Join Live Music Now Scotland for a brand new series of performances, connecting a multicultural community through the power of music
‘Family Music Time’ is a new opportunity to enjoy free of charge music performances from some of Scotland’s most talented emerging artists.
The relaxed and informal concerts are taking place in a stunning venue that welcomes all.
“Live Music Now Scotland is very much looking forward to working with the local community of Stenhouse, along with the team at St Salvador’s and its Community Food Initiative” says Live Music Now Scotland Director, Carol Main MBE.
“The location is in the heart of an area of multi-cultural diversity and multiple deprivation. There is little or no opportunity for people to come together socially or interact with their neighbours, with many living in social isolation.
“Through Family Music Time, musicians from Live Music Now Scotland, including those from Poland, Spain, Latin America and Scotland, will offer the chance of shared social pleasure and joy through the international language of music and traditional cultures.”
“St. Salvador’s Scottish Episcopal Church is a growing congregation in Stenhouse, Edinburgh. Our vibrant and multicultural congregation reflects the diversity of the surrounding area. Through our worship and social outreach, we seek to engage and support our local community, says Revd Dr Ross Jesmont of St Salvador’s.
“We are looking forward to collaborating with Live Music Now Scotland to host a series of music events for local children and their families.
“The opportunity to have live music events in an area of the city where this is not a regular feature is an exciting prospect. We hope these events will both provide families with an opportunity to enjoy live music in their area and inspire a new generation of musicians.”
Sun 24 September Troppos Ensemble, Troppos Ensemble, instrumental ensemble with a Latin twist
Sun 29 October
Sun 29 October Megan MacDonald and Calum McIlroy,
Megan MacDonald and Calum McIlroy, accordion and guitar duo
Sun 26 November
Sun 26 November Roo and Neil,
Roo and Neil, fiddle and accordion duo
All at 2.00pm I St. Salvador’s Scottish Episcopal Church, Stenhouse.
Sheep sculptures featured in national ‘Flock to the Show’ public art trail raffled off in 2 weeks
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There are less than two weeks to go until the Royal Highland & Agricultural Society of Scotland (RHASS) raffles off their colourful ‘Flock to the Show’ sheep sculptures, which featured in a popular national public art trail earlier this year.
There are 500 raffle tickets available for each sheep, at a cost of £25 each. The funds raised will support the Royal Highland & Agricultural Society of Scotland Bicentennial Fund, which supports projects dedicated to sustainability in the rural sector.
The popular ‘Doddie’s Sheep’ will see a minimum of £20 from the sale of each ticket donated to the My Name’5 Doddie Foundation – this sheep was decorated by Megan Reilly in the distinctive bright blue and yellow Doddie’5 tartan.
The 38 fibreglass sculptures were decorated by local artists from across the UK in a range of striking designs and travelled around Scotland earlier this year, before flocking home to the Royal Highland Show in June.
The campaign celebrated the return of the Golden Shears World Sheep Shearing & Woolhandling Championships to the Royal Highland Show. Some of the sheep have already been purchased outright so won’t be available in the raffle, but the majority still need to find their forever homes.
RHASS Chairman, Jim Warnock, commented:“The Flock to the Show campaign was a resounding success, bringing joy to people across the length and breadth of Scotland and at the Royal Highland Show.
“We are delighted that our flock raised awareness of important issues in the agri sector and they will continue to do good by being raffled off to raise funds for the RHASS Bicentennial Fund and the My Name’5 Doddie Foundation.”
The Royal Commonwealth Pool is holding a taster weekend on Saturday, 23rd and Sunday, 24th September, with the chance to access their fitness classes, swim, and gym for £3 for the entire weekend, bookable online or in venue – perfect for those wishing to try before they buy.
Affectionately known as ‘the Commie’, this iconic venue rich in sporting history, which has hosted three Commonwealth Games in 1970, 1986 and the diving events in 2014, has a top-spec gym, Edinburgh’s only 50-meter pool, diving facilities, and fitness studios with a variety of classes, including spin and Les Mills classes.
To take advantage of this offer, people will be required to sign up online here or in venue and book for the activities they wish to try.
Edinburgh Leisure is also running their September campaign, so for customers joining in September, there will be no joining fee and gives access to member benefits like priority bookings, free gym introductions and 1:1 Instructor Sessions.
There is no contract and it’s possible to freeze or cancel your membership at any time. So, wherever you’re at on the map or in life, Edinburgh Leisure has activities to help you enjoy a healthy, happy and active life for less.
