Lessons on tackling inequalities from Child Q case

When I heard of the incident on the news, I just thought about how horrible of an experience this must be for this child.

I was contacted by a former colleague who asked for my thoughts and at the time my only source of information about Child Q’s experience came from the news.

The following day, I read the Local Child Safeguarding Practice Review and as I scroll the screen disbelief and horror mixed to form rage and anger.

First, I would like to commend Jim Gamble, independent child safeguarding commissioner, for taking the brave decision to undertake the review despite the suggestion from the Child Safeguarding Practice Review Panel that it did not meet the criteria for one. 

This decision by City and Hackney Safeguarding Children Partnership does not come as a surprise to me, as I worked for the organisation for nine years and with Jim Gamble and Rory McCallum, senior professional advisor, so I know of their strong leadership and commitment to safeguard children. 

This review like others keeps telling us the same things about the experiences of Black children and it doesn’t seem like the voices of these children are being heard and/or acted upon. 

Child Q’s voice shone through in this review, so it is imperative we listen and act. It is easy to narrow this down to individual error, but this is wrong because it is the system that allows this to happen. 

To change the system requires listening to the voices of communities disproportionately affected by structural racism and inequalities, we must face hard truths about the causes of disproportionalities especially in the criminal justice system and health and we must make no exceptions when holding professionals and organisations to account for their actions. 

I believe this is achievable with strong partnership working, and when we understand that prioritising the voice of the most affected communities is the right thing to do when outlining the direction of change. This is the vision we are working to in our work to improve outcomes for Black and Asian children and young people and to achieve this we are working in partnership with communities and grassroots organisations.

Child Q poignantly said: “Things need to change with all organisations involved, even I can see that” and I am sure you all agree that this has always been the case. Let us now use this child’s experience to spur us on to making this change happen.

Leethen Bartholomew is director and lead on tackling inequalities for black and Asian children at Barnardo’s