October 2018

Safeguarding of deaf children (SignHealth)

On average, deaf children leave school with a lower reading age and miss out on the key messages about abuse given through mainstream media and by word-of-mouth. They cannot access information in the same way as their hearing peers, so deaf children and young people are largely unaware of support networks, or even what constitutes abuse.

Deaf children can be more vulnerable to abuse and neglect, and they are much more likely than hearing children to develop social, emotional or behavioural problems. The Deaf Health Charity, SignHealth, report that they are increasingly working with deaf young people who have experienced extreme forms of abuse, particularly Asian girls.

Young DeafHope

Young DeafHope is a unique project working with young Deaf people of eleven years and older, to raise awareness of abuse and domestic violence. The aim is to help young people change or avoid abusive behaviour, and to help them to have healthy relationships and stay safe.

You can find more information here:
https://www.signhealth.org.uk/our-projects/deafhope-projects/young-deafhope/

Pants’ Video in BSL (NSPCC)

The NSPCC’s successful PANTs campaign is designed to allow parents to start easy conversations with their children without having to mention scary words like sex or abuse. It teaches them that their privates are private and that their body belongs to them.

The NSPCC has created a video in British Sign Language with subtitles and aim to teach deaf children about the Underwear Rule and encourages them to share secrets that upset them with a trusted adult.  

You can find the video here:
https://www.nspcc.org.uk/what-we-do/news-opinion/Underwear-Rule-video-to-help-protect-deaf-children-from-abuse/

Domestic abuse of deaf women

SignHealth’s domestic abuse service, DeafHope, is the UK’s only sign-language based service to help Deaf women, men and children who experience domestic abuse. People who are Deaf are more at risk of domestic abuse than people who are hearing.

Further information can be found here: https://www.signhealth.org.uk/our-projects/deafhope-projects/deafhope-service/

Domestic Abuse Info In BSL

The charity have also produced videos about domestic abuse in British Sign Language. The videos can be found here: https://www.signhealth.org.uk/our-projects/deafhope-projects/deafhope-service/deafhope-bsl/

Fireworks Safety

With the darker nights come a number of events involving fireworks and bonfires, starting with Bonfire night next Monday. Here is a list of resources to help inform young people and minimise the risks of harm:

Fireworks, Sparkler and Bonfire Safety (RoSPA)
https://www.rospa.com/home-safety/advice/fireworks-safety/

UK Fire Services
https://www.fireservice.co.uk/safety/firework-safety/

Cambridgeshire Fire Sevice
Includes a useful video
http://www.cambsfire.gov.uk/firework-safety-1341.aspx

Children’s Society Podcast Launched

The Children’s Society have launched a podcast. In the first episode they explore child criminal exploitation and look particularly at children who have been exploited into selling drugs through so-called ‘County Lines’.

You can find the podcast here: 
https://www.childrenssociety.org.uk/what-you-can-do/campaign-change/talking-change-podcast

Criminal Exploitation and County Lines: A toolkit for working with children and young people (Children’s Society)
https://www.childrenssociety.org.uk/sites/default/files/publications/toolkit_criminal_exploitation_and_county_lines.pdf

Curriculum Design Tool for RSE (Sex Education Forum)

The Sex Education Forum has developed a set of questions to help parents, carers, schools and other educators understand what children and young people want to learn about in relation to growing up, relationships and sex from ages 3-19 organised by age. The design tool helps schools design their RSE curriculum by helping them to consider what to include and how to structure the programme. 

The curriculum design tool can be downloaded here:
http://www.sexeducationforum.org.uk/resources/advice-guidance/curriculum-design-tool-0

Allergy Poster (Food Standards Agency)

Last week I shared a poster I’d seen in a hotel restaurant. An eagle-reader recognised the poster and sent me the link. If you want to download a print-ready copy here it is: https://www.food.gov.uk/sites/default/files/media/document/thinkallergy.pdf

The allergy posters are also available in Chinese, Punjabi, Bengali and Urdu.

Food Standard Agency Allergen Guidance: https://www.food.gov.uk/business-guidance/allergen-guidance-for-industry

Food allergy online training: http://allergytraining.food.gov.uk/english/ 

Poster: Coping with low mood

Associate Professor of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at the University of Oxford, Mina Fazel, (and someone I worked with many years ago,) has developed this free infographic to help young people recognise and improve the symptoms of low mood.

Click image to download

Reading Well (Reading Agency)

The Reading Agency brings together partners from the public, private, and voluntary sectors to tackle life’s big challenges through the proven power of reading.

The agency’s ‘Reading Well Books on Prescription’ helps people understand and manage their health and wellbeing using self-help reading. The books are chosen by health experts and people living with the conditions covered. 

