Consultation on Barnet's strategy for tackling harmful practices such as FGM and forced marriage

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This consultation has closed.

Overview

In 2018 the Barnet Safeguarding Children's Partnership made a commitment to better understand how Barnet residents were affected by harmful practices.

Harmful cultural practices are discriminatory practices committed regularly over such long periods of time that communities and societies begin to consider them acceptable. Harmful practices can include female genital mutilation, honour based violence, forced marriage, breast flattening and abuse linked to faith or belief.

We began a review to understand how often harmful practices happen in Barnet, how well the abuse is reported, and how services are supporting adults and children at risk of this abuse, or who

Overview

In 2018 the Barnet Safeguarding Children's Partnership made a commitment to better understand how Barnet residents were affected by harmful practices.

Harmful cultural practices are discriminatory practices committed regularly over such long periods of time that communities and societies begin to consider them acceptable. Harmful practices can include female genital mutilation, honour based violence, forced marriage, breast flattening and abuse linked to faith or belief.

We began a review to understand how often harmful practices happen in Barnet, how well the abuse is reported, and how services are supporting adults and children at risk of this abuse, or who have experienced abuse. From this initial review we have developed a draft strategy that will help raise awareness of what harmful practices are. The strategy has three core aims:

  • we will work together to challenge cultural attitudes that may underpin harmful practices, and support professionals to have the confidence and ability to recognise harmful practice behaviours
  • we will encourage the reporting of abuse and ensure that children and adults who are affected have access to support
  • we will work closely with our voluntary, community and faith sector groups, and provide opportunities for outreach support.

We would like to hear about your awareness of harmful practices and the related services available. The survey should take no longer than ten minutes of your time. If you would like to be further involved in the work being done as part of this strategy please email BSCP@barnet.gov.uk.

Give us your views

Please take the time to read our draft strategy and then give us your views by completing our online questionnaire.

This consultation has closed.

  • We asked, you said, we did

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    We asked

    We asked about your awareness of harmful practices and the related services available. We wanted to understand how Barnet residents are affected by harmful practices and how to improve the support we provide. Harmful practices are discriminatory practices committed regularly over such long periods of time that communities and societies begin to consider them acceptable. Harmful practices can include female genital mutilation, honour-based violence, forced marriage, breast flattening and abuse linked to faith or belief.

    You said

    13% told us that you know someone who has been affected by harmful practices, showing it is affecting our communities. You told us that your main priority was education is schools (95% of respondents) and that it was important that we build confidence in communities to report abuse. You told us you are most comfortable contacting the police (52%) and least comfortable contacting the voluntary, community and faith sector (8%).

    We did

    We’ve implemented our strategy to address harmful practices in Barnet. This has included training for multi-agency frontline practitioners (across education, health, police, council and the voluntary, community and faith sector) to improve understanding about harmful practices and how to provide effective support. We held an event with young people and guest speakers to raise awareness about different kinds of harmful practices. We have worked with schools to share information about harmful practices so teachers are better equipped to identify and respond to harmful practices.