1. Foyzul Hoque
London Borough of Tower Hamlets
Muslim Children’s Safeguarding
Co-Ordinator
020 7364 3412

2. • ‘Despite the decline of religion in British Society,
the Policy Studies Institute survey showed that
religion was more central to the lives of ethnic
minority groups than to the white community.
Asian Muslims, Sikhs and Hindus saw religion as
very important..’
• SSI Report 2000 ‘Excellence not Excuses’
(3.14)

3. Partnership work with the Muslim
Communities
• 36.4% of residents in Tower Hamlets
classified themselves as Muslim. Making it the
largest concentration of Muslim population in
the country.
• The largest ethnic group is Bangladeshi
• 50% plus of all children in the Borough are
Bangladeshi
» (2001 census)

4. Partnership work between Council of
Mosques and Children’s Social Care
• In 2002 after the publication of the Home
Office Report ‘Choice by Right’ a report on
forced marriages, a multi agency steering
committee was formed.
• Protocol for social care staff dealing with
cases of forced marriages.
• Seminar for Imams in the Borough to raise
awareness of forced marriages.

5. Cont…
• 2003 Conference for Imams on raising their
awareness on child protection issues. As a
result Imams were able to give sermons to
their congregation at Friday prayers
• Contributed to the local authority being
awarded Beacon status for community
cohesion in 2003.

6. The Working with Muslim Families
subgroup
• Consists of representative from Council of
Mosques and officers form Local Authority
and Health.
• Muslim Children’s Safeguarding Co-ordinator
since 2005.
– Association of Islamic Teachers
– Child Protection and safeguarding children training
for some 300 imams and Islamic teachers

7. Muslim Children’s Safeguarding Co-
ordinator cont….
– 7 madrassahs (independent full-time religious schools)
– 32 of the 45 Mosques registered with Council of
Mosques. Reviewing their child protection policies,
providing training and raising awareness of
safeguarding issues within the mosques including
Private Fostering.
– Muslim Council of Britain
– MCR (Ramadan Radio).

8. WWMF sub-group
• Since 2005 a series of seminars initially called ‘Beginning
the Dialogue’ but now called ‘Continuing the Dialogue’.
To date the following have been organised:
Parental Mental Illness Supporting Women as Parents Adoption and
Self Harm Fostering
Drugs & Alcohol Misuse
Disabilities
Mental Health
Child Mental Health Young Women in
Domestic Violence Tower Hamlets
Islamic Counselling
– In addition seminar on Domestic Violence was organised for
Imams of the Borough in partnership with the Association of
Islamic Teachers.

9. WWMF cont…
• In April 2008 Mosque and Madrassah
handbook on safeguarding children was
launched.
• Enhanced CRB checks paid for by the
borough (100 in total)
• Workshops in the Mosques and Schools
Developing links to engage Somali Muslim
Community.

10. Future Work
• Islamic-centered counselling for Muslim
Families in the Borough
• Group work with perpetrators of Domestic
Violence
• Leaflets for parents - advice on choosing
Islamic teachers to teach children’s Arabic at
home (private tutors)