The book recommendations for young people’s mental health can be found here:https://reading-well.org.uk/books/books-on-prescription/young-people-mental-health

Words for Life (National Literacy Foundation)

The National Literacy Foundation have a list of books to help children feel happier and more confident. This list is for children up to the age of 11 or thereabouts. You can find the list here:
http://wordsforlife.org.uk/node/1653

Record-keeping FAQs

I get asked a quite a few questions about record-keeping, so I’ve put an article on the website answering the Frequently Asked Questions, including:

• Should schools keep a copy of the child protection records?
• Why does record retention differ around the country?
• I’m sure I did read somewhere that there was statutory guidance which said we should keep a copy of the child protection file?
• What does Keeping Children Safe in Education (2018) say about child protection records?
• Retention Periods Guidance from the Information and Records Management Society (IRMS)
• Government Guidance: Data Protection Toolkit for Schools
• Government Guidance: Information Sharing
• Historical Allegations of Sexual Abuse
• Retention Periods Judicial Review
• The Data Protection Act 2018 and the GDPR
• eRecording Systems (including CPOMS and MyConcern)
• Do we need parental permission to transfer safeguarding and child protection files?
• Is consent is always needed to share personal information? 

You can find the answer to all these question here: 
https://www.safeguardinginschools.co.uk/faqs-about-child-protection-records/

Children with learning disabilities at risk of sexual exploitation

We know that children and young people with SEN and Disabilities are much more at risk of child abuse and neglect than most children. 

The British Institute of Learning Disabilities (BILD) have produced a series of leaflets for professionals, parents and carers, and young people themselves. You can find the leaflets under the ‘Spotting the signs of child sexual exploitation’ heading here: 
http://www.bild.org.uk/resources/cse-and-ld/unprotected-overprotected/

Free Online Learning 

A few people have been asking where to find the free online learning about FGM and the Prevent Duty. The links seem to have changed, so here are the latest ones”

FGM: www.fgmelearning.co.uk/

Prevent: www.elearning.prevent.homeoffice.gov.uk/edu/screen1.html (NB This link does not work on a phone)
 

Safer Recruitment Question

Colleagues are obviously getting their CPD programmes ready, as I’ve had a few emails about the refresher timescales for Safer Recruitment.

In the past, Safer Recruitment training had to be refreshed every 5 years. In 2012, the government stopped managing Safer Recruitment and the refresher timeframe was dispensed with. Although there is no statutory reason to refresh, personally I think it is useful to revisit it (perhaps every 3 – 5 years) because legislation changes, there are new ways of approaching interviewing, and criminology research develops around how adults groom children. And it’s good to reflect on your systems and processes.

Keeping Children Safe in Education (2018), paragraph 90, says “The School Staffing (England) Regulations 2009 require governing bodies of maintained schools to ensure that at least one of the persons who conducts an interview has completed safer recruitment training. Governing bodies of maintained schools may choose appropriate training and may take advice from the local three safeguarding partners in doing so. The training should cover, as a minimum, the content of [Keeping Children Safe in Education (2018)].

Cybercrime strategies

Sky News this week reported on 15 ways that criminals use the internet. The report was based on the fifth annual Internet Organised Crime Threat Assessment (IOCTA). I think it is well-worth familiarising yourself with these internet risks.

The SkyNews report is here: https://news.sky.com/story/europol-warns-of-15-ways-you-could-become-a-cyber-crime-victim-11501321

The threat assessment is here: www.europol.europa.eu/internet-organised-crime-threat-assessment-2018

September 2018

Safeguarding in the private, voluntary, faith and social sectors

I know the Safeguarding Briefing isn’t only read in schools. Just a reminder then that Working Together to Safeguard Children (2018) has strengthened the safeguarding expectations in the voluntary, charity and social enterprise (VCSE) sector, faith-based organisations and the private sector. Chapter 2 sets out the importance of these organisations having robust safeguarding policies and practices, where paid and voluntary staff know how to recognise risk, how to raise concerns, and how to make referrals to social care services or the police when necessary.

Download: Working Together to Safeguard Children (2018)

Update: Data protection: toolkit for schools (2018)

Further information has been added to the data protection schools’ toolkit. The document includes case-studies and myth-busters and will be an important read for anyone responsible for data protection and the implementation of GDPR. From a DSL’s perspective it will important to read, Annex 10.1 Safeguarding Myth-Busting (p96).

DSLs should also bear in mind the following paragraph:

“When Designated Safeguarding Leads in schools are considering whether, or not, to share safeguarding information (especially with other agencies) it is considered best practice for them to record who they are sharing that information with and for what reason. If they have taken a decision not to seek consent from the data subject and/or parent/carer that should also be recorded within the safeguarding file.” (Data protection: toolkit for schools (DfE, 2018) Page 23)

Download: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/data-protection-toolkit-for-schools

Updated: Staffing and employment: advice for schools (DfE, 2018)

The government has updated paragraph 5.33 of the ‘Staffing and employment’ advice:
“All staff have a responsibility to ensure that they act appropriately in terms of their behaviour, the views they express (in particular political views) and the use of school resources at all times, and should not use school resources for party political purposes.”

Download: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/staffing-and-employment-advice-for-schools

Update: DBS ID checking guidelines

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/dbs-identity-checking-guidelines

Inspecting Safeguarding (Ofsted, 2018)

Ofsted has published a new update to Inspecting safeguarding in early years, education and skills. The guidance has been updated to include the changes to Keeping Children Safe in Education (2018) and Working Together to Safeguard Children (2018). There are changes in emphasis too and schools will need to ensure that these aspects are considered in policies and in the curriculum.

