Project Location: London-wide
Project Contact: Justin Bahunga, Policy and Network Development Officer
Project Funders: Trust for London

Project Information:

The Safeguarding African Children Network has been established by AFRUCA to provide an opportunity for mutual learning and support among African communities and faith organisations working in the area of or interested in the safeguarding of African children in London. The Network also aims to bring to the attention of policy makers and practitioners issues and concerns regarding the protection needs of African children and their own experiences and expertise in addressing them. Feedback from the network informs the design and delivery of our National Training programme for Practitioners Working with Black African Children and Families.

Activities of the network

We have organised different workshops at which representatives from statutory bodies were invited so members can learn and input into their work with black African children and families. The workshops explored the following themes: “the role of African community organisations in safeguarding African children”, “the role of the Independent Safeguarding Authority in safeguarding African children”, “the relevance of the Every Child Matters agenda to African children”, and “the negative impact of child abuse of the life chances of African children”. A number of senior officials from the statutory and voluntary have been invited to make presentations on these issues. The officials have included the former Head of Children In Need at Hackney Council, Stefan Chapleo, the Community Partnership advisor of Hackney Council, Mr Leethen Bartholomew, the Chief Executive of ISA (Independent Advisory Authority), Adrian McAllister, and the Chief Executive of the Damilola Trust, Michael Jervis.

A key issue pre-occupying members of the Network has been the growing reports of children branded as witches or as possessed by evil spirits. In the aftermath of the Channel Four Dispatches Programme: "Britain's Witch Children" screened on 26 July 2010, the Network organised a community meeting to discuss the programme and how the African community can start to address it. A Roundtable Meeting of NGOs interested in this issue was conveyed as a result with a view to conducting joint campaigning work to lobby for changes in legislation to criminalise the branding of children as witches.

Impact of the Network

The Network has enabled mutual learning among African organisations by bringing together experiences and knowledge of more than 80 representatives from African community on the status of African children in the UK. The mutual learning is based on individual experiences on what works in raising children in the UK.

Adrian McCallister, Chief Executive of the Independent Safeguarding Authority addresses Network members

Direct exchange between African community leaders and senior officials in the statutory sector has helped improve communication between statutory agencies and African community groups. A number of key themes have been explored including: the role of African community organisations in safeguarding African children; the work of the Independent Safeguarding Authority; children in need and the role of Social Services; The negative impact of abuse on child development, child poverty in the African community.

Furthermore, the Network has attracted staff from voluntary and statutory agencies who come to learn from experiences and knowledge of grassroots African organisations on issues related to the safeguarding of African children. These have included The Medical Foundation, International Organisation for Migration, Westminster Befriending Family, and others.

Members at a Network meeting

Future Activities:

• Continue to invite statutory agencies to talk about their work so that members learn, input and influence policy accordingly
• Organise workshops and seminars on issues that are of special concern to members
• Promote partnership working among members & explore areas where members can embark on joint research
• Promote peer support and mentoring for member organisations i.e. funding
• Organise consultative meetings for young Africans to enable them input into the work of the Network
• Agree on joint priorities for action that can contribute to the wellbeing of African children and on ways of implementing them.
• Pursuing different strategies for influencing policy and practice
• Assist members to build their capacities through signposting to help and support.
• There are also plans to extend membership of the Network to other cities in England where AFRUCA is working. AFRUCA is working with community groups in Manchester to establish a network in line with the London based network.