The authors of this chapter are non-Indigenous academics and practitioners. We wrote the chapter because we believe good intentions are not enough. Many professionals involved in safeguarding practice are white and located in privileged positions within an ongoing colonial society. We believe that non-Indigenous social welfare practitioners, policy makers and leaders need to do more to reimagine practice, to challenge the mistakes of the past that have filtered into the present and to advance ethical ways of thinking and doing. We acknowledge the need for this work to be undertaken in partnership with First Nations colleagues and leaders. They hold critical knowledge to inform and transform systems and practice and are already leading this journey. It's time for the rest of us to catch up. This chapter urges critical thinking about past and contemporary practice. It is not intended to replace essential and valued First Nations and minoritised ethnic perspectives and leadership, but to stand in solidarity with, and advocate the importance of, dismantling colonial legacies for the mutual liberation of all. As we move forward with this chapter, hold in mind this whakaaro (thought) from kaumātua (Māori elder) Koro Hata Temo: “Sometimes what I’d like to say is, the problem with you guys is you never lived in our world … but you forced us to live in yours” (Koro Hata Temo, 2016). Koro Hata's whakaaro challenges us to disrupt colonialism as norm, keeping us alive to the many ways of knowing and being that can enrich our practice. This chapter is an attempt to disrupt the all-encompassing nature of settler colonialism, and to reimagine the world (through the lens of child protection) with First Nations’ values in mind.

A call to reflect and rethink

CS is now well established and scaling up throughout England, Wales and Scotland, bringing context to the forefront of current safeguarding practice. Following this growth and success, it is timely to reflect on this practice and experience and explore more deeply its application with communities who have been disproportionately impacted by child protection systems. Not only is this relevant to the UK context but it seems particularly important now, given current plans to test the applicability and feasibility of CS in international settings, including in British settler postcolonial nations.