18^th March is National Child Sexual Exploitation Awareness Day. Alongside Child Sexual Exploitation sits Child Criminal Exploitation and County Lines. 

We will be circulating information over the next month on all areas of child exploitation. County Lines is the name given to dedicated supply lines to traffic drugs around the country

County Lines is an issue in Liverpool, with many young people recruited.  Young middle class girls are the top choice for the drug runners as they are not likely to be stopped by the police or draw attention to themselves. 

An information sheet on County Lines can be found here, with an informative video here.

Sexting is sending an explicit image or video of yourself to somebody else. It can also be called ‘pic for pic’ or ‘nude selfies’. Once you send an image/video you no longer have control of it, it could be posted online or shared with others. Remember that even if you use a webcam or an app like Snapchat to share it, somebody could take a screenshot of it. Sexting can also leave you exposed to potential bullying and blackmail.

We understand that some conversations can be awkward but it’s important to chat to your child about the potential risks of sharing explicit images, the law and where they can get help. Perhaps start the conversation by relating it to something in the news. Ask them why they think people do it and if they have ever seen it happen in school. Emphasise that they should never feel pressure to share images of themselves and that they should never share images of others. Ensure that they know they can talk to you if anything ever goes wrong.

Whilst sexting can be seen by teenagers as harmless fun it is actually illegal to create or share an explicit image, even when the person doing so is a child themselves. It’s important to remember that whilst the age of consent is 16, the age in relation to explicit images is 18. You are breaking the law if you:

• take an explicit photo or video of yourself or a friend.
• share an explicit image or video of a child.
• possess, download or store an explicit image or video of a child.

If under-18s are found to be engaging in sexting, then whilst the matter will be investigated, police can choose to record that a crime has been committed but that taking formal action isn't in the public interest.
ChildLine have created ‘Zip-It’ which your child can use to help them if someone is trying to pressure them into sexting: https://www.childline.org.uk/info-advice/bullying-abuse-safety/online-mobile-safety/sexting/

Need help? How to report

Stay calm! If your child talks to you about an incident then you may be shocked but it is important to remain calm and listen to your child. Try to find out who the image has been sent to and who it has been shared with. Ask your child to delete any images from their phone and any social media accounts (if they have uploaded them to there). You can also do the following:

Report to any individual sites where possible and ask then to remove the image.
If you need help in getting a sexual image of your child removed from the internet, you can get in contact with Childline or the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF).
If your child is being threatened as a result of sharing a sexual image or someone online is asking your child to share an image then you should report it to CEOP: www.ceop.police.uk/safety-centre

Your child can use the Childline ‘Report Remove’ tool: https://www.childline.org.uk/info-advice/bullying-abuse-safety/online-mobile-safety/sexting/report-nude-image-online/

Further information

There’s lots more advice available about sexting here:

https://www.nspcc.org.uk/preventing-abuse/keeping-children-safe/sexting/
https://www.thinkuknow.co.uk/parents/articles/Has-your-child-shared-a-nude-selfie-subtitled/
https://www.childnet.com/parents-and-carers/hot-topics/sexting
https://parentinfo.org/article/when-teens-share-nudes

The BBC have created a new APP that helps everyone, and particularly young people, regulate what they post online. Once the APP is installed on someone’s phone it recognises if they type something inappropriate whilst on a social media. The OWN IT then suggests they may want to reconsider sending the message. By doing this, the APP is helping young people to self-regulate their behaviours.

Alongside the OWN IT app the BBC has also created a number of short videos to help children and young people seek advice about staying safe online: 

https://www.bbc.com/ownit

The tragic suicide of Caroline Flack has reminded us all of the need to continue to reach out to those

experiencing difficulties with their mental health and consider who around us, both young and old, needs support.

