News

21 Mar: Withdraw review of Prevent anti-radicalisation strategy, ministers urged Civil society groups, community leaders and academics say ‘ideologically led’ review of programme should be rejected. Click here to view article | A response to the Shawcross Report

8 Feb: Prevent scheme failing to tackle ‘non-violent Islamist extremism’ review says. Government has accepted all 34 recommendations made in the 188-page report on anti-terrorism scheme. The UK government’s Prevent programme, which aims to stop people turning to terrorism, is not doing enough to tackle ‘non-violent Islamist extremism’ according to the review report. Click here to view article | Government Response

2 Feb: Government consultation on ‘Stable Homes, Built on Love’ strategy and plan for how to make children’s social care work better for children and young people. Consultation closes 11 May 2023.

2022

5 Dec: UNHCR comment on UK Asylum Reform Proposals UNHCR notes with concern the proposals presented in a report issued today by the Centre for Policy Studies on UK asylum reform. The report contains critical factual and legal errors regarding the international legal status of refugees and asylum-seekers. Click here to view

13 Oct: Channel Migrants: 116 children missing from UK hotels 116 children disappeared between July 2021 and August 2022, after temporarily being put in hotels by the Home Office. Charities fear the children, some as young as 11, risk being exploited. Click here to view

7 May: Call for Care System to offer equal protection for refugee and migrant children A collective of non-governmental organisations working to uphold the rights and needs of young refugees and migrants, says every child in the care system deserves equal treatment and protection regardless of how they came to be looked after. Click here to view article

11 Jan: Lone child refugees housed in hotels go missing at rate of one a week Campaigners fear vulnerable children crossing the channel alone are facing abuse and exploitation following their arrival in the UK. Click here to view

15 Feb: UK must address discrimination concerns over Prevent counter-extremism programme, UN expert says. Campaigners’ review calls for ‘ineffective, disproportionate and discriminatory’ scheme to be stopped. Click here to view article | Click here for report

2021

UNESCO report on heritage, mental health and well-being. Local contexts, cultural backgrounds, and (intangible) heritage practices influence how individuals and communities define and address concepts such as mental health and well-being, which are not universal constructs. Click here to view report

7 Jul: New European laws must protect children’s data Little-understood digital education platforms and digital services supplied by private businesses are being adopted, with minimal consideration for the long-term impact on children, education and society. If left unchecked, these systems could lead to automated discrimination and human rights abuses from the cradle to the grave. Click here to view article

30 Jun: People’s review of Prevent launched to ‘give voice to victims’ The review will place the people most impacted by the programme at the centre and will provide an alternative to the government’s own review led by William Shawcross. The people’s review will also provide a platform for the 550 organisations and individuals who committed to a boycott of the Shawcross-led review Click here to view article

14 Jun: Fears raised over ‘detention’ of migrant children arriving in Dover Unaccompanied child migrants arriving in Dover will be “detained” at a controversial facility after Kent County Council announced it cannot take in any more. Click here to view article

4 Jun: More families get access to Healthy Start scheme after legal action. Migrant families will be given access to the government’s scheme after a mother launched legal action questioning eligibility criteria. Click here to view article

Online Seminar | Colonial virus: COVID-19 myths, race and racialisation, 11 May 2021 To discuss a collaborative rapid research 12-week project at the height of the first wave of the pandemic to explore if, or how, the myth of Black immunity racialised the public and State risk narratives for preventing COVID-19. Click here to register

29 Apr: Boy wins case against Home Office policy of No Recourse to Public Funds The British boy and his Zimbabwean-born mother argued policy denied them access to welfare safety net. Click here to view article

Webinar: Safeguarding children from radicalisation, 27 April 2021
This seminar will hear from Dr Leona Vaughn, who will share lessons from research undertaken during the introduction of the Prevent duty. Click here to go to Events page

2 Apr: The Sewell Report is historically inaccurate, says David Olusoga It condemns young people for doing exactly what it claims to support – exploring their ancestors’ roles in shaping Britain. Click here to view article