A useful list of all the changes has been made available, but the key changes are:

• not only are staff and volunteers carefully selected and vetted, but ‘ongoing suitability’ should be considered to prevent the opportunities for harm to pupils
• inspectors will ‘consider safeguarding policies and practice and evidence’ of staff awareness
• the previous guidelines referred to children learning ‘how to keep themselves safe’. This phrase has been changed to children know how to ‘recognise when they are at risk and how to get help when they need it’
• schools and colleges hold ‘more than one emergency contact number for each pupil or student’
• staff should consider the ‘wider environmental factors in a child’s life that may be a threat to the safety and/or welfare
• staff in schools and colleges are supported to make reasonable judgements about when it may be appropriate to use physical contact with a child to protect them from injury
• school leaders, including governors and Designated Safeguarding Leads should understand the arrangements in their local area during the transition from LSCBs to the new local safeguarding partnerships
• prohibition checks are not normally required for teaching assistants, unless they have a QTS or undertake teaching work

Inspecting safeguarding in early years, education and skills
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/inspecting-safeguarding-in-early-years-education-and-skills-from-september-2015

Summary of changes
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/inspecting-safeguarding-in-early-years-education-and-skills-from-september-2015

Keeping Children Safe in Education (2018)

Keeping Children Safe in Education (2018) comes into force today. If you didn’t catch what’s new in the summer, have a look at the video here: https://www.safeguardinginschools.co.uk/keeping-children-safe-in-education-2018/

Disqualification by Association

You will remember that the outcome of the government consultation about ‘Disqualification by Association’ was published towards the end of the summer term. The guidance was updated again on the 31st August 2018 and comes into force on 3rd September 2018. A change in the law means that Disqualification by Association will only apply on domestic premises. However, Disqualification under the Childcare Act 2006, still applies to staff themselves.

Schools must no longer ask about the cautions or convictions of someone living or working in their household. (It should be noted that other statutory guidance may be relevant where the third party lives on the school premises, such as in boarding schools.)

Main Points

Disqualification by Association now only applies in domestic settings, not schools.

Disqualification under the Child Care Act still applies to  staff themselves who work in a child care capacity, whether paid, volunteer or are on work placements.

Relevant staff are those working in child care, or in a management role because they are: working with reception age children at any time; or working with children older than reception until age eight, outside school hours. 

Keeping Children Safe in Education (DfE, 2018) paragraph 116 also refers to disqualification: “For staff who work in childcare provision or who are directly concerned with the management of such provision, the school needs to ensure that appropriate checks are carried out to ensure that individuals are not disqualified under the Childcare (Disqualification) Regulations 2009”.

Schools are free to decide how to bring these requirements to the attention of their staff. As a means of making staff aware of their duty to provide such information, they may, for example, choose to include a section in the school’s safeguarding policy, or another policy document, or by means of an addition to new staff members’ contracts of employment. Schools should draw this guidance to the attention of their staff and the information provided by Ofsted referenced in this guidance.

Schools will need to review any historic data collected and destroy any information which is no longer required. 

Ofsted and the Independent School Inspectorates will check the management of Disqualification under the Childcare Act as part of their routine school inspection process.

What should schools do

1. Inform staff of the changes, and record the date that they were informed; a letter, or email might be best.
2. Ensure that this information is included in the Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy; and in the Safer Recruitment Policy
3. Identify and record which staff are covered by  Disqualification under the Childcare Act 2006 (including volunteers and people on work placements).
4. Ask relevant staff to self-declare that they are not Disqualified under the Childcare Act 2006. (A form is not necessary). [An Enhanced DBS Certificate will confirm this for new staff; for existing employees schools could consider using the DBS Update Service to supplement any employee self-declaration.]
5. Remind all staff about the expectation to inform the school where their relationships and associations, both within and outside of the workplace (including online), may have implications for the safeguarding of children in the school.
6. Remind all staff that if their circumstances change they must inform the school. (Decide where to put this in writing: Staff Code of Conduct and/or in staff contracts.)
7. Decide whether these self-declarations will be kept on the Single Central Register, or elsewhere.
8. Review any historic data collected and destroy any information which is no longer required.

The government guidance can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/disqualification-under-the-childcare-act-2006

Download the pdf: https://www.safeguardinginschools.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Disqualification-under-the-Childcare-Act-2006-SEPTEMBER-2018-DfE.pdf

Real Safeguarding Stories

Bradford Council and Collingwood Learning have developed a free online resource for professionals with safeguarding responsibilities. These video stories very quickly engage viewers emotionally and present a range of complex issues. The videos open up safeguarding topics for discussion and learning. 

You can find the videos here: https://realsafeguardingstories.com/

Contextual Safeguarding

Contextual Safeguarding is a new conceptual framework that has been piloted in a number of local authorities over the last few years. The framework has been included in the new KCSIE (2018) and Working Together to Safeguard Children (DfE, 2018). 

Contextual Safeguarding is particularly important for secondary schools. I think all DSLs working with over-13s should become members of the Contextual Safeguarding Network, in order to access all the resources and information. The material is very accessible in written, video and podcast form.

