'It's Silent': Race, Racism and Safeguarding Children | BASW Norfolk Branch and Children and Families Group Webinar

About this event Join us for the first of 3 FREE joint webinars hosted by the BASW England Norfolk Branch in partnership with the BASW Children and Families group.

The latest report from the National Child Safeguarding Review Panel was published on 11 March 2025. “It’s Silent”: Race, racism and safeguarding children. This report was undertaken on behalf of the Panel by Jahnine Davis and the VKPP Data Insights Team with support from the Panel member subgroup.

The report examines the impact of race, ethnicity and culture on multi-agency practice where children have suffered serious harm or died. It raises questions about how and why issues about race, racism and ethnicity remain so marginalised, understated and under-explored in safeguarding reviews and suggests that there is a need for a seismic change in how we address issues about race, culture and ethnicity in safeguarding practice.

This first session will explore the findings of the report, consider existing research and provide an opportunity to explore the current challenges and opportunities that are impacting on practice in this area. This webinar will be chaired by Rick Hood, Co-Chair of the BASW Children and Families Group and Professor of Social Work at Kingston University, where he leads on research in the department, undertaking applied research in the field of social work and social care.

We are delighted to welcome the following speakers at this 1st webinar: • Jahnine Davis • Millie Kerr • Carlene Cornish

Dates for the 2nd and 3rd sessions to be confirmed but within those sessions, we will look to explore positive examples of innovation and Anti Racist practice, ways forward for the sector and what needs to happen to make the required changes a reality.

We recommend reading the report prior to the webinar, it can be found here https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/67cb0a9d5993d41513a45c5b…

Speakers:

Jahnine Davis

Jahnine was appointed to the Child Safeguarding Review Panel November 2021 and became the National Kinship Care Ambassador in September 2024.

Jahnine is a care-experienced professional who started her career in children’s rights and participation and has over 20 years practice experience working in both charity and statutory sectors. In addition, she is the appointed safeguarding lead for the BBC’s independent review into Tim Westwood.

Notably, Jahnine is recognised as the UK’s foremost researcher and thought leader in adultification bias in child protection. A specialist in the safeguarding of Black children, Jahnine’s PhD research explores decision making processes in the safeguarding of Black children when harm is outside of the home.

Millie Kerr

Millie is a registered social worker with over 30 years’ experience within the profession, 20 of which has been as a manager and senior leader. Traversing roles within local authority children’s services, adult services and the charity sector. Working in areas of child protection, HIV, managing child asylum, child trafficking, care leavers and specialist FGM services. She has expertise in engaging multi-agency partners, leadership, change management and delivering racial justice training through an intersectional lens within social care and more widely.

Millie is a strategic anti-racist lead for Brighton & Hove City Council. Supporting and developing anti-racist strategic action planning, systems and culture change across children’s and learning & development services. Her ongoing career objectives are to continue to enhance anti-racist practice, racial and social justice nationally. Millie is also a member of BASW’s Children and Families Thematic group and the Racial Justice Family Network, chaired by Coram Baaf.

Dr Carlene Cornish

Carlene is an Associate Professor at the University of East Anglia (UEA) in the School of Social Work, a registered social worker with Social Work England and affiliated with the British Association for Social Workers (BASW). Originally from South Africa, she has both national and international academic and professional qualifications in Social Work, Criminology, Sociology and Education. These qualifications led to employment in Child Protection, Youth Offending Service, National Probation Service and Higher Education. Carlene’s research journal articles, and book publication include a specialist focus on Race, Racism, Social Work, and Educational Inequalities. Carlene holds external strategic leadership positions including being the nominated UK Commonwealth Organisation for Social Work Council Member, BASW International Committee Member, BASW England Committee Member, and the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC) Co-opted Policy Governance Committee Member.