Safeguarding Children's Rights
Safeguarding Children's Rights was set up in 2007 to address the issue of faith-based child abuse linked to beliefs in spirit possession. Although this is a problem across many cultures and faiths, the initiative focuses on London's African communities as it was established in response to concerns raised with Trust for London by African community groups we were already funding.
Aim
To develop and/or strengthen community-based preventive work to protect the rights of children enshrined in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and to ensure the safety, well-being and positive quality of life of African children living in London, with a particular focus on tackling faith-based abuse linked to a belief in spirit possession.
Objectives
- Work with Families - To raise awareness of child protection issues, the needs of children, and positive approaches to parenting and discipline among families, and to provide support as appropriate and to increase the accessibility and availability of information and support in relation to disabled children.
- Work with Children and Young People - To strengthen the voice of children within local communities and encourage work that ensures children are listened to.
- Work with Places of Worship - to increase the knowledge of children's rights and implementation of child protection policies, safe recruitment procedures, good practice guidelines and children's rights legislation, and to increase the awareness of child development, among faith leaders and congregations.
- Policy Work - To assist local community groups in raising awareness among statutory services and the large children's charities, concerning the needs of the community in relation to safeguarding children, and so to influence services.
Funding
The total amount invested in this initiative is around £750,000 including grants to:
Africa Policy Research Network (APORENet) promotes human rights and good race relations. Its core activity is a Human Rights in the Community project, funded by the Big Lottery, which works with African communities in London to find solutions to cultural practices which harm children. It has run over 300 sessions involving almost 500 people. Trust for London is supporting the Co-ordinator's post and new work to support 'agents of change', identified through the community human rights project.
AFRUCA (Africans Unite Against Child Abuse) is one of the UK's leading charities campaigning against the abuse and exploitation of African children. Its work includes a specialist training programme for frontline staff, facilitating the Safeguarding African Children Network of community organisations, and advice to local Safeguarding Children Boards and Children's Services.
UK Congolese Safeguarding Action Group is a collaborative partnership of five community organisations, which aims to promote the well-being of Congolese children. The lead organisation is Bantu Welfare Future Builder. Funding has supported the creation of a new Family Centre for Lingala-speaking families in north London, as well as parenting skills classes, a youth forum, one-to-one support to parents and children, and a regular broadcast on Congolese community TV in the UK.
Churches Child Protection Advisory Service (CCPAS) is an independent Christian charity providing professional child protection advice, support and training to churches, faith and other organisations. Funding from the initiative is towards CCPAS's work with African-led churches in London, including extensive training and one-to-one support around the development of policies and good working practice.
The Victoria Climbié Foundation emerged from the tragic death of Victoria Climbié, the result of ritual abuse by her guardian and the systematic failure of statutory bodies to prevent this abuse. Victoria's parents and the current Director set up the organisation to campaign for better child protection and effective co-ordination between statutory agencies, care services and BME communities. As part of the Safeguarding Children's Rights Initiative, VCF is working with statutory services and African community groups in the London boroughs of Harrow and Hillingdon, including delivering training and workshops.
Timescale
2007 - 2012