The ordeal suffered by Child Q is dismaying and shocking. The incident itself is deeply distressing and raises wider issues - including around safeguarding, racism and adultification.
We are determined to address the issues raised. You can read more about our response below and read the serious case review.
A commitment from Hackney Council
Hackney Council has published details of work being done, and planned for the future, by Hackney Education to protect children, families and staff from racism and harm.
Deputy Mayor Anntoinette Bramble and Mayor Philip Glanville also wrote to parents and carers, schools leaders and staff with this commitment.
- Letter to parents and carers - 10 June 2022 (PDF)
- Letter to school leaders - 10 June 2022 (PDF)
- Letter to school staff - 10 June 2022 (PDF)
A commitment from headteachers
Hackney headteachers, at their conference on 18 March 2022, and in follow up discussion, produced this core statement in response to wider issues raised by the Child Q incident. They are taking this forward in discussions in their school and settings.
Statement from headteachers
As Hackney Headteachers, we jointly affirm our full commitment and continued action to the best possible safeguarding of every child in our care, ensuring a safeguarding first approach always applies.
We know that we have already been doing work to eliminate racism in our schools, but recognise that there is much work to be done. We recognise that Black and Global Majority children face racism in Hackney and beyond: we are committed to and will act on taking forward anti-racist practice.
In Hackney we are ambitious, caring and inclusive in working for every child. As educationalists we will work jointly, with our children, their families, our staff and with other professionals, particularly with our Black and Global Majority stakeholders, in building on the strong work already in our schools, towards being a beacon of excellence in inclusion and anti-racism.
We are committed to revisiting staff training and guidance to ensure that all staff:
- feel confident that their duty to safeguard the children in our care comes above any other need,
- understand, and are able to counteract, any assumptions or actions that may lead to children being treated unfairly or unjustly
- are able to act to protect children in crisis as if they were our own, seeking senior leader support if needed.
We are committed to supporting and challenging each other to ensure this happens.
Ongoing work with schools and partners
Hackney Education colleagues continue to work with schools and partners across Hackney to see these commitments embedded in our schools and systems.
Update report 2023
Following the initial report in 2022, the City and Hackney Safeguarding Children Panel (CHSCP) has published a Child Q Update Report.