Read or watch my introduction to Contextual Safeguarding here: https://www.safeguardinginschools.co.uk/contextual-safeguarding/

Contextual Safeguarding Network Website is here: https://www.contextualsafeguarding.org.uk/

July 2018

eSafety Magazine (eSafety Advisor)

Alan Mackenzie, the eSafety advisor has published the latest edition of his ‘DITTO’ magazine, on the theme of YouTube.

Download here: http://www.esafety-adviser.com/latest-newsletter/

Delayed Statutory Relationships and Sex Education

The government was to bring in statutory RSE from September 2019, but the education secretary, Damian Hinds, has informed the Education Select Committee that this will not now be the case. Hinds says that it will be ‘available’ from 2019 and ‘probably compulsory from 2020’. Could this be a U-turn?

The Sex Education Forum has been shaping policy and practice on RSE and have written an article on their blog, ‘Waiting is frustrating though, so what can you do in the meantime?’. The article sets out three things schools can continue to do to improve the quality of RSE in schools.

Read the article here: http://www.sexeducationforum.org.uk/news/blog/tired-waiting

OFSTED School Inspection Update (July 2018)

The latest inspection update covers a number of issues, including an important safeguarding issue that I’ve talked about here before.

In October 2016, a four-old boy with serious learning difficulties died whilst clinging to his mother who had passed away herself, two weeks previously, during an epileptic episode. The boy, whose autism prevented him from feeding himself or calling for help, slowly died of starvation.

The boy’s school had tried to contact his mother by telephone, which remained unanswered. Later, staff called at the home twice, but could not gain access.

Following the inquest, the local coroner sent a ‘Prevention of Future Deaths’ statutory report to the Education Secretary, setting out his concerns and suggesting changes he believes would prevent further deaths of this kind.

The latest update to Keeping Children Safe in Education (for September 2018) says ‘Where reasonably possible, schools and colleges should hold more than one emergency contact number for each pupil or student. This goes beyond the legal minimum and is good practice to give the school or college additional options to make contact with a responsible adult when a child missing education is also identified as a welfare and/or safeguarding concern.’

Download the Ofsted Update here:https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/723268/School_inspection_update_060718.pdf

Disqualification under the Childcare Act 2006

Referred to as Disqualification by Association, this caused a stir in 2014, as relevant staff were suspended or fired because they shared a household with someone whose convictions would prevent them working with children. The government opened a consultation in 2016, with a series of options, and this week the conclusion was published.

From 1st September 2018, schools will no longer have to ask staff questions about cautions or convictions of someone living or working in their household.

The Childcare (Disqualification) and Childcare (Early Years Provision Free of Charge) (Extended Entitlement) (Amendment) Regulations 2018, Part 2 Childcare (Disqualification) Regulations 2018, section 9, states that such a disqualification applies only to ‘work in domestic premises’.

You can find the guidance here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/disqualification-under-the-childcare-act-2006

The consultation outcome is here:https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/718641/Childcare_disqualification_consultation_report.pdf

The legislation is here: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2018/794/part/2/made#f00015

Information Sharing (2018)

The 2015 version of the information sharing guidance has been updated in response to the General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) and Data Protection Act 2018, and it supersedes the HM Government Information sharing: guidance for practitioners and managers published in March 2015.

The GDPR and Data Protection Act 2018 do not prevent, or limit, the sharing of information for the purposes of keeping children and young people safe. (Information Sharing (2018) Page 5)

At the outset, the guidance says, ‘Remember that the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), Data Protection Act 2018 and human rights law are not barriers to justified information sharing, but provide a framework to ensure that personal information about living individuals is shared appropriately.’

‘Where possible, share information with consent, and where possible, respect the wishes of those who do not consent to having their information shared. Under the GDPR and Data Protection Act 2018 you may share information without consent if, in your judgement, there is a lawful basis to do so, such as  where safety may be at risk.

A useful myth-busting guide can be found on page 13 and 14.

Download the Guidance here:https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/721581/Information_sharing_advice_practitioners_safeguarding_services.pdf

Updating your Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy

Keeping Children Safe in Education (2018) was published in May ready for implementation in September 2018. You can find the changes in this video and article here:https://www.safeguardinginschools.co.uk/keeping-children-safe-in-education-2018/

Revolving Door: Are we failing children at risk of abuse and neglect? (Action for Children)

They report that in 2015-16, there were 184,500 children referred to children’s social care whose cases were closed as ‘no further action’ after assessment. Only one in four children were referred to early help services such as children’s centres or domestic abuse programmes. This leaves an estimated 140,000 children on the fringes of social care without support.

The report found that between 2013 and 2015, 120,000 children were referred to social services repeatedly, by police, teachers, and health professionals. Although some children do not reach statutory thresholds, they are still vulnerable. Over 13,000 children had absolutely no statutory support from social services in either year.

Common needs were domestic abuse, neglect, physical abuse, parental mental health and substance misuse.

You can download the report here: https://www.actionforchildren.org.uk/what-we-do/policy-and-research/support-for-children-and-families/revolving-door/

Health Risks for children in YOUR area

All schools need to be aware of the safeguarding risks for their pupils. There are many places to find out the local risks, but a little known source of health data could help schools identify risks and better plan their PSHE programme, in the widest sense.

