Dr Leethen Bartholomew

Dr Leethen Bartholomew is a registered social worker, researcher and strategic safeguarding leader with more than 25 years of experience addressing harmful practices, child protection and culturally contextual safeguarding. Formerly Head of the National FGM Centre and Head of Children and Young Londoners at the Greater London Authority, his expertise spans Female Genital Mutilation, forced marriage, honour-based abuse, abuse linked to faith or belief and wider safeguarding challenges affecting children and families. He is a published academic and adviser to a number of national and international organisations.

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Leethen combines strategic leadership, frontline safeguarding experience and academic insight. His work focuses on helping organisations navigate complex issues that sit at the intersection of culture, faith, safeguarding and community trust. Through Indaba, he supports organisations to strengthen safeguarding systems, build meaningful engagement with communities and develop evidence-informed responses to hidden and often misunderstood forms of harm.