In May 2001, following the deaths of some newly arrived immigrant children in the UK, Debbie Ariyo a UK Civil Servant, started what was then Africans Unite Against Child Abuse (AFRUCA) as a platform for advocating for the rights and welfare of African children. It became a Company Limited by Guarantee in October 2001 and a registered Charity in July 2002 with a Board of Trustees appointed to run the organisation. In February 2020, based on the expansion in its work and activities, the Board of Trustees resolved to change the name of the charity to AFRUCA – Safeguarding Children
Our History
We promote the well-being and protection of children and families in black and ethnic communities across the UK using a cultural-competent approach. We provide a range of prevention and early intervention services to address child abuse linked to cultural practices, child trafficking, modern slavery and exploitation. Through our network - The UK BME Anti-Slavery Network (BASNET), we work with others to influence equality, diversity and inclusion in modern slavery policy, research and practices. We are based in London and Manchester.
The 1989 UN Convention on the Rights of The Child and various UK Child Protection legislations provide the foundation for all our work at AFRUCA. We aim to promote the best interests of the child in all our activities. Our stance is that culture and religion should never be reasons to abuse, exploit or harm children.
Our Mission
Our Vision
Our vision is to see a world in which children from Black and Ethnic communities can live free of cruelty, exploitation and abuse at the hands of others.
OUR FIVE THEMATIC Work Areas
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Within Black and Ethnic communities and youths about children’s rights as enshrined in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and other international conventions and UK legislation promoting the rights, well-being and protection of children.
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To raise the profile of Black and Ethnic children in the UK, increase awareness of their needs, improve policies and practices, and develop the leadership potential of Black and Ethnic youths. Activities include research and publishing reports; media engagement; conferences, seminars, workshops, and training programmes for policy makers, service providers, parents, faith and community leaders, young people; communities.
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Working closely with policy makers to shape the development of policy and regulatory action to promote the well-being and protection of children.
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In partnership with others, to put in place programmes and projects to help relieve some of the suffering and hardship that Black and Ethnic children experience.
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Working to support children, young people and families in crisis or at the point of breakdown through effective early intervention and crisis intervention services.
AFRUCA and The Six Principles of Safeguarding Children
Protection
The best interests of the child is paramount. Our charity seeks to ensure children are safe from abuse, harm and exploitation and parents can provide a safe environment for their children.
Prevention and Early Intervention
Our work focuses on assessing the cultural and trans-cultural issues involved in child abuse and exploitation cases within and outside the family unit. We provide education programmes and toolkits on various child protection issues in different communities to help improve understanding of how to protect children from abuse, exploitation and harm.
Accountability
We receive the mandate for our work from the communities we serve. We serve as a bridge between our communities and the statutory services working to address child abuse, exploitation and trafficking.
Partnerships
AFRUCA works nationwide with statutory agencies, other charities, local authorities, law enforcement agencies, legal practitioners, communities, faith organisations and families in the safeguarding and protection of children.
Empowerment
AFRUCA works in a non-judgemental, non-oppressive manner to support families, communities to learn new skills, which would lead to better protection for children in communities and enable better parenting of children, providing a loving and nurturing environment and preventing abuse and harm.
Proportionality
We have zero tolerance of child abuse, child trafficking and exploitation. However, our intervention is based on the premise that change can occur through effective collaboration and joint-working with families and affected communities.
Our
People