There is considerable guidance on each local area’s CAMHS website, including how to seek support if a young person is in crisis:

https://www.liverpoolcamhs.com/emergency-advice/

We would advise all parents to read the following link in relation to the TikTok App that has become popular with young people:

https://www.commonsensemedia.org/blog/parents-ultimate-guide-to-tiktok

In summary:

• TikTok is a free social media app that lets people watch, create, and share videos -- often to a soundtrack of the top hits in music -- right from their phone. However, it can also be used to make videos that could constitute 'cyber bullying' 
• When you sign up for TikTok, your account is public by default, meaning anyone can see your videos, send you direct messages, and use your location information.
• Because of TikTok's emphasis on popular music, many videos include swearing and sexual lyrics, so it may not be age-appropriate for kids to use on their own. It's also easy to find people wearing revealing clothing and dancing suggestively
• TikTok requires that users be at least 13 years old to use the app and that anyone under the age of 18 must have approval of a parent or guardian 

We recommend the app for age 16+ only, mainly due to the privacy issues and mature content

As parents and carers, you will be well aware of the stresses and pressures facing young people and sometimes it can be hard to know how best to support them. 

The Childline website has lots of valuable information and their Calm Zone provides a range of activities that aim to help children feel better when they're feeling anxious, scared or sad. 

Although children could be encouraged to visit the website themselves, these are good techniques for adults use with children. Ideas include: breathing exercises, a 'let it go' box and creating a 'sense drawer'.

Go to the Childline website here: https://www.childline.org.uk/toolbox/calm-zone/

Does your child attend an 'Out Of School Setting' such as community and youth centre, sports clubs or out of school tuition?

If so and in order to reassure yourself that this is a safe an appropriate environment, please be aware of this linked document:

https://consult.education.gov.uk/regulatory-framework-unit/out-of-school-settings-voluntary-safeguarding-code/supporting_documents/Safeguarding%20questions%20for%20parents%20and%20carersDraft%20guidance.pdf

The document gives guidance about questions you may want to ask of this provider in respect of things such as employment checks on staff, supervision arrangements, staff training, data protection and a range of others issues. It also identifies a number of 'red flags' that might give rise to concern about a provider and what you should do if you were to have concerns. 

Please also be aware of the following website: https://www.safeguardingresourcehub.co.uk/Resource-Hub?user_group=3

This is a free hub of national safeguarding resources to em,power children, young people and all adults supporting them. 

The Safeguarding Resource Hub is 

• A free online directory with links to hundreds of key national resources
• Quick and easy to use
• Free to all children, young people, adults, parents and carers, and professionals
• Targeted resources for each usergroup
• Empowers everyone to find the advice and guidance they might need

Find out more at www.safeguardingresourcehub.co.uk

Click here to read some really helpful advice for students about saying safe over Christmas.

The Mental Health Foundation have released this useful guidance offering advice about how to talk to your children about scary world news.

There has been much recent research into the detrimental impact on young people when either or both of their parents/carers is affected by any one of the three issues referred to by professionals as the ‘Toxic Trio’, namely:

• having a parent who is a victim of domestic abuse
• parental substance misuse
• parental mental ill-health

Where any two or all three of these factors are present, research demonstrates that young people are at a greatly heightened risk of coming to significant harm.

A report into 139 Serious Case Reviews (conducted when a child dies or suffers significant harm) carried out between 2009 and 2011 shows that in 95% of all cases, at least one of the ‘Toxic Trio’ was a contributory factor.

In 63% of all cases, two of the Toxic Trio were contributory factors.

All three issues were present in 24% of cases.

Please click here to for more information and to read about our response.

West Yorkshire Police and Leeds Safeguarding Children Partnership have launched a campaign warning young people to be wary of invites to free parties from older people who they know little about.

A tactic used by perpetrators of child sexual exploitation is to lure children to parties through social media and word of mouth, where they then ply them with drinks and drugs before pressuring them into sex. They may also bribe them into doing things they aren't comfortable with in return for a lift home, as the 'party' is often held in an area that the young person is unfamiliar with.

Advice to Young people

If you do accept an invitation to a party or gathering there are things that you need to do keep yourself safe:

• Make sure you know the location of where you're going and whose party it is.
• Read the road signs if you accept a lift.
• Tell a trusted adult where you are going and who you're going with.
• Tell someone what time you're expected back.
• Make sure you have credit on your phone.
• Make sure your mobile battery is fully charged.
• Take enough money with you to get you home

Read more: https://www.westyorkshire.police.uk/news-appeals/if-you-dont-know-dont-go-campaign-highlights-party-tactic-used-perpetrators-child

For use at home and in school, Swiggle is a child-friendly search engine developed by South West Grid for Learning and built on the Google Safe Search technology. It is free, ad free, has a reporting page for children and adults, active blocking of inappropriate search strings and even a Swigglebot to give advice.