See all information about the Taster Weekend here.
We are hosting a Festival Gathering and invite you to come along and share your thoughts.
This will take place on THURSDAY 21ST SEPTEMBER 2023 AT 6PM at the West Pilton Neighbourhood Centre. We’d love to see you there.
We now have a Ko-Fi account. A Ko-Fi account lets anyone donate a minimum of £3 to the festival which will go towards providing free meals at the festival next year. We have lost some funding for next year, so any contributions to this festival cause are most welcome.
Family honour Victoria Cross recipient at The Royal Scots Museum, Edinburgh Castle
On Monday (18 September 2023), the Royal Scots Regimental Museum in Edinburgh Castle was delighted to welcome Mr Brian Gaskin and his family from Ontario, Canada.
They came to view the Victoria Cross which Brian’s grandfather, Private (Pte) Henry H. Robson, originally from South Shields, had won for an act of “most conspicuous bravery” in December 1914, when aged 20, whilst serving with the Regiment in Flanders.
For Mr Gaskin, his family’s trip to Scotland has a deeper resonance. As a fourteen-year-old boy in 1965, Brian had been present at the ceremony when, after Pte Robson had passed away, his family had presented his Victoria Cross to the Royal Scots Museum.
Mr Gaskin has now returned with his wife, Jane, his son Kevin and grandson Luke to “visit the museum and medals and keep the history alive”.
Pte Robson was a regular soldier in the 2nd Battalion, The Royal Scots, which had deployed to Belgium in August 1914 as part of the British Expeditionary Force that was sent to prevent the German advance.
The Battalion took part in a number of significant actions as the war ebbed and flowed that autumn before an attack near Kemmel on 14 December. Badly wounded during the action for which he received the award, Pte Robson survived the war and emigrated to Canada where he raised a family.
Pte Robson was presented with his Victoria Cross by King George V and Queen Mary at Buckingham Place on 12 July 1915.
The official citation reads: “Private H. H. Robson. 2nd Battalion The Royal Scots. For most conspicuous bravery near Kemmel on the 14 December 1914, during an attack on the German position, when he left his trench under a very heavy fire and rescued a wounded non-commissioned officer, and subsequently for making an attempt to bring another wounded man into cover, whilst exposed to a severe fire. In this attempt he was at once wounded, but persevered in his efforts, until rendered helpless by being shot a second time.“
For Pte Robson’s great great grandson, Luke Gaskin, a first visit to Scotland was a wonderful opportunity not just to see the medal, tangible evidence of his family’s history, but to see its place in wider Regimental history and how that story continues to be told today.
Lt Colonel Gordon Rae, Chairman of The Royal Scots’ Museum and Heritage Committee, presented the Gaskin family with a copy of “Pontius Pilate’s Bodyguard”, the Regiment’s three volume history, as a memento of their visit showing the bond between the Regiment and the family.
Lt Colonel Gordon Rae said: “It was a great honour to host three generations of Private Robson’s family at the Regimental Museum today.”
Charities and community groups across Edinburgh are today sharing in the latest round of funding from The National Lottery Community Fund.
Thanks to National Lottery players, they are amongst 453 projects sharing in £11, 824,401 for a range of activities, helping to empower and connect people in communities across Scotland.
West Pilton’s FRESH START is among the big winners, receiving £180,000. The local charity will use the funding to continue to support people moving on from homelessness across Northwest Edinburgh.
Across the three years of the project, the group will support approximately 5,800 people with 450 volunteers. Volunteers will be individuals with lived experience of homelessness.
Fresh Start said: “We are delighted to announce that we have been successful in our fundraising application to the National Lottery Community Fund.
“This award will allow us to continue to run our services, helping people with lived experience of homelessness, providing support through starter packs, the community pantry, community meals, empowering people with new skills, growing produce, cooking skills and having access to specialised advice.”
The National Lottery Community Fund, Scotland Chair, Kate Still, said: “National Lottery funding can make amazing things happen in local communities across the country.
“This project delivered by Fresh Start (Scotland), is a great example of community activity in action, showing just what can be achieved when people come together for a common cause or to help others.
“National Lottery players can be proud to know that the money they raise is helping to support this vital work which is making a real difference to so many.”
Edinburgh College received over £136,000 to continue delivery of their counselling service for students. The counselling is delivered by trained staff, either in person or online, and is flexible to suit the schedule and needs of the individual in need of support.
