Summary of risk factors and learning for improved practice around culture and faith. Published case reviews highlight that professionals sometimes lack the knowledge and confidence to work with families from different cultures and religions. The learning from these reviews highlights that professionals need to take into account families’ cultural and religious context when undertaking assessments and offering support. The rights and needs of the child need to remain the focus of interventions at all times, regardless of this context.
Section: Harmful Practices
Roots, realities and responsibilities: Lessons learnt in tackling witchcraft accusations against children.
This study explores the scale and scope of witchcraft accusations across the world, the belief systems that support them, the impact on the children themselves and how to effective challenge this type of abuse.
Working together to safeguard children
Statutory guidance on inter-agency working to safeguard and promote the welfare of children. The statutory framework sets out the legislation relevant to safeguarding and it should be read alongside the statutory guidance. Statutory guidance is issued by law; you must follow it unless there’s a good reason not to.
Practice Reflection for FGM and Harmful Practices
This tool is to be used by social workers when reflecting on FGM and other harmful practices (e.g breast flattening or child abuse linked to faith or belief) cases. Social workers should use this tool to reflect on their practice throughout a case. Social workers should aim to use this tool prior to supervision with their manager, and on an ongoing basis to then discuss within regular supervisions.
Culture and Faith question guide for professionals
This question guide can be used by multi-agency professionals to explore culture, faith, or belief with families within a holistic assessment of risk in any case of child protection.
It is important to make consideration to an individual and family’s home context as child-rearing beliefs and practices have strong associations with an individual’s culture, faith or belief, socioeconomic status, and immigration background. In order to understand a family holistically, it is important to consider parenting practices, and the ways in which culture, faith or belief has influenced an individual’s parenting. One way to do this is to ask families about their backgrounds.
Community Consultation on Harmful Practices (Barnet)
The National FGM Centre was commissioned by Barnet Safeguarding Children Partnership to obtain community member’s views and attitudes about a range of harmful practices. This report features the findings.
COVID-19 and Gender Based Violence
An infographic highlighting the link between COVID-19 and gender based violence including domestic abuse and access to services.
Breast Flattening Leaflet
This leaflet can be downloaded and contains information about Breast Flattening (ironing) in the UK context. This leaflet can be used by professionals as well to understand what the risks and indicators may be.
Breast Ironing Factsheet
This fact sheet covers:
- What Breast Ironing is, prevalence and reasons for practice
- The law
- Risks and Indicators