For more information go to the link below and look at the menu (top right of page)

https://swiggle.org.uk/

Google Family Link has been around for some time, but has recently had a much-needed update. You can now limit screen time per app (instead of the whole device) as well as track activity, set daily limits, view device location and more.

See here for more information:

https://techcrunch.com/2019/09/18/googles-parental-control-software-family-link-gains-much-needed-features/

Guidance for children and young people, families and professionals facing unwanted or hurtful online messages

Social Media apps can be a great way for children and young people to talk to friends, but cyberbullying is a growing issue that many children and young people face.

There are a few simple steps children can take to protect yourself themselves.

Most social media platforms allow you to block any comments and report and block profiles that are sending you negative or unpleasant messages.

When you block someone, it means they are unable to see anything you post, and you can’t see their profile, comments or messages either.

You can do this in the “settings” section of whatever app you are using. If you’re not sure how to do this, ask a trusted adult to help you.

If you’re being added into group chats that you don’t want to be in, block the numbers which are adding you and exit all the groups.

It can be hard but try not to get involved in the chats. Take screenshots of any hurtful messages instead.

Make sure you screenshot everything said to you before blocking anyone as you might need this as proof, to evidence what’s happening.

If you feel unsafe, always tell someone. Make sure you take these concerns to an adult you trust and let them know what’s been going on.

If you’re being threatened with violence, either online or offline, you should contact the police.

The most important thing is to not suffer in silence.

Consider Ignore, Block, Report when dealing with unwanted or hurtful messages.

There are excellent resources that you should take a look at:

 

‘Own It’ App

 ‘The BBC is launching a new app to try and help the wellbeing of young people online. It's called Own It and it encourages young people to stop and think before they hit the send button.It monitors how they interact with their friends and family online and uses artificial intelligence to try and see how a child is feeling.’

The APP can be found here: https://www.bbc.com/ownit/take-control/own-it-app

 

“Being Bullied? Five things you need to do RIGHT NOW!”

https://www.bbc.com/ownit/curations/bullying-and-trolling

Internet Matters, step-by-step guides to set controls on popular social media apps

https://www.internetmatters.org/parental-controls/social-media/

The Safeguarding Resource Hub provides additional resources that can support children, young people, parents/carers and professionals:

https://www.safeguardingresourcehub.co.uk/

 

And don’t forget you can also contact Childline on 0800 1111

https://www.childline.org.uk/

 

We have recently received updated guidance from the Local Authority about Domestic Abuse, which sadly remains a real issue within our City. Some of the information in the guidance that may be helpful to raise awareness among parents is available here.

https://www.childline.org.uk/ - a free, private and confidential service where you can talk about anything. Whatever your worry, whenever you need help, we’re here for you online, on the phone, anytime.

https://www.rlss.org.uk/Pages/Category/water-safety-information

https://www.capt.org.uk/drowning

As the summer approaches, please remind you children of the dangers around water. Sadly each year more than 700 people drown in the UK and Ireland and many more have non-fatal experiences, sometimes suffering life-changing injuries. The Royal Life Saving Society UK (RLSS UK), work to educate people to enjoy water safely, to keep their families and friends safe and to know what to do in an emergency.

http://www.juniorcitizen.org.uk/kids/railsafety/

Please also remind your children of the dangers of playing around railways and perhaps use this resource to remind them of some dos and don'ts. 

Stem4 is a teenage mental health charity aimed at improving teenage mental health by stemming commonly occurring mental health issues at an early stage

Young people have just as much right to accessing facts about good mental health as they do good physical health, and yet there is a lack of accurate information. Embarrassment or social stigma surrounding mental health issues can so easily lead to confusion with what may be normal development, as opposed to the early development of a mental health issue.

