Leadership

Hopes and Streams

This report by the London Grid for Learning looks at the online behaviour of 7-16 year olds and flags growth in sexting, child exploitation, mental health, violent and sexual conduct. The charity has called for technology companies to embrace calls for change and put the safety of children first in all developments in the light of findings.

The report focuses on six main topics including: video chatting and live streaming; experiences on apps, sites and games; contact risk – making friends and meeting people online; seeing, sending and receiving content; pornography; online friendships, bullying and mental health.

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      string(5776) "happening to them and that disclosure – especially at thetime of abuse – is rarely a straightforward process of just saying they have been abused.Children often try to disclose problems through their actions rather than words, so it’simportant to be aware of this. In our report, the professionals that children were mostlikely to disclose to were teachers.To prevent abuse and neglect it’s important that school staff are attuned to thecircumstances in which children are living as this may provide the opportunity to supportfamilies before things escalate. Abuse and neglect is often linked to other problems suchas drug and alcohol misuse, domestic violence and mental health problems. Being alertto these issues may mean there is an opportunity to help that family get early help andprevent abuse from happening at all.The right knowledgeAs well as having a culture which encourages the sharing of concerns, staff must beable to identify the signs of abuse and neglect, including sexual exploitation and sexualbullying. Beyond that, teachers should also understand the impact of abuse, neglect andpoor parenting on children’s welfare and have knowledge of children’s developmentalmilestones.Having at least basic child protection training for all staff, along with advancedtraining for the Designated Senior Person (DSP) for safeguarding, is crucial, and somethingthe NSPCC prides itself on providing. We also have a range of courses, some of which areface to face, others via e-learning, that give teachers and other professionals specialistknowledge on topics such as preventing bullying for children with Special EducationNeeds (SEN) and disability, child sexual exploitation, and protecting children online. Thebetter their knowledge, the more effective school staff can be at protecting the children intheir care.Helping pupils to protect themselvesSchools can also play an important part in educating children to protect themselvesfrom abuse, neglect and exploitation through classes such as PSHE or SRE. Unfortunately,the importance that this type of education is accorded varies from school to school. It“In our report, theprofessionals thatchildren were mostlikely to disclose towere teachers.”www.teachingtimes.com n Vol 4.5Safeguarding Every Child Journal81shouldn’t. All children should have the opportunity to learn about issues such as personalsafety and healthy respectful relationships, including family relationships and abusivebehaviours.The challenges change when pupils start secondary school with issues such as peer-to-peer abuse becoming more prevalent. Last year we conducted a survey of middle andsecondary schools, sixth form colleges and FE institutions, in partnership the Associationof Teachers and Lecturers (ATL). This revealed that one in four education professionalshad been asked for help by pupils being abused in their relationships. With young peopleturning to them for help with this, it is crucial that teachers are able to respond – alongwith the ATL we’ve produced practical advice on how to do this.While it’s important that teachers can react to assist those who ask for help it’s alsocrucial that young people are taught about these issues in the first place.PSHE or SRE also provide an ideal forum to teach about online safety – our How safeare our children? 2014 report highlighted that this is becoming a growing issue. Thenumber of counselling sessions that the NSPCC’s ChildLine held about cyberbullyingincreased by 87 per cent in 2012/13 compared with the previous year. And Ofcom reportsthat one child in five has seen content online that they found worrying, nasty or offensivewith the proportion of children experiencing this increasing every year since 2011.Schools have a real opportunity to make a difference here. Of course, their successin getting the messages across will depend on the way in which they are addressed. Forissues that affect boys and girls differently, such as sexting, it may be preferable to speakabout these in a single sex environment. Cultural and religious issues also need to beconsidered, and these may inform the way that messages should be delivered.Different messages will also be appropriate for different age groups. However, careshould be taken to ensure that these messages are not left too late – in May 2012, theNSPCC report, A qualitative study of children, young people and sexting looked intothe impact of sexting by speaking with pupils at two schools in London. The study showedit was those in Year 8 rather than Year 10 that appeared more worried and confused aboutthe sexual and sexting pressures that they faced, but due to their youth they were lesslikely to receive support from their parents and teachers.https://www.atl.org.uk/media-office/media-archive/One-in-four-teachers-lecturers-and-support-staff-asked-for-help-by-pupils-in-abusive-relationships-new-NSPCC-and-ATL-survey-reveals.asphttp://www.nspcc.org.uk/Inform/research/findings/howsafe/how-safe-2014_wda101852.htmlhttp://www.nspcc.org.uk/Inform/research/findings/howsafe/how-safe-2014_wda101852.htmlhttp://www.nspcc.org.uk/inform/resourcesforprofessionals/sexualabuse/sexting-research_wda89260.htmlVol 4.5 n www.teachingtimes.comSafeguardingEvery Child Journal82Engaging with parentsSchools can also help protect their pupils by engaging with their parents, on issues thataffect their children’s welfare. This could be by holding evenings on topics like onlinesafety. With children being, as a general rule, far more savvy about the internet and mobiletechnology than their parents, schools can"
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Special Needs

