Missing Black Child Conference / Richmond and Wandsworth

SAVE THE DATE | SAVE THE DATE

WANDSWORTH CAN WE ASK YOU SOMETHING?

WHY ARE SO MANY BLACK CHILDREN MISSING?

This is the question no one wants to ask.

Our children are going missing at alarming rates. AND they are not getting snatched, they are leaving. Running. Escaping.

But why?
Because home doesn’t always feel like home.
Because they feel safer out there than in here.
Because they’re searching for belonging, for family, for someone who will listen—even if it’s the wrong people. Because they have been expolited and deceived! 

This isn’t an easy conversation.
But it’s one we’re committed to having.

This is a community-led event, delivered in collaboration with Wandsworth 

Evolve Team - Adolescent Exploitation & Missing Team, Richmond and Wandsworth Councils

“Safeguarding all children and young people is necessary, therefore no matter their race, culture and perceptions it’s important for us to protect and respond promptly to all”.

- Nyree Francis (Evolve Team - Adolescent Exploitation & Missing Team, Richmond and Wandsworth Council)

“It’s been 5 agonising weeks since my 14-year-old boy disappeared. The pain is indescribable. Every day feels like an eternity, filled with worry and fear. Our family is incomplete without him.” Jane, mother of a missing child

What to Expect

This is not just another conference.
It’s a call to action. A space to reclaim our power, speak the truth, and equip our families with real tools for real change.

💥 Disrupt the silence
💥 Challenge the systems
💥 Empower parents, carers, and community members

You’ll experience:

Guest Speakers
Voices from the frontline—parents, survivors, professionals and advocates with lived experience and powerful insight.

Free Family Toolkit
Take-home tools to help you keep your child safe, supported and connected.

Free Food
Because we want you nourished, welcomed, and seen.

Gifts & Resources
Giveaways to support your wellbeing and spark conversations at home.

Wellness Marketplace
A vibrant space of community care featuring local services, mental health professionals, creatives, youth programmes, cultural organisations and wellbeing practitioners—all offering real support and connection.

VOLUNTEER WITH US
INFO@ManhoodAcademy.co.uk

JOIN OUR BAFTA-NOMINATED YOUTH PROGRAMME

On the day, you’ll be able to enrol your child into our BAFTA-nominated rites of passage programme—designed to support young people in navigating their transition into adulthood with purpose, values and community.

RESEARCH & CONTEXT

16% of missing children in the UK are Black—yet they make up just 6% of the child population.
These aren’t just statistics. They’re families. They’re futures.

Research from Listen Up and Missing People charity reveals:

- Racism, stereotyping, and adultification put Black children at greater risk
- Services often respond with bias and apathy
- A lack of culturally safe, family-centred care leaves children vulnerable

This event explores how we can do better—together.

Featured in the Press


“Missing Black children: youth charity hosts conference to raise awareness”
The Voice spotlights MAG’s urgent 2024 Brent conference addressing the alarming number of missing Black children. The article praises MAG as a leading grassroots force driving awareness and action.

- Read article - https://www.voice-online.co.uk/uk-news/2024/10/14/missing-black-children-youth-charity-hosts-conference-to-raise-awareness

“Black mothers fear family breakdowns linked to children going missing”
This piece includes insights from Manhood Academy Global, tying rising disappearances to fractured families and peer pressure. It underlines the need for culturally rooted support, as offered by MAG.
- Read article - https://www.voice-online.co.uk/news/features-news/2024/05/06/black-mothers-fear-family-breakdowns-linked-to-children-going-missing/

Read Report Here - https://drive.google.com/file/d/16KGcw8FkVQfUHNb9wREjtAbCr8STCxT6/view?usp=sharing

WHO IS THIS EVENT FOR?

✅ Parents and carers
✅ Safeguarding professionals
✅ Social workers, teachers, police, and youth workers
✅ Community leaders, faith leaders, and policy-makers
✅ Anyone who believes our children deserve more


🖤 Our children don’t just need protection.
They need connection.
They need a village.

Let’s build it.
Together.

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SPECIAL GUEST HOST 

Special Guest Host - Jahran Allen-Thompson MBE

Linkedin Profile

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jahranallenthompson/

Jahran Allen-Thompson MBE is a strategic advisor, operational leader, and Honorary Lecturer in Forensic Operations at the University of Portsmouth. With over 15 years of experience navigating complex systems within UK local government and forensic services, Jahran is widely recognised for his ability to lead transformational change in high-pressure environments.

Most notably, as the Operations Manager for the East London Forensic Centre, he delivered a £6.3 million state-of-the-art facility, transitioning it into one of the most sustainable forensic services in the country. His work often sits at the intersection of human resilience and institutional innovation, particularly in de-risking infrastructure for "doomsday" scenarios and modernising post-mortem services through non-intrusive technology.

A diagnosed dyslexic, Jahran is a vocal advocate for neurodivergent leadership. He believes that "big-picture" thinking is essential for solving the world’s most complex societal and operational problems. His unique blend of technical expertise and empathetic leadership makes him a powerful voice in both the boardroom and the community

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Special Guest Speaker and Panel member - Jay Yambuya

My name is Jay Yambuya, and my journey is a testament to the power of resilience, self-mastery, and redemption. Growing up in London's most challenging neighbourhoods, I experienced first-hand how systemic failures can derail young lives. 

Between Year 7 and 11, I was shuttled through 8 different schools, spending more time in Pupil Referral Units (PRUs) than mainstream classrooms. In these spaces meant for “problem children”, I witnessed how the education system gives up on young people like me - where only 1% of PRU students achieve five good GCSEs. Yet against these odds, I emerged with qualifications in Maths, English, Science, Art and Business, proving that potential exists even in the most discarded youth.But academic success couldn't compensate for what was missing , the emotional safety, guidance and belonging every child deserves. 

The streets became my classroom, and like many young Black men in Britain, I became a product of my environment. By 20, I was a father facing a 5-year prison sentence for ‘possession of firearms’ at HMP Pentonville - what many would call the end of the road. 

Although I found myself in this situation, I was fortunate enough to leave that life with no blood on my hands. I've lived every stage of the school-to-prison pipeline, but more importantly, I've broken free from it. 

Now I use my lived experience to:
- Mentor young people through the same struggles I overcame
- Coach adults trapped in cycles of unprocessed trauma
- Campaign with No More Exclusions for systemic changes to end harm against vulnerable young people in education
- Partner with organisations like the Manhood Academy Global & Fitness4kidz CIC to prevent youth violence