New guidelines aimed at protecting Muslim children in religious schools are being introduced in Bradford. So what are the changes and how successful have they been?
Leading the way, the Jami’at Tabligh-ul-Islam Mosque, which provides lessons for children aged seven to 18, has been one of the first institutions to take up the guidelines.
These include criminal record checks for all religious teachers and greater parental involvement over what is taught.
So far, reaction has been positive.
Eleven-year-old pupil Mohammed Waleed says he enjoys coming to the mosque, describing his time there as “more of an after-school club” than anything else.
He also says he feels safe because “there are security cameras in place”.
Similarly, student Tanzeela Kosser says “children are happy here because there’s no bullying”.
Bradford is home to some 100 madrassas, where British Muslim children spend about 10 hours each week - after school and on weekends - learning to recite the Koran in Arabic.
Many parents - who tend to place great importance on providing their sons and daughters with an opportunity to expand their religious knowledge - have welcomed the new guidelines.
Azhar Farooq sends his child to the classes at the Jami’at Tabligh-ul-Islam Mosque. He says the changes have given him peace of mind.
“It’s very important to have these safeguarding policies because you know your children are safe,” he says.
“The teacher gives a monthly report on my son’s progress and it’s a similar environment to mainstream school.”
Allegations of Abuse
Unlike state schools, religious schools - known as madrassas - are unregulated and teachers do not have to have specialist training.
Eighteen months ago, a Radio 4 investigation uncovered more than 400 allegations of abuse relating to Britain’s madrassas, in incidents spanning three years.
Only a tiny number of claims led to successful prosecutions, including a case in Lancashire where a mosque staff member admitted to beating pupils.
However, the revelation prompted calls for formal regulation of the religious schools - attended by more than 250,000 British Muslim children - by the Mosques and Imams National Advisory Board, a body set up to improve standards in mosques.
As a result, the Council for Mosques in Bradford, West Yorkshire, has spent months putting together a document entitled Children Do Matter - a guideline for the city’s madrassas.
They have worked alongside the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children, the police and the local council to draw up procedures to improve the wellbeing of children in Islamic faith institutions.
“We’re talking about almost 10,000 children in the district who need looking after,” says Mohammed Rafiq Sehgal, the senior vice-president for the Bradford Council for Mosques and chairman of its safeguarding working group.
“Although the majority of religious establishments have an excellent track record of care, we feel that some need more support.”
Mr Sehgal adds: “These guidelines will ensure the safety of children, as well as helping staff to deal with any problems that may arise.
“It will certainly enhance public confidence in our institutions.”
According to Mr Sehgal, the document’s key recommendations include criminal record checks for staff, more parental involvement, a structured learning system and a call for women to be more involved with the schools.
But the plans have drawn criticism from the National Secular Society, which says the measures are not enough.
The group has called for a legal framework to be put in place, arguing legislation is urgently needed to control the UK’s network of madrassas.
President Terry Sanderson says that while reports such as Children Do Matter are “all very well and full of good intentions”, he feels that “some kind of statutory control for madrassas is needed”.
He adds he is “surprised the government has been so reluctant in drawing up regulations for the supplementary schools”.
‘Great place to learn’
It has now been several months since Bradford’s Jami’at Tabligh-ul-Islam Mosque put the new guidelines in place, and alongside children and parents, its staff have welcomed the changes.
Naheed Kosser - the mosque’s only female teacher - tells BBC News: “We’ve done training in safeguarding and child protection and I’ve benefited from it quite a lot.
“It actually shows you how to look after kids and it’s created a great place to learn about Islam.”
Adnan Ahmed, who teaches a class of young boys, adds that encouraging a safe environment has led to an increase in the number of children coming to learn.
“The attendance has definitely increased by about 30%,” he says. “We’ve got to the point where we can’t enrol any more students.”
He points out the changes have also improved morale among pupils, creating a better learning environment.
“It’s because of the communication and understanding we’ve got with the children,” he explains.
“Now when we give them homework they do it - whereas before they never had any interest.”
The success of the Bradford project means the guidelines will be shared with other mosques across the country, ensuring more Muslim children are protected in the future.