31 Mar: ‘Institutional racism doesn’t exist,’ government’s race commission suggests in new report The independent review argues that issues around race and racism are “becoming less important” and, in some cases, are not a significant factor behind explaining disparities. Click here to view article

24 Mar: Priti Patel pledges overhaul of asylum seeker rules The home secretary has set out what she has called a “fair but firm” overhaul to the way people applying for asylum in the UK are treated. But human rights lawyers have warned the plans are unlawful because they ignore Britain’s international obligations under the Refugee Convention. Click here to view article

22 Mar: New terms of reference for the independent review of Prevent The Terms of Reference reflect revisions to the previous Terms of Reference published in September 2019 with some important additions, amendments and clarifications. The Independent Reviewer is keen to hear from people with a range of viewpoints and experiences, including those of both critics and supporters of Prevent. Click here to view news release

1 Mar: Lawyers to argue for mother and baby’s rights to healthy start in UK An 11-month-old baby and her mother are bringing a case in the high court to try and secure the baby’s rights to free vitamins, formula milk and nutritious food. Click here to view article

4 Feb: UK’s FGM safeguarding policies undermining welfare Current FGM safeguarding measures are undermining the welfare and safety of the women and young girls they seek to protect, with families feeling racially profiled, criminalised and stigmatised, according to a report published by women’s rights organisation FORWARD and the University of Huddersfield. Click here to view article

26 Jan: Government announces the appointment of William Shawcross as the new Independent Reviewer of Prevent The independent review will consider the strategy and delivery of the Prevent programme and will make recommendations for the future. Click here to view announcement

15 Jan: Education Secretary launches review of children’s social care. Wide-ranging, independent review to address poor outcomes for children in care as well as strengthening families to improve vulnerable children’s lives. Click here to view announcement

2020

14 Dec: Government cannot assume Shamima Begum is a terror threat. Her barrister said safeguarding mechanisms had “failed” before leaving the UK with two school friends in 2015, and that her “particular circumstances” should be taken into account. Click here to view article

26 Nov: Children In Need Census 2019-2020 The census provides the latest information on children referred to children’s social care, assessments carried out upon those children and whether a child became the subject of a child protection plan. Click here to access census data

11 Nov: Black people, racism and human rights In response to the awful killing of George Floyd in the US, Black Lives Matter protests in the UK have highlighted once again the racism and inequality that exists here. Racial inequalities in the protection of human rights raised by the Black Lives Matter movement led the Joint Committee on Human Rights to commission polling which found that over three quarters of Black people in the UK do not believe their human rights are equally protected compared to white people. Click here to view report

Article (PDF): Police-school partnerships and the war on black youth – November 2020 This article discusses the growing presence of police officers in British schools, under a resurgent police-school partnerships policy agenda in the ‘war on gangs’ and serious youth violence. Jasbinder Nijjar Click here to access full article

Consultation: Ethnic disparities and inequality in the UK – call for evidence (ends Monday 30 November 2020, 11:45pmTo review ethnic disparities and inequality in the UK in four areas; education, employment and enterprise, health, crime and policing. Click here to view consultation questions

24 Sep: Boy who was referred to Prevent over misinformed ‘terror concerns’ wins case against Met Police. The boy, now 16 took legal action claiming the retention of his personal data was a breach of his right to privacy and a breach of the Data Protection Act. Click here to view media item

13 Aug: DfE to commission review of children’s services’ approach to tackling radicalisation The Department for Education (DfE) is to commission a review of the ways in which children’s services are responding to radicalisation and extremism among young people; also seeking applicants to conduct research within 10 English local authorities. Click here to access media item

16 Jul: Shamima Begum should be allowed to return to UK, Court of Appeal rules. The former London schoolgirl left the UK for Syria aged 15 and lived under ISIS rule for more than three years. Click here to view article

Webinar: Migrant families and Covid-19; challenges, lessons and practical help – 2 June 2020
This seminar will draw on case studies and feedback from service users at Together with Migrant Children to explore the challenges faced during the pandemic by children and families harmed by immigration controls.  Click here to go to Events page

