Children from Black, Asian and Mixed Heritage backgrounds are being let down by the safeguarding system

The Child Safeguarding Practice Review Panel looked at 53 cases between 2022 and 2024 where children were seriously hurt or died as a result of abuse, neglect or exploitation. 27 children lost their lives. In many of these cases, professionals failed to properly consider how race, racism, or culture affected the child’s situation—or their own decisions. This lack of understanding and action put children at even greater risk.

 Key concerns include:

• Girls from Asian and Mixed backgrounds who spoke out about sexual abuse weren’t believed or taken seriously.
• Families who raised concerns about racism were often ignored or dismissed without investigation.
• Professionals avoided talking about race, religion, or culture, making dangerous assumptions instead of asking questions or offering support.

This isn’t just about individual mistakes. The report makes it clear: racism is not always loud or obvious. Sometimes it shows up in silence, in who is believed, in who is listened to, and who is ignored. Many of the children affected were already facing difficult circumstances. They lived with poverty, mental health needs, immigration issues, disability, or were in care. When racism is added to the mix, these children often face even greater challenges—but receive even less support.

What this means for Greenwich

Greenwich is one of the most diverse boroughs in London. But diversity on its own isn’t enough. Our services must also be actively anti-racist, inclusive, and culturally aware.

Too often, professionals don’t feel confident talking about race—or worry they might say the wrong thing. But staying silent is not neutral. It can lead to serious warning signs being missed or ignored. To truly keep children safe, we need safeguarding systems that see the whole child—including their race, identity, background and experiences.

What Healthwatch Greenwich is doing

As your local health and care champion, we will:

• Listen to families and communities about their experiences of racism or being ignored when asking for help.
• Speak up for children and families who don’t feel heard by the system.
• Hold local services to account, making sure they respond to this report and take action.
• Bring professionals, community groups, and families together to learn, share, and improve safeguarding in Greenwich.

What local safeguarding partners must do

To better protect all children in Greenwich, especially those from Black, Asian and Mixed Heritage backgrounds, we’re calling on local services to:

• Recognise racism as a safeguarding issue and take it seriously.
• Provide better training and support for staff so they feel confident discussing race, bias, and identity.
• Update safeguarding policies to make sure race and culture are properly considered when supporting children.
• Listen to communities and build trust, especially with families who have experienced racism or discrimination.
• Be open and transparent, involving independent voices—like those of children, families, and local groups—in how cases are reviewed and decisions made.

© 2023. Image provided by Impact on Urban Health licensed via a CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 license.