Looked-after children, foster carers and social workers are facing rising levels of racism, Josh MacAlister has been warned.
In a letter to the children's minister, the Nationwide Association of Fostering Providers (NAFP) said that "rising hostility towards immigrants and the normalisation of discriminatory views" were having a tangible impact on looked-after children and those who cared for them.
NAFP chief executive Harvey Gallagher cited "incidents of racial hate directed towards foster carers from diverse ethnicities and the children in their care". At the same time, independent fostering agency (IFA) staff, including social workers, had been affected by "politically charged or exclusionary displays, such as the use of flags, in ways that deliberately alienate or intimidate others".
He warned MacAlister that the issue was being "compounded by a lack of clear guidance and leadership at the most senior levels on how organisations should respond" and called for "decisive action to address these concerns" from both government and sector leaders.
Impact of racism on children, carers and social workers
In an interview with Community Care, Gallagher, whose association represents IFAs, said he had convened a group of about 35 agencies from across England to understand how issues such as the hoisting of flags in towns across the UK and the heightened rhetoric around immigration were affecting them."I was shocked," he said. "[Examples] ranged from young Muslim men being too scared to leave the house, to a white foster carer with a brown-skinned young man walking down the high street and being questioned by people as to what they were doing together."
IFAs also reported that Muslim and black Caribbean social workers had conveyed that they "hadn't experienced racism like this since they were teenagers", he added.
Gallagher said the incidents reported by IFAs came from all parts of the country, both urban and rural, and while there was some targeting of unaccompanied asylum-seeking children, it went beyond this to those from a visible minority.
Call for leadership and guidance from government and sector heads
In his letter to MacAlister, Gallagher called for:- Clear leadership and guidance on how fostering services should respond to racist discrimination and resulting harm and exclusion to foster carers and children in their care.
- Safe spaces for children, foster carers and social workers to share concerns and experiences without fear of judgment or reprisals.
- Ongoing dialogue and education about anti-racism and inclusion within all organisations, "not as one-off training, but as a sustained cultural commitment".
- Reviews of organisational policies, foster carer agreements and statements of purpose to ensure they explicitly address racism, discrimination and the impact of political or cultural symbolism on care settings.
- Encouragement for practitioners to speak to children about their experiences and any worries they have.
- Support for staff to increase their confidence in challenging harmful language, attitudes or behaviour, both within fostering teams and among foster carers.
'MacAlister should come out and say this is wrong'
He told Community Care that, in his view, the government "hasn't actually said it wants to support people negatively impacted" by racism and exclusion within society."I think Josh should be coming out and saying that the negative elements of this are wrong and our children, our foster carers and our fostering social workers should be able to go about their lives without fear of racism," Gallagher added. "I think that would be really helpful."
He also called for similar interventions from other sector bodies and leaders, including children's charities, Ofsted, the Association of Directors of Children's Services (ADCS) and individual children's directors, with such messages being cascaded down to the front line, so that people felt supported.
'Everyone deserves to feel safe, respected and valued'
In response to Gallagher's concerns, ADCS president Rachael Wardell said: "Racism in any form is completely unacceptable and has absolutely no place in society. ADCS is committed to the principles of equity, diversity, and inclusion – values that are fundamental to everything we do in supporting children, young people, and families. These same principles extend to our workforce and those who care for our children. Everyone deserves to feel safe, respected, and valued as they carry out their vital roles within the communities they serve.“We are living through challenging and uncertain times, with rising reports of hate crime and racist incidents. Such acts not only harm our staff and carers but can also have devastating and lasting impacts on the children and families we work with.
“Local authorities’ children’s services bring together large, diverse, and deeply committed teams that reflect the local communities they serve. Every day, they work to improve the lives of children, young people and their families. It is essential that all those who dedicate themselves to this work can do so free from fear, discrimination, or harassment.
“ADCS will continue to stand against racism in all its forms and to champion fairness, inclusion, and respect in every aspect of our work.”
The Department for Education has been approached for comment.