Making schools safer

7 Aug 2014

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      string(5916) "It is difficult to know exactly why there is what seems to be a sudden increase in mental health problems in young people. Provision for mental health wellbeing is being made at all levels of policy, in governments, schools, trusts, etc., but still the problem persists. It is possible that in some cases, the increase may be related to increased awareness, which accompanies overall improvements in knowledge about wellbeing and an increased belief that everyone has the right to feel good about life and have all their needs met. This situation is much different from past generations where hardship and trauma were more widespread and therefore people had different expectations and ways of coping.School plays a large part, not only in a child’s academic attainment and cognitive progress, but also emotional control, behavioural development and physical and moral development, all of which both affect, and are affected by, mental health. 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As they get older, the conversations about social media, sexting, downloading and digital footprint begin. For the 10–13 year olds, the scenarios focus social media and online gaming. The child plays on the Gooseberry Planet ‘Student’ app via an avatar who collects stars, family members and items while competing against the other classmates. In the course of the game, children are exposed to online issues requiring a response, such as meeting strangers, bullying, grooming and sexual exploitation. As the game progresses, the questions gradually get more sinister and suspicious individuals try to gain the trust of the player.The Teacher app supports the student app, recording how each child reacts to the scenarios and monitoring the class as they play. The software will show if a student is not responding in the correct manner and it will also allow the teacher to see exactly how that student is scoring. There is a comprehensive resource area with e-safety lesson plans, e-safety workbooks, presentations and posters. Teachers can choose additional lesson plans and worksheets that cover a large area of online safety, including:Clickjacking & GroomingSexual ExploitationEmailing & Live GamingWeb Cams & Live StreamingSocial NetworkingPeople OnlineRadicalisationMeeting Up & Chat RoomsOnline BullyingIn-App PurchasesAs a final bonus, the programme involves teacher CPD modules and documentation to demonstrate the whole school approach and progress to Ofsted. Although this is not specifically a mental health app, it gives students the knowledge and tools to effectively deal with the online sphere, which is where many problems that affect teen wellbeing begin, such as bullying and exploitation. 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Applications and Software

Nurturing Mental Health with Wellbeing Apps for Young People

8 Aug 2019

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      string(5650) "Leadership BriefingLeadership Briefing – www.teachingtimes.comReports Summaries – a weeklyservice of essential summaries,in-depth reports and criticalanalysis that’s new and relevantto education, linked to originalsource documents.SAFE STEPS CHILD SEXUAL EXPLOITATIONINNOVATION PROJECTKeywordsChild sexualexploitation,Safe Steps, girls,secure care,young women,support,supervision,safety,placement,guidanceSummaryThis DfE evaluation of the Safe Steps project examines community-based children’s homes,as an alternative to placing girls in secure care. It looks at how the project helps supportyoung women experiencing, or at risk of, sexual exploitation. It also discusses how concernsabout their safety can lead to placement in secure children’s homes or homes far from theirown area.The St Christopher’s Fellowship Safe Steps Innovation pilot was developed as a response to anincreasing number of young women being identified as sexually exploited, or at risk of sexualexploitation, for whom concerns about their safety could lead to placement in secure children’s homesor homes far from their own area.Safe Steps aims to test whether providing intensive support and supervision, while working withinexisting guidance on restrictions to liberty, could keep young women safe outside a secure setting. Itaims to enable young women to continue to live locally in order to limit disruption to their educationand family ties, and to minimise the possibility that they will feel blamed or ‘punished’ for having beenexploited.Main Findings:■ Recruiting and retaining staff to high stress and low pay residential work in London is difficult, andeffective leadership of homes, including line management support for operational staff, is crucial.■ The unsuccessful attempt to secure additional powers to restrict liberty of movement of the youngwomen seems to have left a legacy of unrealistic expectations amongst some commissionersand social workers about the level of safety that Safe Steps could ensure.■ On the basis of 12 months experience, staff, managers and commissioners believed that theoriginal emphasis on having greater legal powers would not have been helpful, and the legacyhad been a hindrance to the project, distracting staff from their real work which was to providethe young women with relational security.■ In the Safe Steps model of intervention, risk is primarily addressed in the context of positiverelationships between young women and their key worker or other trusted members of staff.Safe conversations help make sense of past and present experiences and their effects. Youngwoman are also encouraged to take part in a wide range of positive activities which help thembelieve they are of value, deserve respect and are capable of making better lives for themselves.Week Commencing 27th March 2017https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/600883/Child_sexual_exploitation__safe_steps__project.pdfhttps://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/600883/Child_sexual_exploitation__safe_steps__project.pdfLeadership BriefingLeadership Briefing – www.teachingtimes.comReports Summaries – a weeklyservice of essential summaries,in-depth reports and criticalanalysis that’s new and relevantto education, linked to originalsource documents.■ However, managing risk through building relationships with young women, and empowering themto make choices for themselves, has generated huge anxiety amongst stakeholders. A majorchallenge has been building acceptance of the idea that, just because a young woman has gonemissing, doesn’t mean that the placement isn’t working.■ During the the womens time at Safe Steps there was evidence that they had felt safe enoughto begin talking with staff about their past, and current, abuse and exploitation. However, theirmultiple vulnerabilities and short time period at the homes meant that there was limited evidenceof other positive outcomes.■ There is evidence that staff knowledge and competence has increased, and that staff have grownin confidence in their ability to make a positive difference to the young women using the service.High quality training provided by the Women and Girls Network was very positively evaluatedand, reinforced by the external supervision provided, has helped staff maintain trauma-informedand empowering practice.■ As relationships with staff have developed, some of the young women have become more secureand less confrontational. 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Leadership