There was over £82,000 for Edinburgh Women’s Aid, who will use their funding to build an integrated mental health programme for women and children who have experienced domestic abuse.
As well as supporting hands on mental health delivery, this project will look to improve internal evaluation processes and engage with other services across Edinburgh to make their services more effective. The project will work with 555 people over the three year delivery period.
Dads Rock received £67,391. The project will continue to match trained peer support volunteers with new dads during the perinatal period who are experiencing anxiety, depression, difficulties in bonding with their new baby.
Passion4Fusionoffer a range of programmes for the diverse needs of minority ethnic families in Edinburgh and the Lothians. Thanks to an award of £41,500 they will be able to offer a range of support services for black, African people dealing with long term conditions.
One service user Nala* (*not her real name) a 57-year-old African woman with a range of long-term health conditions who moved to Edinburgh to seek asylum.
Nala was missing important appointments as she struggled to read and interpret her medical letters in English. A worker from the project supported her to understand the health systems in Scotland, linked her with African groups and supported her at hospital appointments.
Nala said: “I am very happy I found people like me who can understand my situation. I was feeling very lonely and isolated but now I have my new African family I belong to.
“I am now able to do things that I haven’t been able to do in a while for instance, I really love going to the gym and I wouldn’t have done it without the support.”
Commenting on the project Huruma Health worker Lucrecia said “There is nothing more rewarding than helping others.
“As you can imagine, being alone in this country can be challenging and most of our service users have no immediate family members. The Huruma project creates culturally appropriate family support and a sense of belonging.”
Jonathan Ssentamu, Founder and CEO, Passion4Fusion, said “The Huruma Project continues to address the disproportionate impact of health inequalities affecting Africans in our community who are finding it difficult to access mainstream services.
“This contribution is enabling us to support our service users, we’re so grateful for the continued support for our work.”
An award of £30,000 means that the Scottish Book Trust will run their ‘Reading is Caring’ programme for the next three years.
The programme uses shared reading to support people living with dementia and anyone who cares for them and is designed to ease daily challenges of dementia by creating special moments of connection, sparking positive memories and relieving stress.
Martha and her husband Sandy took part in the project while caring for Martha’s mother Susan, who was living with dementia at the time.
Martha said: “Thank you again for your wonderful course – it added new skills and confidence to the way I read with Mum for her last few months and that was something very special.”
Commenting on the latest funding, Koren Calder, Project Manager, Scottish Book Trust, said: “This funding from The National Lottery Community Fund will allow us to reach more people living with dementia and the people who care for them, by creating new, flexible ways to access the benefits of the Reading is Caring programme.”
A neurodiversity charity is to launch a three-year specialist service for children and young people in Lanarkshire living with the challenges of neurodiversity thanks to Lottery funding.
Edinburgh-based Salvesen Mindroom Centre has been awarded £109,343 from The National Lottery Community Fund, made possible by National Lottery players, to deliver a dedicated one-to-one support service for children and young people who have neurodevelopmental conditions and neurodiverse families in North and South Lanarkshire.
The initiative will be led by two highly-skilled outreach specialists within the communities and address issues including problems surrounding the assessment and diagnosis of neurodevelopment conditions; securing appropriate help at school or in further and higher education; and dealing with complex correspondence and multiple agencies.
Support will be tailored to individuals and families and is aimed at achieving positive changes on a practical level and, through advocacy, ensuring the voices of children and young people are heard.
Between 15 and 20% of the population are estimated to be neurodivergent and Mindroom has witnessed a 137% rise in people using their services in Lanarkshire since 2018.
Chief Executive Officer Alan Thornburrow says: “We have seen at first hand the difference that receiving appropriate resources can make to neurodivergent children, young people and neurodiverse families in crisis.
“Over a number of years, we have steadily increased our caseload in Lanarkshire in response to a growing demand for our services and we’ve had some amazing feedback from clients whose lives have improved.
“This award from the National Lottery will help us ensure that many more people are helped and their lives transformed. We put the needs of the client at the very heart of our rights-based approach and aim to empower individuals, families and carers to become more confident and active participants in whatever they choose to do.
“We already have valuable, established relationships with a range of agencies and organisations in Lanarkshire including the NHS, Love Autism, schools and social work departments. This longer-term funding will enable us to build on these vital connections and increase our provision so that more neurodivergent children and young people and neurodiverse families can receive personalised help and benefit from opportunities for enhanced support.”
