AFRUCA SAFEGUARDING CHILDREN
Help us to protect more children in our community
With offices in London and Manchester, we work in UK Black and Ethnic communities to protect and safeguard children from abuse, modern slavery and exploitation. We tackle cultural and religious practices that harm children.
Our
Services
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Child Exploitation and Serious Violence Programme
AFRUCA delivers a holistic menu of services to support children, young people and families in Black and ethnic communities at risk of or affected by child exploitation and serious violence. Our prevention and early intervention work includes provision of 1-2-1 support for parents of children at risk and providing mentoring, practical support and learning activities for young people.
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Healing and Reconciliation Service for Children at Risk or Returning Home From Foster Care
We provide short-term psychotherapy for children in the child protection system or those returning home from foster care and their families. We aim to help rebuild the family bond, rebuild trust and support children to heal from their experiences
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Child Protection and Family Support Service
Our multi - disciplinary team of experienced and qualified social workers provide a culturally tailored consultation service for child protection professionals and, Child Protection assessment, positive parenting training and support services for parents in the UK Child Protection system. We take referrals from local authorities and other agencies across the UK.
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AFRUCA Specialist Training Programme For Professionals
We deliver a range of specialist training programmes for agencies and their staff working with Black and Ethnic children and families and those who provide services to meet their needs. We tailor make bespoke courses to meet organisational needs and priorities. Our training sessions are deiivered face-to-face or virtually
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AFRUCA's Networks of Influence
Our “Networks of Influence” aim to strengthen the voices of marginalised communities across the country affected by modern slavery, child protection and child exploitation. We want to create opportunities for grass-root collaborative and partnership approaches to tackle issues affecting our communities.
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Modern Slavery Programme
AFRUCA works to address modern slavery and exploitation experienced by children and young people trafficked into the UK. We partner with other agencies to provide culturally appropriate support and care to meet their needs.
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Community Volunteering Programme
AFRUCA employs a volunteer-led approach to address many of the issues that affect children in Black and ethnic community across England. The idea is to create a ripple effect of change through peer-to-peer learning and active citizenship. We have devised a range of Community Champions initiatives focusing on a range of issues, including Modern Slavery, Child Protection and Female Genital Mutilation
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Community Education Programme
AFRUCA works in partnership with a range of community and faith based organisations to improve knowledge of child safeguarding and how to keep children safe from abuse and harm.
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Schools Education Programme
AFRUCA works with schools, colleges and alternative education provisions across the country to deliver training courses to meet the needs of pupils, staff and parents. We work with schools to raise awareness about different forms of intra and extra-familial harm towards children
What People Say About AFRUCA
AFRUCA Free Chess Classes for Children in Hackney
- Are you aged 12 to 17 years?
- Do you live or go to school in the Hackney area?
- Would you like to learn chess or improve your chess skills with a qualified chess instructor?
If so, apply to participate in the AFRUCA free eight week After School Chess Programme.
Date: Every Wednesday at AFRUCA Office on Mare Street (Opposite Hackney Empire)
Time: 3:30pm-5pm
Free Refreshments will be provided.
For more information and how to register: Contact Courtney: tel: 0207-704-2261 or email afrucalondon@afruca.org
AFRUCA Child Protection Service: Positive Parenting Programme
The AFRUCA Child Protection and Family Support Service is a paid service working nationally with Black, Asian and ethnic families open to local authority children’s social service. Our team of qualified social workers offer early intervention support, provide culturally focused specialist assessments and positive parenting training. We engage in direct work on child protection and care proceedings. We also support family re-integration processes and provide advice to social workers who might need help to address on-going cases. Each year, our service supports approximately 100 families referred to us by various local authorities nation-wide. Our aim is always to help achieve a positive outcome for the birth family and a happier and safer home environment for children.
We take referrals from England, Wales and Scotland.
Please read more about our service and download our referral form
Exclusive Study Groups on Culture and Safeguarding Children
AFRUCA has launched a series of exclusive Study Groups on the intersection of Culture, Religion and Safeguarding Children in Black and Ethnic communities for professionals working with children and young people. So far, we have held two Study Group sessions in January and April 2025. Both sessions were delivered by our CEO Debbie Ariyo OBE, one of the UK’s top experts on Culture and Safeguarding Children.
Our Study Groups are designed to be close and intimate sessions, affording a few number of participants the opportunity to deep dive into key safeguarding children issues and their intersection with race and culture. They are also spaces for professionals to explore ongoing issues in a safe and secured environment. The ultimate aim is to provide a strong opportunity to deepen participants’ knowledge and understanding of cultural sensitivity in safeguarding to help improve engagement and support for the children in their care.
We are now organising the Nexty Study Group event in London. Date to be confirmed shortly.
Meet Our Network - The Manchester Network on Serious Violence and Child Exploitation
Date of Next Meeting: Friday 30 May 2025
Time: 12pm to 2:30pm
Venue: Central Manchester
The Manchester Network on Serious Violence and Child Exploitation is a project of AFRUCA Safeguarding Children funded by Manchester City Council. Our Network works to strengthen the voices of marginalised communities in Manchester affected by serious violence and child exploitation. We serve as a platform bringing together affected communities and statutory agencies to strengthen local responses to youth violence and child exploitation across the city.
