CHILD ABUSE LINKED TO BELIEF IN SPIRIT POSSESSION: A LOCAL PERSPECTIVE

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

2. 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

3. 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% Newham : The Local Context

4. 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

5. 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

6. 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

7. 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

8. 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

9. 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

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

11. 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