The data is on the Public Health England website here: https://fingertips.phe.org.uk/profile-group/child-health/profile/child-health-school-age

Once you have identified your school’s age group and area, you can see where the ‘red’ data is and ensure that these topics are being covered across the curriculum.

June

Domestic Abuse and the Football World Cup

In 2016, the BBC Radio 4’s Thinking Allowed programme also covered this issue, when host Laurie Taylor spoke to Jodie Swallow, from the University of Chester, about her research. Jodie explains, “My study revealed the women endured a range of harms, including physical, sexual and economic abuse, as well as coercive and controlling behaviours. While the abuse wasn’t limited to sport, sport was a means through which their fanatical partners exerted power and maintained control over them.” The programme is still available on iplayer here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b07hgcq0

To raise awareness of domestic abuse, anti-social behaviour and racist abuse, Suffolk police have created posters that you can download below

Domestic violence World Cup Poster – Domestic Abuse (PDF 1.2 MB)
https://www.suffolk.police.uk/sites/suffolk/files/page/downloads/worldcupposterssuffolk_domesticabuse_0.pdf

Don’t Drink and Drive World Cup Poster – don’t drink drive (PDF 1.4 MB)
https://www.suffolk.police.uk/sites/suffolk/files/page/downloads/worldcupposterssuffolk_drinking.pdf

Say No to Racism World Cup – Say no to racism (PDF 1.7 MB)
https://www.suffolk.police.uk/sites/suffolk/files/page/downloads/worldcupposterssuffolk_gameofnations.pdf

National Domestic Abuse Helpline 0808 2000 247 (24 hours)
http://www.nationaldomesticviolencehelpline.org.uk/

Posters
https://www.womensaid.org.uk/information-support/downloads-and-resources/posters-and-leaflets/

Women’s Aid Website for children and young people
http://thehideout.org.uk/

Bullying: Research report (DfE)

In 2015, the study interviewed 10,010 young people in year 11. In the report, their responses to questions about bullying are compared with the answers they gave the previous year when they were in year 10. Their responses are also compared with those of an earlier cohort of young people who were in year 11 in 2006.

Overall, a significantly smaller proportion of year 11 pupils in 2015 reported having been bullied in the last 12 months than the same pupils did the year before, when they were in year 10. The overall bullying rate fell from 37% in year 10 to 30% in year 11.

Name calling remains the most common type of bullying (15%), although social exclusion, such as being excluded from a group of friends or activities, is experienced by almost as many young people (14%). Violent bullying has reduced between 2006 and 2015, with a smaller proportion of young people reporting threats of violence (14% to 10%) and actual violence (10% to 6%).

Bullying: Case Studies and Good Practice examples

To accompany the research report, the DfE have published ‘Approaches to preventing and tackling bullying: Case studies’ (DfE, June 2018)

There is some evidence to suggest that bullying as an issue has improved for specific age groups. Overall, a significantly smaller proportion of year 10 students in 2014 said that they had been bullied in the last 12 months when compared with the equivalent age group in 2005. However, research shows that bullying does remains a problem for some pupils. The ‘Pupils and their parents and carers’ (DfE, 2017) showed that out of 1,847 year 7 to 13 pupils, nearly half (45%) felt they had been bullied in the previous 12 months. In the same study, just under two thirds of pupils (63%) said they had seen someone else being bullied at school in the past 12 months.

Common strategies to tackle and prevent bullying

• Whole school approach
• Focus on preventative practices
• Creating an inclusive ethos/environment
• Keeping anti-bullying high profile
• Engaging and empowering pupils
• A rapid response to bullying incidents

Common challenges

• Engaging parents/carers
• Keeping up to date with online trends
• Dealing with incidents which occur outside school
• Collaborating with other schools across phases
• Engaging staff

Bullying Support Resources
https://www.anti-bullyingalliance.org.uk/
https://youngminds.org.uk/find-help/feelings-and-symptoms/bullying/
https://www.kidscape.org.uk/
https://www.bullying.co.uk/
https://www.antibullyingpro.com/

New Definition of Bullying
A YouGov poll revealed that 72% of GB children, aged 13-17 years, agreed that the definition of ‘bully’ should be updated. After campaigning by the Diana Award, Google, Collins, Dictionary.com, Oxford Dictionaries and the Cambridge Dictionary have change their definition of bullying.

The original definition contrasted bullies as ‘strong’ and their victims as ‘weak’, but the new definition instead talks of vulnerability.

Original definition:
Bully n. a person who uses strength or influence to harm or intimidate those who are weaker.

New definition:
Bully n. a person who habitually seeks to harm or intimidate those whom they perceive as vulnerable.

NSPCC ‘How safe are our children?’ 2018

The NSPCC’s annual report, ‘How safe are our children’ compiles and analyses the most robust and up-to-date child protection data that exists across the 4 nations in the UK.

The charity has been consolidating the national data for the last five years and consistently looks at the same indicators each year, to track changes over time.

