"If the Home Office wants to send me back, they should teach my childrenSwahili." "English people allow their children to do anything they want,even if they can harm themselves." "You give them too much freedom. Youfind children of eight outside at 11pm." These are just some of theviews expressed by African adults in a study carried out by TheChildren's Society, exploring safeguarding and African refugeechildren.
According to professionals, who were interviewed for the same study:"Parents sometimes think it's okay to leave their children at home whenthey're quite young, before going out and doing other things." "In onecase, a child was reprimanded with a table leg, which isn't part of ourculture." "I'm concerned about children entering the country and stayingwith people who are not their parents. The child may have come over todo their housework."
Cultural differences
Different communities have different views on bringing up children. It'sclear that cultural differences can be a minefield for professionals andcommunity members to navigate. For professionals, knowing when a childprotection line has been crossed can be a judgment call. For Africancommunities that enter the UK, it can be bewildering to see how we treatour children in relation to our own child protection rules andregulations.
Our seven-month study was carried out in collaboration with Newcastle'slocal safeguarding children's board and African Community Advice NorthEast (ACANE). Twenty safeguarding professionals and 40 members of theAfrican refugee community took part with the aim of increasing awarenessof the protection needs of African refugee children and safe communitypractice.
The key message is that we need to take a step back to consider howcultural differences influence the way we interpret information andengage with one another. This community has much to share withprofessionals, which could positively affect UK refugee settlement.
However, there are also different interests. Professionals are concernedabout children being left unsupervised in their homes, as well aschastisement and trafficking. African refugee community members areworried about the lack of supervision of children on the streets and theinfluence their behaviour may have on their own children.
Refugee participants described a more communal notion of kinship care tosafeguard children, which is widespread in African communities. As anAfrican refugee community leader explains: "If a relative or friendcomes to the UK with the children of other Africans, I'm not surprised.It's about survival. If someone from my family can at least stay alive,they'll be okay."
The study highlighted the considerable dilemma that newcomers have overintegrating too fully when their immigration status is unconfirmed.There is real concern over children becoming too anglicised, in casethey need to return home. This fear separates them from the establishedAfrican community, and leads to uncertainty that can deeply affect theirfamily.
Steps for success
Crucial steps for success are sharing information; discussing privatefostering and safeguarding practices without alienation; andsafeguarding training for pastors, imams, community members and womenfrom religious organisations. As Lisa Nandy, policy adviser for TheChildren's Society, explains: "There is still much to be done to equipprofessionals with the knowledge and confidence to identify andchallenge practices in circumstances in which children are at risk.Building bridges between communities is the first step."
According to Gaby Kitoko, founder and development worker at ACANE: "TheAfrican refugee community voiced its needs in order to increaseunderstanding between professionals and families. We need to knowprofessionals have understood the research findings and are respondingpositively."
In Newcastle, this is beginning to happen. "The findings are animportant step towards using appropriate safeguarding measures whendealing with African refugee children," explains Sue Kirkley, aco-ordinator for Newcastle's safeguarding children's board.
"By speaking directly to members of the community, we have established avital awareness and understanding of the cultural differences andproblems that African refugees face. We now know the concerns of thesechildren, young people and their families. Action plans have begun to beimplemented to promote the welfare of these children. These will look atall the suggestions raised by the community"
Further information Myfanwy Franks is a senior researcher at TheChildren's Society. For more information on the study, please emailru@childsoc.org.uk
FACT FILE
- The incidents of child protection issues within the African refugeecommunity in Newcastle are relatively few
- Over chastisement is also an issue in the host community
- Uncertainty about being removed is the main barrier to parents whotake on host community safeguarding practices
- Community members require safeguarding issues to be explained
- Cultural information needs to be exchanged between professionals andcommunities.