13 May: B-MAG Response to article published in The Independent
The article appears to be speculative as there is no evidence base or data to suggest that the current pandemic is linked to a rise in Child Abuse Linked to Faith or Belief (CALFB) cases, nor does it comment on the manifest and many strengths within these communities, that the vast majority would not under any circumstances inflict abuse on children. The timing of its publication is unpropitious in the wake of ONS findings that ethnic minorities are disproportionately represented in COVID deaths…  Click here for  full response | original article

23 April: Institutional racism in the NHS intensifies in times of crisis
As the government announces that NHS England and Public Health England will lead an inquiry into the disproportionate impact of coronavirus on BME communities, a Black health activist warns that the vague social construct of ‘race’ is being used to explain the mortality and morbidity of diverse populations, and more must be done to hold these institutions to account. Click here for comment

Conference: Spiritual Abuse; Coercive Control in Religions – 4-5 September 2020, Chester
For details regarding the call for papers, registration and other information Click here for Report  

Webinar: Children, young people and families who have experienced forced migration – 5 May 2020
This seminar intends to deconstruct the concepts of ‘mental health’ and ‘psychosocial support’ in relation to the ‘forced migrant’, using the lens of critical psychology to problematise Western psychology and the tendency to homogenise and pathologise this population  Click here to go to Events page

Conference: Racism, Migration and the ‘Hostile Environment’ – 2-3 April 2020, London
Event organised by Social Scientists Against the ‘Hostile Environment’ (SSAHE) Click here for report

Practitioner Training: Black Identity Development – 3 March & 15 September 2020, London
A one day workshop designed to assist professionals in gaining knowledge and understanding regarding the impact of history and some contributing factors that has hindered the development of Black identity; an understanding of the issues and dilemmas faced by Black children in the UK  Contact African Families Service to apply 020 7364 7765 

8 Jan: MPs vote to drop child refugee protections from Brexit bill
Commitment to reunite children with family members in UK to be removed from withdrawal bill  Click here to view news item

Seminar: The impact of anti-radicalisation policies on safeguarding practices – 28 January 2020
This seminar will seek to explore the relationship between the aims of Prevent and child safeguarding practice; a key question is the suggestion of racial bias implicit in the aims and methods of the policy that affects institutions – in health, education and social care – interacting with and responsible for children  Click here to go to Events page

2019

16 Dec: How our understanding of child abuse linked to faith or belief may become distorted by current data
The BME-Migrant Advisory Group (B-MAG) for the safeguarding of children and young people continues its call for further exploration of data in relation to child abuse cases linked to faith or belief  Click here to view item

28 Sep: The impact of anti-radicalisation policies on safeguarding practices – 12 November 2019, London *POSTPONED*
This seminar will seek to explore the relationship between the aims of Prevent and child safeguarding practice. The Counter-Terrorism and Security Act 2015 placed a duty on specified authorities to protect children from radicalisation. Click here to go to Events page

29 Jul: Initiative to cut rate of BME young people in youth custody
The Youth Justice Board (YJB) has launched an initiative to reduce disproportionate numbers of black, Asian, and minority ethnic (BAME) people in youth custody. The Journey of the Child model was developed by the YJB to highlight key stages when BAME young people are vulnerable to being treated unfairly because of their racial heritage.

30 Jun: Tragedy is inevitable if we fear migration rather than celebrate its benefits
Public concern about immigration has fallen sharply and attitudes towards its effects are more positive than for many years.  Politicians could make the case for liberal policy not just on economic grounds but much more broadly, defending the rights of immigrants, eg EU citizens resident in the UK, UK-born children of immigrants who are denied British citizenship, UK citizens who marry people from abroad, and so on.  Click here to view news item

13 Jun: British children in poverty denied basic benefits by Home Office
An immigration policy that denies British children access to basic support has turned them into second-class citizens and is leading to malnourishment, sickness and a range of mental health problems, according to new research by the Unity Project and Deighton Pierce Glynn solicitors.  Click here to view news item

