CHILD ABUSE LINKED TO BELIEF IN SPIRIT POSSESSION: A LOCAL PERSPECTIVE Michael MacKay Group Manager

Newham : The Local Context

• Population of 240,000 • 75,000 children and young people • High population churn with estimated 20% of population either leaving or arriving in the borough each year • 35% of school pupils have English as their first language • 4000 children and young people have a disability Slide 2

Newham : The Local Context

• • • • • Ethnicity Breakdown White 28% Black Caribbean 6.5% Black African 16.5% Black Other 3% Pakistani 11.1% • • • • • Bangladeshi 10.6% Chinese 1.6% Other Asian 5% Other 5.7% Total BAME 72.1% Slide 3

Newham : The Local Context

• 2500 children and young people have a learning disability • 450 children and young people are in care • 310 children and young people have a child protection plan • 94 known faith based groups/organisations Slide 4

The KB Case

• Kristy and siblings from France on holiday December 2010 • Not known to local agencies • Kristy died 25/12/2010 • Eric and Magalie had lived in London since they were children. Not known to Newham based agencies.

• Eric had been in care as young man. Limited knowledge of Magalie’s background • Eric and Magalie found guilty of murder • Press coverage focused on aspect of spirit possession/witchcraft Slide 5

Newham's Response

• Newham Safeguarding Children Board more focused on this issue • Needed to understand more • Under reporting of concerns • London Councils Project already in place Accelerated pace locally • Local decision to focus primarily on abuse linked to a belief in spirit possession in Muslim communities and African Christian communities Slide 6

What the Newham Safeguarding Children Board Did…

• Community Engagement including focus groups with stakeholders. We learned: – There is a mistrust of statutory services – Community not clear about legislation and their responsibilities – Faith and community leaders as ‘Change Agents’ – Need for professionals to be more culturally competent Slide 7

What the Newham Safeguarding Children Board Did…

• Developed Faith and Culture Sub Group • Prioritised learning from faith-based abuse in Business Plan • Established data base of faith groups • Multi-Agency Workforce Development • Established links to Project Violet • National Working Group Slide 8

What the Newham Safeguarding Children Board Did…

• Built relationships with organisations e.g. Trust for London, AFRUCA, Congolese Family Centre • Building network of community and faith leaders as ‘Change Agents’ • Developing integrated response to trauma • Established LSCB permanent Sub Group Slide 9

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Challenges

Building trust with partners • Urgency but relationship building takes time • Early intervention-thresholds • Competing priorities • Reporting levels Slide 10

What Next?

• Community and faith based groups as active members of LSCB – leading on this agenda • Need to know faith based groups • All staff training built into mainstream development programmes across the partnership • Increased reporting • Regional: London Councils Sub Group • National: Action Plan Slide 11