Key points include:

• There have been increases in police-recorded child sexual offences across the UK, and increases in child cruelty and neglect offences in all UK nations except Scotland.
• The last decade has also seen increased numbers of children on child protection plans and registers.
• Almost a quarter of young people were contacted online by an adult they did not know; and
• Since the offence of communicating indecently with a child was introduced in England and Wales in April 2017, over 3,000 crimes have been recorded by the police.

You can find the report here: https://www.nspcc.org.uk/services-and-resources/research-and-resources/how-safe-are-our-children-2018

Making sense of relationships (NSPCC/PSHE Association)

The NSPCC and the PSHE Association have worked together to produce teacher resources for key stages 2-4 on personal safety and healthy relationships.

There is a teachers’ guide to help create a safe learning environment for the lessons, what to do if they receive a disclosure and where to signpost young people for help. The guide also includes a template letter to parents to inform them about the content and purpose of the lessons.

The topics include:

• transition to secondary school
• online safety and online friendships
• consent
• sexualised behaviour
• unhealthy relationships and
• sharing sexual images

At this time of year, there are three particularly useful lessons for Year 6 pupils as they move on to secondary schools. Their friendships and relationships change, bringing about many new and sometimes difficult challenges.

Find the resources here: https://www.nspcc.org.uk/preventing-abuse/safeguarding/schools-protecting-children-abuse-neglect/making-sense-of-relationships/download-pshe-resources

May

Sexual Violence and Sexual Harassment (DfE, 2018) – Download the document here:https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/707653/Sexual_Harassment_and_Sexual_Violence_Advice.pdf

Sexual Violence and Sexual Harassment between children guidance (2017, DfE)
The ‘Sexual Violence and Sexual Harassment between children in schools and colleges’ guidance from the DfE, talks about the importance of educating children about consent. Here are a few resources that you might find useful.

SRE Website – From September 2019, government legislation requires all secondary schools to teach Relationships and Sex Education (RSE or SRE). Experts in the field have collaborated to create resources which are accredited by the PSHE Association. These are also completely free and available for use right now. The website, sponsored by Durex, can also give students and parents valuable guidance on how and where to get the kind of RSE that meets the needs of young people today.
Website: www.dosreforschools.com/what-is-do
Resources: www.dosreforschools.com/how-do-can-help/do-for-educators/lesson-plans-and-stimulus

Websites and Charities on Bereavement
Child Bereavement UK: https://childbereavementuk.org
Child Bereavement Network: http://www.childhoodbereavementnetwork.org.uk/
Marie Curie: https://www.mariecurie.org.uk/
Winston’s Wish: https://www.winstonswish.org/

April

Download the GDPR Schools’ Toolkit: Download the toolkit here:  https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/data-protection-toolkit-for-schools

Outdoor Education – New Guidance

The Outdoor Education Advisers’ Panel (OEAP) who prepare national guidance for the management of outdoor learning, off-site visits and learning outside the classroom, have updated some of their information including:

• Using external providers and facilities
• Transport in Private Cars
• Guidance for Parents
• Parental Consent
• Underpinning Legal Framework and Duty of Care
• Natural water bathing

The OEAP website is a fantastic resource and should be on your web browser bookmarks list. You can find the updated guidance here: https://oeapng.info/ng-documents-updated/

Videos: Safeguarding Children (NSPCC)

The NSPCC has a collection of really well put together videos around a range of topics. Some of the ones I regularly use in training include:

What can we do about child abuse?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GXaC6XOUY70

Protecting young people involved with gangs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dYFw6kiRkus

Preventing Child Sexual Abuse
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UbtSJCw_lqw

I saw your willy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sch_WMjd6go

Lucy and the boy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kwcL-VP3FYc
#DITTO eSafety Magazine (eSafety Advisor)

Alan Mackenzie is an excellent esafety advisor, and he writes a free downloadable magazine for teachers and parents called #DITTO. Alan can help you with advice, reviews, training and sessions for staff and governors, parents and children. Alan can even help you set up eCadets, a peer-led e-Safety programme.

The April 2018 edition of #DITTO is out now and covers privacy, skin gambling, online risky behaviour, gaming and the gaming app, Fortnite.

You can download #DITTO from Alan’s website here: http://www.esafety-adviser.com/latest-newsletter/

March

Mentally Healthy Schools website:  https://www.mentallyhealthyschools.org.uk/

GDPR

The DfE have talked more about preparing for the GDPR in their blogs for schools.

You can find all the articles here: https://teaching.blog.gov.uk/

Mandatory Reporting of Child Abuse Concerns

In 2016, the government consulted on whether there should be a professional or criminal consequence for teachers, and other professionals. This week the DfE issued their response and have not implemented their proposal. Less than 12% of those responding said they supported mandatory reporting. The DfE said, ‘Feedback suggests that these additional measures could risk creating unnecessary burdens, divert attention from the most serious cases, hamper professional judgement, and potentially jeopardise the vital relationships between social workers and vulnerable families in their care.’

