At MRSN we were recently contacted by a single parent of 3 children who was in a desperate situation. The family (and one of the children in particular with special educational needs) have been facing severe racial harassment and assaults in the neighbourhood they have been placed to live in, pending the outcome of their asylum claim.
At MRSN we take our duty to protect and safeguard children and vulnerable adults seriously, taking a stand against all forms of abuse, oppression, discriminative practice and behaviours.
In the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UCRC) Article 3 states, the best interest of the child must prioritise in all actions and decisions that affect children.
After speaking with the father and the young person in particular that the perpetrators singled out, the family have been experiencing ongoing racial abuse for a few years involving attendance at A&E for treatment following injuries sustained. Although school, the police and other professionals had been aware of this, very little had been done to bring the perpetrators to justice, to adequately protect the family or seek the views, wishes and feelings of all those affected in this family.
MRSN is seeking answers from the police regarding action they’ve taken following a catalogue of previous reported racial abuse incidents and attacks on this family. In speaking with the family, as it transpired over 10 statutory and other professional organisations on and off know of this families plight and have not gone far enough to work together to protect and value the lives of all people including those who are refugees and people seeking asylum.
As an ex-safeguarding trainer there is no excuse for this ad-hoc piecemeal approach and complacency that I see has taken place here. There’s been no collective joined up approach to prevent these vulnerable children becoming repeat victims and slipping through the net. Let us not forget Victoria Climbie and all the other child deaths that involved multiple agencies who failed to share information and work together. At MRSN we stand as advocates within our community against this treatment and will continue to do so and will ensure this case will be the responsibility of everyone else involved. MRSN continues to take the lead until this matter is fully resolved.
This is just one of the many stories of people we have supported through our projects at MRSN.
In order that we can do more to help people through this project, we need to continue to raise money through regular giving or one off donations.
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