By raising awareness, sharing information on how to recognise early warning signs and by providing effective strategies in how to deal with them, it can be possible to identify and stem these conditions early on. Find out more at  https://stem4.org.uk/

If you are considering booking your daughter into summer camps, activity days and child-care settings then you may wish to give consideration to the draft DfE guidance 'Safeguarding questions for parents and carers (DfE, 2018) so that you can ask the appropriate questions of the people they intend to leave their children with.

Key questions include:

 

• Have staff and volunteers undertaken DBS checks? How recent were the checks?
• Will any adults besides the instructor be present at the venue while my child is there? If so, will they be there on a regular basis?
• What training have staff had?
• May I have a copy of your child protection policy?
• Who is your designated safeguarding lead (DSL) and what training have they had? How recent was this training?
• My child has Special Educational Needs and / or a disability (SEND). What steps will you take to accommodate this?
• My child needs help with: using the toilet; changing; feeding; their medication, etc. How will these personal care needs be addressed?
• How are you securely storing the information you hold on my child? Who has access to it and are you giving it to anyone else?
• Is my child allowed to access the internet unsupervised?
• Do you have filtering and monitoring systems in place? What are they?
• What are your systems for First Aid, health and safety and fire evacuation? 

 

More information can be found here:

 

Although Glastonbury, perhaps the biggest music festival, has passed there will be many more festivals over the next couple of months including Boomtown, Camp Bestival, Leeds and other more local events. Your daughter may be attending one of these events this summer and the Festival Safe website offers lots of very good information about the fun side, but also about dangers such as alcohol and drugs, crime, what to do in an emergency and how to stay sexually safe.

https://www.festivalsafe.com/

The social aspect of gaming is hugely important to many children, who will want to keep in touch with other gamers, such as their friends. An app that seems to be increasing in popularity is Discord. This app plugs into lots of other apps (i.e. Twitch, YouTube, Reddit) so potentially information is going to be shared across different platforms. As with many other apps you have to be 13 or over to use it, but surprise surprise there's no age verification at all in place. For a brief explanation have a look at the review on the Common Sense Media website HERE.

Internet Matters have produced this great infographic with tips on how to create a good online reputation.

Childnet have produced this simple checklist to help you manage your Online Reputation, show your children and talk to them about it:  

https://www.childnet.com/ufiles/Online-Reputation-Checklist.pdf

You may be aware of recent press and social media coverage about Momo or the Momo Challenge. 

The following article from the BBC News website gives a good overview of this issue and makes the following key points, based on police advice:

Parents should:

• Ensure they know what their children can access online
• Ensure children understand the importance of not giving personal information to anyone they do not know
• Tell their children no-one has the right to make them do anything they do not want to do
• Use parental controls to keep children safe

The challenge is essentially a hoax as ‘Momo’ is clearly not a ‘real’ character and there is no evidence that anyone purporting to be ‘Momo’ can hack people’s devices of force their image to appear on anyone’s phone. 

The main lesson to remember is that is vital that parents have regular conversations with their children about their online activities and create an environment where their child is able to share any concerns they have about things they have seen online that has caused them upset.

Please also read this summary notice of useful information.

As we know, Christmas is not always a happy time for children and young people for many different reasons. We have highlighted some key issues below with links to further information and resources that you may find useful. 

Who to talk to if you are worried about the safety of a child

Childline 0800 1111 

Advice for parents regarding Online Safety 

NSPCC and O2 Partnership   

Children affected by loss and bereavement

Children may be facing Christmas after experiencing the loss of a loved one, this can stir up strong and difficult feelings. Yet sharing and talking about emotions are important for children. It could be through photos, games, memory boxes or stories. Child bereavement UK have developed some resources to help children explore and talk about their emotions. You can also visit the NHS website for a list of useful contacts

Children and young people who have a family member in prison

We know that children who have a parent or family member in prison may find it difficult to talk about it and worry about what others will think. The National Information Centre on Children of Offenders (NICCO) provides a service for all professionals who come into contact with the children and families of offenders. If you are working with a child or young person who has a family member in prison there are some really useful resources on their website so it’s well worth a look!