Prevent toolkit for schools (London Borough of Ealing): Download the toolkit here: www.egfl.org.uk/services-children/safeguarding/anti-radicalisation-prevent-duty

Body Image Resources

Boys
When we think of the impact of concerns about how teenagers look, we don’t always consider how boys feel. There is growing evidence that boys do care deeply about how they look, and it can be something that makes them feel bad. The Boys’ Biggest Conversation is a campaign to encourage teenagers and young men, across the UK, to talk about body image and the effect it has on their mental wellbeing. Website: http://boysbiggestconversation.com/
Teaching Resources: http://mediasmart.uk.com/resources/teaching-resources

Girls
The Mindful Me activity guide, developed with psychologists, and experts in body image and girl development, helps girls build body confidence and self-esteem. The activities included focus on body awareness, mindfulness, self-kindness, empowerment, and positive emotions.  Download here: https://www.berealcampaign.co.uk/education-resources/11-activity-guide-for-mentors-of-girls-from-the-dove-self-esteem-project

Teenagers
Confident Me body-confidence teaching materials, from Dove,  explore influences on young people’s body image and self-esteem. This collection of resources support five self-esteem workshops and address key topics, including the impact of society, professional and social media on appearance ideals, and give teachers strategies to boost students’ confidence. Download here: https://www.dove.com/uk/dove-self-esteem-project/school-workshops-on-body-image-confident-me/self-esteem-school-resources-confident-me-five-sessions.html

Free online anaphylaxis training
AllergyWise for Schools is a FREE online anaphylaxis training course from the Anaphylaxis Campaign, designed to ensure that key staff in schools are fully aware of the signs and symptoms of anaphylaxis, how to provide emergency treatment and the implications for management of severely allergic children from Key Stages 1 to 5 in an education setting.
More information about the training course can be found here: https://allergywise.org.uk/
Free Posters about anaphylaxis: https://www.anaphylaxis.org.uk/information-training/our-posters/

NEW Designated teacher for Looked After Children and Previously Looked After Children – Statutory Guidance (February 2018)

Download: Designated teacher for Looked After Children and Previously Looked After Children – Statutory Guidance (February 2018)
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/designated-teacher-for-looked-after-children

Download: Promoting the education of looked-after and previously looked-after children – Statutory Guidance (February 2018)
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/promoting-the-education-of-looked-after-children

Sports minister introduces martial arts safeguarding code
The minister for sport, Tracey Crouch, has announced a safeguarding code for children attending martial arts clubs. The voluntary code being developed by Sport England, and will go live in June 2018. The code is being supported by British Taekwondo, the British Kickboxing Council, British Judo and the English Karate Council. Read more here:https://www.sportengland.org/our-work/safeguarding/safeguarding-in-martial-arts/

NSPCC Child Protection in Sport Unit
The NSPCC have dedicated resources for safeguarding children in sport. More details can be found here: https://thecpsu.org.uk/

Safeguarding in Athletics
http://www.uka.org.uk/governance/welfare-and-safeguarding/guidance-documents-and-policy/

Safeguarding In Cricket
www.ecb.co.uk/safeguarding/safeguarding-resources

Safeguarding in Football
www.thefa.com/football-rules-governance/safeguarding

Safeguarding in Gymnastics
https://www.british-gymnastics.org/coaching/coach-membership/safeguarding-and-compliance

Safeguarding in Netball
www.englandnetball.co.uk/governance/safeguarding/

Safeguarding in Rugby
www.englandrugby.com/governance/safeguarding/

Safeguarding in Swimming
www.swimming.org/asa/clubs-and-members/safeguarding-children/Wavepower/647/

Safeguarding in Tennis
www.lta.org.uk/globalassets/about-lta/safeguarding/whats-the-score—safe-and-inclusive-tennis.pdf

Outdoor Education Advisors Panel (OEAP)

The OEAP website is a fantastic resource for any kind of outdoor education, not only for more hazardous pursuits, but everyday activities too. The website is the hub for all the national guidance on off-site visits which can be found here: https://oeapng.info/

Disrepect Nobody
https://www.disrespectnobody.co.uk/

The recently published DfE guidance ‘Sexual Violence and Sexual Harassment between children in schools and colleges’ says that schools should ensure that pupils understand a wide-range of issues around developing healthy relationships. One source of information schools can use are resources produced by the Home Office and the Government Equalities Office, called Disrespect Nobody.

The resources cover:

• What is Sexting?
• What is Relationship abuse?
• What is Consent?
• What is Rape?
• What is Porn?

The guidance says that schools should make available helplines that pupils could access themselves. The Dispect Nobody has a list of helplines that could be particularly useful for worries about relationships and sexual issues. There list can be found here:https://www.disrespectnobody.co.uk/need-help/

More information about the ‘Sexual Violence and Sexual Harassment’ guidance:https://www.safeguardinginschools.co.uk/sexual-violence-sexual-harassment-children-schools-colleges-dfe-2017/

February 2018

PACT; Pact is a national charity that provides support to prisoners, people with convictions, and their families. They work towards  building stronger families and safer communities. The Pact website – http://www.prisonadvice.org.uk – has many resources to help support school staff, young people and parents.

The Pact Helpline is available on 0808 808 3444 (Monday to Friday, 10am to 5pm); or by email to helpline@prisonadvice.org.uk

Education Support Partnership: The Education Support Partnership are the UK’s only charity dedicated to improving the health and wellbeing of the entire education workforce.