30 Apr: ECF evidence requirements for separated migrant children – Update
In July 2018 guidance was introduced under section 4 of Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 (LASPO) allowing Exceptional Case Funding applications by, or on behalf of, separated migrant children to be made without detailed evidence of issues relating to vulnerability and ability to participate in proceedings without legal aid. Click here to view news item

5 Apr: Arts Council launches research into BME representation in children’s literature
Arts Councl England (ACE) has launched research into the level of inclusion and representation of people from black and minority ethnic (BME) communities in children’s literature. Click here to view article

5 Apr: MPs urge action to improve support for Traveller children
Gypsy, Roma and Traveller (GRT) children are caught in “a perfect storm of poor outcomes” according to a parliamentary report that criticises councils, schools and government for failing to effectively support them. Click here to view article

27 Mar: B-MAG reports on work undertaken in 2018
Our second annual report describes the group’s work during 2018, and strategic objectives for the year ahead. B-MAG aims to bring people together, to create links across organisations, opportunities for joint working and making strategic alliances, and thus to influence policy and practice. Click here to view report

25 Mar: Child Abuse Linked to Faith or Belief; where do we go from here? – Seminar, 30 April 2019, London
This seminar aims to explore gaps in policy and practice for abuse linked to faith or belief cases. The recent Children in Need Census 2017-18 provides the backdrop for this event aimed at practitioners, policy makers, academics and researchers. Click here to go to events page

15 Mar: UK breaking UN rules on health care for undocumented migrants
According to academic experts, including Public Health England, the UK charging for care is risking child health, particularly for undocumented migrants. According to Article 24 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, governments must give all children good quality healthcare. Click here for media report | Click here for related research

3 Mar: B-MAG member wins lifetime achievement award
Amma Anane-Agyei wins coveted Keolis Amey DLR Community Champions 2019 ‘lifetime achievement’ award. Amma is Coordinator of the African Families Service at Tower Hamlets where she has worked extensively with Black African children and families. Amma is also a co-author and author of four publications.

21 Feb:  Project 17’s ‘Not Seen and Not Heard’ Report
Together with Migrant Children (TwMC) has issued statement in support of this report and related campaign, as well as their contribution to the development of the report, including recommendations to improve local authority responses to destitute migrant children and families. Click here for statement

13 Feb: Brexit: EU Citizens’ children could lose right to stay in the UK
Children of EU citizens who do not apply for the new settled status, because their parents believe them to be British, risk losing their right to stay in the UK after Brexit because of flaws in the application system. Campaigners fear for children in care as local authorities only record their ethnicity, not their nationality. Click here for media report

1 Feb: Mother of three-year-old is first person convicted of FGM in UK The mother of a three-year-old girl has become the first person to be found guilty of female genital mutilation (FGM) in the UK in a landmark case welcomed by campaigners. Click here for media report

26 Jan: *New* WHO Report on the Health of Refugees and Migrants in the WHO European Region
The Report on the Health of Refugees and Migrants in the WHO European Region is the first WHO report of its kind, creating an evidence base with the aim of supporting evidence-informed policy-making to meet the health needs of refugees and migrants and the health needs of the host populations. Click here to view

23 Jan: Children Act 1989 (Amendment) (Female Genital Mutilation) Bill – Update
The latest census for children in need reflects a reduction in female genital mutilation (FGM) cases, as parliament continues with bill to amend the Children Act 1989 to state that proceedings under Section 5A of, and Schedule 2 to, the Female Genital Mutilation Act 2003 are family proceedings. Click here to view

22 Jan: VCF welcomes latest data on child abuse cases linked to faith or belief, amid calls for community involvement
Census suggests 11% increase in cases of child abuse linked to faith or belief. Overall, there has been an increase from 1,460 mentions in safeguarding assessments recorded for 2016-17 to 1,630 in the most recent Children in Need Census 2017-18. Click here to view

15 Jan: CFAB launches #Record2Protect campaign
Campaign aimed at local authority social workers and others working to safeguard and protect children. An accompanying fact sheet entitled ‘The Impact of Brexit on Children and Families Crossing Borders’ explores the rights of EU children in care in the UK, the Government’s settlement scheme and future international cooperation in relation to family law cases. Click here to view