Safe Steps CSE Innovation Project

23 Mar 2017

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      string(344) "A spurt of high-profile cases has brought the issue of child sexual exploitation firmly into the minds of school leaders everywhere. Can your staff spot the signs? Do they know how to respond if they do? Equipping teachers with the knowledge and skills ahead of time is crucial, says Mark Bowles – and here’s how to do it."
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      string(5694) "relationships educationare crucial in relation to CSE. These may include: gender expectations, powerimbalances and what constitutes a healthy or unhealthy relationship.Effective educational work related to CSE should be cross-cutting and part of a widerPSHE programme. Simply tacking on an additional session related to CSE may beineffective and could actually create additional work that is not needed. Instead areview of existing PSHE would be more beneficial – for example, identifying ‘goldenthreads’ in topics that would contribute to teaching about CSE. These threads shouldbe implemented throughout each contributing session to ensure that complementaryand consistent messages are given to young people.Coordinating a comprehensiveapproachWork by schools to combat CSE and educate young peopleabout the process that drives it and the outcomes thatfollow needs careful planning to ensure that it is effective.Effectiveness doesn’t just mean increasing awareness andunderstanding of what CSE is but also building better skillsfor young people that can help keep them safe.Schools should be mindful that young people who maybe victims of CSE may not recognise that this is happeningto them, even if they are presented with a comprehensivedescription of what constitutes an exploitative relationship.This is due to the reality that, much like all issues, CSE cannotjust be tackled through knowledge alone. Even if a childor young person has all the information available on whatconstitutes an abusive relationship, they may not necessarilyrecognise this in their own relationship if they believe thatthey are ‘in love’.Most children and young people will struggle to realisethat they are in an abusive relationship or the victim ofCSE. Therefore, it is hugely important that schools provideeducational opportunities to parents as well as pupils.Effective educational events for parents will help ensure thatthe whole school community understands the issue and thepotential risk and vulnerability factors.Parents are a key partner for schools in combatting CSE.The sharing of specific concerns with parents should be a keypart of a school’s strategy. Along with parents, schools may be among the first peopleto identify a potential risk or issue for a child or young person, so productive protocolsrelated to the raising of concerns with parents are a vital part of an efficient earlyintervention and prevention strategy.School staff can be a source of support for parents who have concerns about theirchild’s behaviour, appearance or friends who are not part of the school community.Schools can listen to parents’ concerns and work with them to access appropriateagencies for further help.A whole-school approach is always going to be most effective. This meanscomprehensive training for all staff – not just classroom teachers – as well as evidence-based education programmes for children and young people, events and informationfor parents, and robust policies to help identify vulnerable children and ensure theyreceive support and help at the earliest available opportunity.60Vol 7.4School Leadership Todaywww.teachingtimes.comInclusionChildsexual exploitation Developing CSE awareness in primary schoolsThe role of primary schools in tackling CSE is an important and vital one. Good qualitywork that aims to build skills and knowledge related to what constitutes a healthyrelationship, how we know if we are ‘safe’, and building an understanding of whatconstitutes risk, is an essential first step in developing a spiral curriculum which beginsin primary education and develops alongside the child.A key consideration for the primary school setting is how to safely address CSEwith a younger audience. An issue such as CSE can, on the surface, seem inappropriatefor younger children. In some respects, this is correct, as teachers clearly shouldn’t betalking graphically about mature themes. Yet the skills and knowledge needed to safelynavigate risky situations and relationships is multi-faceted and encompasses manytopics.Successful PSHE in primary schools has a role to deliver early advice and skills inan age-appropriate manner. Focusing on the development of healthy relationships(friendships) is a good way to help primary students recognise how ‘safe’ relationshipsfeel.A great resource to achieve this is using the Protective Behaviours approach –specifically the concept of early warning signs and the safety continuum. This approachis valuable as it relies on younger children’s inner feelings, not an exhaustive list of whatconstitutes risk. This can help young people recognise when they may be in an unsafesituation.There are many resources available online which can help you in designing anddelivering sessions using this approach. There are also many providers of work relatedto Protective Behaviours all over the country who can help support your work.What is the role of local authorities in preventing CSE?The role of local authorities in tackling CSE should be one of strategic leadershipand cultural change across their local area. This should be concerned with how localstakeholders address CSE at all levels, from early intervention and prevention to childprotection.This strategic leadership is crucial to ensuring that no child or young person ‘fallsthrough the gaps’ or becomes invisible to agencies. A key responsibility for localauthorities is the development and provision of valuable professional training relatedto CSE for all staff in the local area. This training should be multi-agency and aim to61Vol 7.4School"
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Leadership

Protecting children from sexual exploitation

19 May 2016