Education Support Partnership Helpline 08000 562 561 – Website: www.educationsupportpartnership.org.uk

Sleep and recovery: a toolkit for employers: (Business in the Community, Prince’s Responsible Business Network and Public Health England) Download: Sleep and recovery: a toolkit for employers

Early Years’ Staff Supervision

For staff in the Early Years, the EYFS framework, says that: ‘Providers must put appropriate arrangements in place for the supervision of staff who have contact with children and families. Effective supervision provides support, coaching and training for the practitioner and promotes the interests of children. Supervision should foster a culture of mutual support, teamwork and continuous improvement, which encourages the confidential discussion of sensitive issues’. (Statutory framework for the early years foundation stage (DfE, 2017) paragraph 3.21)

January 2018

UPDATED Searching, screening and confiscation at school (DfE, January 2018)

The government’s ‘Searching, screening and confiscation at school’ guidance, has been updated. The latest document includes a new section, ‘Statutory guidance for dealing with electronic devices’. Other than this section, the previous guidance still holds.

A summary of the new section is below:

Staff may lawfully search electronic devices, without consent or parental permission, if there is a suspicion that the pupil has a device prohibited by school rules, or the staff member has good reason to suspect the device may be used to:

• cause harm,
• disrupt teaching,
• break school rules,
• commit an offence,
• cause personal injury, or
• damage property.

Any data, files or images that are believed to be illegal must be passed to the police as soon as practicable, including pornographic images of children, without deleting them.

Any data, files or images that are not believed to be unlawful, may be deleted or kept as evidence of a breach of the school’s behaviour policy.

The school’s policies should reflect this new guidance.

Download the guidance here: Searching, screening and confiscation at school (DfE, January 2018)

‘Searching, screening and confiscation at school (January 2018)’ must be read alongside the UKCCIS guidance, ‘Sexting in schools and colleges: Responding to incidents and safeguarding young people’ (January 2017)

There is further information about the UKCCIS guidance on my website here:https://www.safeguardinginschools.co.uk/responding-sexting-schools-colleges-ukccis/

Children’s Mental Health Week (5th – 11th February 2018): You can find plenty of resources to celebrate mental health week on the the Place2Be website here: https://www.childrensmentalhealthweek.org.uk/schools-and-youth-groups/

Sexual violence and sexual harassment between children in schools and colleges (DfE):

You can watch the video here: www.safeguardinginschools.co.uk/sexual-violence-sexual-harassment-children-schools-colleges-dfe-2017

Check early years qualifications (DfE): All early years providers working with children from birth to 5 years old must follow the regulations on EYFS staff:child ratios. This is the number of qualified staff, at different qualification levels, an early years setting needs to have in order to meet the needs of all children and ensure their safety. The DfE have a page on their website to check what qualifications count for when including staff in the staffing ratio. The DfE have now clarified that early years apprentices do not count towards the EYFS staff:child ratios until they have qualified.

You can find the checklist page here: www.gov.uk/guidance/early-years-qualifications-finder

The Resource Vault (Children’s Society):  Website:  https://www.childrenssociety.org.uk/mental-health-advice-for-children-and-young-people/the-advice-resource-vault

TV Advert: https://youtu.be/nMIKUsZjirA

Parents’ Pack for PANTS message: https://www.nspcc.org.uk/preventing-abuse/keeping-children-safe/underwear-rule

Resources for teaching about Consent: https://www.safeguardinginschools.co.uk/sexual-violence-sexual-harassment-children-schools-colleges-dfe-2017/

Safer Internet Day – Tuesday 6th February: https://www.saferinternet.org.uk/safer-internet-day/2018/education-packs

http://www.nacoa.org.uk/

December 2017

Supporting Parents Infographic

Supporting Parents of Sexually Exploited Young People

Safe_storage_disposal_chemicals_advice_Nov2017

Online-safety books for staff and pupils

Neglect 2017 Campaign Resources

Managing a sudden death in the school community (LGfL)
http://bereavement.lgfl.org.uk/

Talking about death with your little one (CBeebies)
https://www.bbc.co.uk/cbeebies/grownups/our-family-talking-about-death-with-your-little-one

How to support a bereaved child (Video, Child Bereavement UK)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aix0ted9NKk

What helps grieving children and young people (pdf)
https://childbereavementuk.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/1.4-What-helps-grieving-children-and-young-people-1.pdf

November 2017

DfE_Health_and_Safety_Advice_06_02_14

Teachers-and-technology-checklist

typology-modern-slavery-offences-horr93

SCR-extract-from-Safeguarding-Handbook-for-Schools-September-2016-v.8.02-FINAL

child-trafficking-advice-education-workers

DfE_safeguarding_children_returing_UK_from_Syria_advice_to_LAs

Online-Safety-Guidance-for-Parents

Guidance-for-Safer-Working-Practices-2015-final1

Social-Media-Guide-teachers-and-support-staff1

sample-page-from-Safeguarding-Handbook-v.8.02-Safer-Working

September 2017

Develop a progressive online safety curriculum in your school

https://www.lgfl.net/online-safety/default.aspx

https://www.lgfl.net/online-safety/resource-centre?s=24

Updated Kent Online Safety Policy Template and Guidance #esafety