Domestic abuse

 

New UN data reports an average of 137 women across the world are killed by a partner or family member every day. In the UK, domestic abuse is a factor in half of serious case reviews and 1 in 5 children have witnessed it. The impact of repeated exposure to domestic abuse has been likened to the trauma and distress experienced by children living in war zones and often presents. Whilst we often see behaviour changing due to the excitement of Christmas, for some children it may be caused by the anxiety of the Christmas break. Money tensions, unrealistic expectations and excessive alcohol consumption make the festive holidays a peak period for domestic abuse. For further information and support you can visit  NHS website , Disrespect Nobody Campaign , Childline and Innerworld

 

Mental Health

For many, the holiday season can be a time of loneliness or anxiety. Young minds have released some tips for children who may find the holidays difficult. For urgent concerns about a child’s mental health and wellbeing, parents should speak to their GP or call the Young Minds parents helpline on 0808 802 5544 for advice. Further information and support can also be found at Action for Children and Young Minds have produced blogs for young people and parents of children who find Christmas difficult.

As the nights become darker, it is important that everyone takes the time to remind themselves of road safety. 

The following links give useful advice and guidance about how we can all keep ourselves safer on the roads in the winter months.

https://www.think.gov.uk/
http://www.roadsafetyweek.org.uk/
http://www.brake.org.uk/info-and-resources/resources/guide-to-teaching-road-safety
https://thebobbycollerantrust.org.uk/

As Christmas approaches and many young people will be receiving new electronic devices such as smart phones, it is a good time for parents and carers to be aware of some of the popular Apps used by young people - and the possible risks associated with them.

One of these is Kik Messenger; a free messaging app aimed at users aged thirteen and over. Used by more than 300 million people worldwide, Kik lets users exchange messages, photos, videos, GIFs and web pages with friends, family, chatbots and even strangers.

Unlike WhatsApp, Kik doesn’t require a user to sign up with a phone number. Instead, friends can be added via their username, making it easier for users to receive unwanted contact from strangers. Police in the UK issued a safety warning earlier in the year, claiming that Kik has featured in ‘more than 1,100 child sexual abuse cases in the last five years’ and that ‘children are at risk’ on the app. (BBC News Story).

Click this link to access a free safety guide for parents.

As Christmas approaches , many young people will be hoping to receive the latest smartphones or other portable devices that allow internet access.

Whilst these technologies brink lots of exciting opportunities, it is important that children and parents are aware of some of the risks  that exist in the online world - and are aware of how best top stay safe.

Click on the document links below to find out more information about some popular apps and to download the National Online Safety tips to help keep children safe.

Guide to YouTube

Guide to Fortnite

Guide to WhatsApp

Samaritans have launched a new campaign and video called 'Small talk saves lives'. The campaign has been produced in partnership with Network Rail, British Transport Police and the wider rail industry. Samaritans says, 'if you see someone you think might need help, trust your instincts and start a conversation. You could help save a life'.

British Transport Police data shows that in 2016/17, there were 6 potentially life-saving interventions made for every suicide/suspected suicide on the railway. Engaging someone in such circumstances might be all it takes to interrupt someone's suicidal thoughts and start them on a journey to recovery.

Upset or distressed people can be found in many different places, not only by the railway, and the same strategy might be important. There is no evidence that intervening when someone is at risk will make the situation worse. And there’s no perfect way to make an intervention, we just have to do our best. 

If it’s not safe to make an approach or you don’t feel comfortable then speak to a passer-by, call 999. You could help save a life.

For further information and to watch the video, go to: https://www.samaritans.org/media-centre/our-campaigns/small-talk-saves-lives

If you are a young person experiencing a mental health crisis, you can text the YoungMinds Crisis Messenger for free, 24/7 support. 

The YoungMinds crisis messenger service provides free, 24/7 crisis support across the UK. If you are experiencing a mental health crisis and need support, you can text YM to 85258.

The service aims to connect every texter to a trained volunteer in less than 5 minutes to provide support in a crisis. They will listen to you and help you think through how you’re feeling, and will aim to help you take the next steps towards feeling better.

Texts are free from EE, O2, Vodafone, 3, Virgin Mobile, BT Mobile, GiffGaff, Tesco Mobile and Telecom Plus.

This service is powered by Crisis Text Line, a trusted partner of YoungMinds.

You can find out more information about the service here.