In the wake of Black History Month, the last couple of weeks have seen a greater focus on learning and reflecting on the intricacies involved in working internationally and cross-culturally in social work practices. On Tuesday 15November, CFAB hosted one of our most interesting lectures to date on the Decoloniationof Social Work.

Delivered by key speakers Mthoko Ngobese-Sampson from the University of West London, David Jones, Board member of the Commonwealth Organisation for Social Work and Michael Nwoye, Inter-country Social Worker from CFAB; this lecture covered the influence of unconscious bias, the dominance of western ideals and the importance of cultural curiosity in social work and child protection discourses.

We were delighted by the insightful and transparent discussion that was held regarding the path towards decolonising social work, and grateful for the positive feedback we received. You can find the recording of our ICP lecture above.

As an organisation who predominately handles child care and protection matters in cross border contexts, we recognise the racial, ethnic, and cultural complexities involved. More importantly, we acknowledge the need for greater awareness and action in these areas. This month, CEO Carolyn Housman released an article titled ‘Who is responsible for this child?’, which reflected on the racial and ethnic disparities in Children’s Social Care Report. This article spotlighted the disadvantages faced by minority groups in the English social service system, encouraging others to reconsider our practices and better support children – regardless of race or ethnicity. You can find the article here.

Lastly, CFAB is committed to using our knowledge of working across hundreds of countries every year to support social workers to better deliver social justice to multi-cultural families and lobby for a culturally conscious and just social system. Keep an eye out for our latest updates and cultural capability trainings!