Our bi-monthly meetings serve as a forum to deliberate on key local and national matters of interest and engage policy-makers to explore solutions to ongoing issues. At our recent meeting, we deliberated on the proposed Child Criminal Exploitation (CCE) and Cuckooing Offences outlined in the upcoming 2025 Policing Bill. We have written to the Home Office to share our concerns about the Bill and offered some recommendations to help strengthen provisions in the proposed legislation.
The Manchester Network on Serious Violence and Child Exploitation is one of our “Networks of Influence” - our strategic alliances at AFRUCA to help strengthen our work in the community.
We welcome new members to our Network. For further information, email us here
AFRUCA Cultural Influences and Child Safeguarding Study Group
Date: July 2025
Time: 10am to 4:00pm
Venue: Central London
Join us at AFRUCA Safeguarding Children for our third, exclusive, full-day study group event, ''Addressing Cultural and Religious Influences in Safeguarding Children in Black and Ethnic communities." This specialist training event is tailored towards professionals who work with children and young people.
This training course is delivered in-person in London in July 2025 (date to be confirmed) and offers a unique opportunity to explore the intersectionality of culture, religion, and safeguarding practices.
Why Attend?
Exclusive Access: Limited number of participants per location for a highly interactive and personalised learning experience.
Engaging Topics: Delve into critical child protection issues such as Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), faith-based abuse, and the trafficking of Black children.
Practical Insights: Learn through real-world case studies, scenario-based discussions, and expert guidance from AFRUCA trainer.
Certificate of Participation: Receive a certificate at the end of the event as a formal acknowledgment of your participation and commitment to safeguarding children.
Visit our Eventbrite Channel To Read More and Register to Attend
Safeguarding and Child Protection Training for Faith Leaders and Workers in Hackney
There is no hard to reach community. Rather, agencies seeking to engage with faith and community groups should put in the efforts to build trust and engagement with them. We at AFRUCA are very proud to have delivered three successful sessions on “Safeguarding and Child Protection Training for Faith Leaders and Workers in Hackney” in November 2024, January and February 2025. We worked hard to engage over 80 delegates from over 20 Faith groups, ensuring very good participation and attendance at the sessions. Great opportunity to share learning on keeping children safe and enhancing protection in faith groups. Many thanks to City and Hackney Safeguarding Children Partnership for funding this programme. We look forward to phase two - continuing our engagement with the faith groups in various ways.
Meet our Network - BASNET The UK BME Anti-Slavery Network
BASNET - The UK BME Anti-Slavery Network is a project of AFRUCA Safeguarding Children. BASNET is very active in the UK Modern Slavery space as a platofrm to bridge the gap in race equality diversity and inclusion in modern slavery policy and practice. BASNET is engaged in various activities and programmes to help support its members, policy-makers, service providers and survivors of modern slavery.
BASNET is one of our “Networks of Influence” - our strategic alliances at AFRUCA to help strengthen our work in the community.
Read more about BASNET on the project website here
The Knowledge Mobilisation For Public Health Research Project
We are delighted to be part of a team of experts working on this important project - the Knowledge Mobilisation for Public Health Project (KNOW-PH). Funded by the NIHR (National Institute for Health and Care Research), KNOW-PH aims to bring research evidence generated by NIHR closer to local and national public health decision-making. The project is a partnership between University of Nottingham, Sheffield Hallam University, University of Sheffield, City of Doncaster Council and AFRUCA Safeguarding Children. This is a three year project.
Read more on the project website here
AFRUCA Training Brochure For Agencies Working With Black and Ethnic Children and Families 2024-2025
Over the past twenty four years, AFRUCA Safeguarding Children has gained a wealth of knowledge and experience delivering specialist training courses aimed at enhancing the knowledge, skills and confidence of practitioners working with children and their families from diverse backgrounds. We work with agencies nation-wide and across Europe to design relevant training courses which are delivered inhouse - face to face or remotely. Over 6,000 professionals have participated in our range of training courses over the past 10 years.
AFRUCA News: March 2025 Activities
AFRUCA’s Phoenix Project provides safety, safe spaces and safe activities for Girls and Young Women at Risk of Exploitation and Gang Violence across Manchester. We had such a wonderful session on Saturday 22 March 2025 at our roller skating and tailored music event held at Lostock High School, Stretford
Many thanks to Manchester City Council for funding our work with young women and girls over the past two years as we explore new opportunities to expand our project to London.
The Guide: Understanding Child Protection In The UK
The "Guide" covers a range of subjects to support parents to strengthen their parenting knowledge and skills, identify risks of harm inside and outside the home and ultimately improve protection and safety for their children.
Community Engagement and Education are at the heart of our work at AFRUCA to prevent child abuse, trafficking, exploitation and modern slavery.
Contact us to arrange a session delivered by our staff and volunteer Children’s Champions for your agency, church, mosque, school or community group.
Child Protection Community Engagement and Education
Ongoing
Activities
AFRUCA Public Facing Events Calendar
We’ve Been Safeguarding Children Since 2001
Prompted by the deaths of a number of newly arrived child ren in the UK, Debbie Ariyo, a former Civil Servant, founded AFRUCA in 2001 to address child safeguarding and child trafficking issues in African diaspora communities and provide services to help support children and families and rehabilitate victims.
Debbie Ariyo OBE - Founder and CEO
AFRUCA’s 20th Anniversary Documentary Video
Our
People
Our Current and Recent Funders
