'It's Silent': Race, Racism and Safeguarding Children | BASW Norfolk Branch and Children and Families Group Webinar 3
This event is hosted by the BASW Norfolk Branch in partnership with the BASW Children and Families group. Find out about our branches and thematic groups: https://basw.co.uk/support/groups-and-networks
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 Third webinar will focus on ways forward for the sector and explore how we align Anti-Racist practice and the planned reforms of children’s social care. We will explore what’s needed in terms of organisational buy in to achieve tangible change and consider what senior leaders who are progressing this work had to do when coming from a white privilege perspective. We will have breakout rooms to explore the “Need to start with self” and asking how are you having the discussions about bias and beliefs.
This session will be chaired by Professor Rick Hood, of Kingston University, Rick is a registered social worker and Co-Chair of the BASW Children and Families Thematic Group. We are delighted to welcome the following speakers at this final webinar: • Millie Kerr • Antonia Ogundayisi • Tom Stibbs
Speakers:
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.
Antonia Ogundayisi Antonia is a qualified social worker who is dedicated to social justice and advocating for racially oppressed groups. She has worked across the public and voluntary sector, and currently oversees Essex County Council Children Services’ Anti-Racist practice strategy and leads Anti-Racist initiatives across the Eastern Region.
Tom Stibbs Tom has been the Principal Social Worker for Children and Families for Brighton & Hove City Council for over 10 years. He is currently seconded to be the Families First Programme Director. As Principal Social Worker, he helped to develop the Anti-Racist project in Brighton & Hove, including chairing the project board and practice discussions and creating the anti-racist lead practitioner post.
We recommend reading the report prior to the webinar, it can be found here https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/67cb0a9d5993d41513a45c5b…
You can view the other webinars in this series here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4vn4dfhU6DU