrals.
But what does this mean?
6
The evidence base
Possible factors contributing to the differential
representation of BME children within the child
protection system:
•
•
•
•
Poverty and social exclusion
Discrimination and institutional racism
Theoretical perspectives within social work
Denial of some forms of harm (e.g. sexual abuse,
domestic violence)
• Cultural variations in child rearing practices
7
Findings 1
What works in Tower Hamlets
• Established commitment and ‘cultural competence’
• The development of the Muslim Safeguarding Children
Coordinator and the African Families Service
• Strong links with faith organisations
• Progress towards a workforce that reflects the
community
• Progress on domestic violence services, private fostering,
and some harmful traditional practices
• Inter-departmental cooperation
• Systematic use of ethnic monitoring data
8
Lessons from the work of the Muslim Children’s
Safeguarding Coordinator
and the African Families Service
What’s worked?
• Building relationships with Imams and Pastors: working through mosques
and churches
• Community seminars and conferences
• Case consultation
• Support from senior management
• Collaborative, committed coordinator
Future needs
• Outreach directly to Muslim women both within the Bangladeshi and
Somali communities
• Providing more basic safeguarding information
• More culturally aware parenting support
• Attention to structure, strategy and remit
9
Findings 2
•
•
•
•
•
Barriers - especially for smaller/newer
communities
Fears and anxieties
Legal status
Language
Workforce representation
Use of the voluntary sector
10
Findings 3
•
•
•
•
Issues and unmet needs
Domestic violence (identified in 58% of
safeguarding cases)
Gender, generation, identity and culture
Children in care (75% placed out-of-borough)
Abusive practices linked to beliefs
11
Recommendations - 1
1. A more integrated approach to meeting the
needs of all BME communities:
With additional resources to:
• Achieve greater involvement of Muslim women
• Reach Somali, Chinese and Vietnamese
communities, and smaller and newer
• Reach out through other routes than
faith organisations
12
Recommendations - 2
2. The development of a joint strategy for
domestic violence work.
3. Ensuring a joined up approach between
safeguarding and parenting support to BME
families
4. Improving data collection
13
Recommendations - 3
LBTH should also consider:
• Training for new staff on BME issues
• Improving interpreting provision - especially access to
interpreting in emergency situations
• Employing staff from a wider range of communities
• Better mental health provision for children and young people
in care – especially asylum seekers.
• Sustain good progress on private foster care
• Wider dialogue with BME communities about why children go
into care and what happens to them there.
• Recruit and support more foster and adoptive parents from
different communities
14
The conclusion
Strategies to better safeguard children in
highly diverse communities need to
•Draw on reliable evidence
•Develop formal & informal networks
•Think ethnicity, faith, gender &
generation
• Ensure support from the top
• Aim for a workforce reflecting the
community
• Design an an integrated strategy to
address diverse communities – while
working with individual communities
15
Thank you for listening
For further information, please
contact: sara@dmss.co.uk
or sophie@coram.org.uk
16