The National Lottery Community Fund, Scotland Chair, Kate Still: said: “National Lottery funding can make amazing things happen in local communities across the country.
“This project delivered by The Salvesen Mindroom Centre (SMC), is a great example of community activity in action, showing just what can be achieved when people come together for a common cause or to help others.
“National Lottery players can be proud to know that the money they raise is helping to support this vital work which is making a real difference to so many.”
The Lanarkshire initiative, funded under the National Lottery’s Improving Lives scheme, will run from September 1 this year to the end of August 2026.
For more information on the Salveson Mindroom Centre go to:
Commenting on the latest grant round of funding The National Lottery Community Fund, Scotland Chair, Kate Still: said: “National Lottery funding continues to make extraordinary things happen in communities across Scotland.
“I am delighted that this funding will be used to support projects across Edinburgh which have been developed by and for local people which will allow communities to come together to make life better for everyone.
National Lottery player players can be proud to know that that money they raise is helping to support this vital work in Edinburgh.”
The National Lottery Community Fund distributes funding on behalf of National Lottery players who raise more than £30 million each week for good causes throughout the UK.
Two men responsible for the non-recent sexual abuse of children have been convicted.
At the High Court in Edinburgh yesterday (Tuesday, 19 September), Alexander Philip, 57, and Craig Hodgkins, 52, were found guilty of sexual offences against five young people aged between six and 13-years-old between 1978 and 2008.
The conviction followed a Police Scotland investigation after survivors came forward.
Following significant inquiry, the pair were arrested and charged in connection with the crimes, which took place in Edinburgh, Hamilton and Airdrie.
Police Scotland’s Detective Inspector Jonny Wright, who led the investigation, said: “Over the course of three decades, Alexander Philip and Craig Hodgkins subjected their victims to sustained levels of sexual abuse, sometimes together, and other times separately.
“Their offending may have gone undetected had it not been for the survivors coming forward and reporting the circumstances to police.
“The convictions of this pair should serve as a reminder that time is no barrier for Police Scotland to investigate any report of criminality and we will utilise all resources at our disposal to bring perpetrators of sexual abuse to justice.”
Millions of households across the UK will receive £300 directly from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) between 31 October and 19 November
Millions of households to receive £300 from DWP between 31 October and 19 November 2023
This is the second of 3 payments totalling up to £900 supporting eligible people on means-tested benefits with the cost of living
Payments make up part of government’s record financial support for the most vulnerable worth an average of £3,300 per household
Tax credits-only customers who do not qualify for a payment from DWP will receive £300 from HMRC between 10 and 19 November 2023
Millions of households across the UK will receive £300 directly from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) between 31 October and 19 November.
This is the second of 3 payments totalling up to £900 for those eligible and on means-tested benefits, such as Universal Credit, Pension Credit, or tax credits, in 2023 to 2024, and eligible pensioner households will also receive a further £300 payment later this year as an addition to the Winter Fuel Payment.
The £300 Cost of Living Payment will be sent out automatically and directly to recipients, meaning those eligible do not need to apply, contact the Government, or take any action to receive it. This includes tax credits-only customers who will receive the payment from HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) between 10 and 19 November 2023.
The payment reference for bank accounts will be the recipient’s National Insurance Number followed by DWP COL or HMRC COLS.
Mel Stride, Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, said: “The best way we can boost bank balances is by bearing down on inflation, but as we get there, we are ensuring the most vulnerable households are cushioned from high prices with a further Cost of Living payment.
“Alongside this, thousands of Work Coaches across the country are helping find work, increase their hours and boost their skills. I encourage anyone who wants to progress their career and strengthen their finances to visit their local Jobcentre to find out what help is available.”
Jeremy Hunt, Chancellor of the Exchequer, added: “Halving inflation and getting price rises under control is the best way to support households struggling with their bills.
“But it is also right that we are helping the most vulnerable in our society, and this latest Cost of Living payment is part of a package of support worth £3,300 per household on average over this year and last to help those struggling the most.”
The full list of benefit recipients that qualify for the second Cost of Living Payment are those who are eligible and receive at least one of the following:
Universal Credit
Income-based Jobseekers Allowance
Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
Income Support
Working Tax Credit
Child Tax Credit
Pension Credit
To be eligible for the Cost of Living Payment from DWP, you need to have been entitled to a payment for a qualifying benefit between 18 August 2023 and 17 September 2023, or payment for an assessment period, ending between these dates. From HMRC, you need to have received a payment of tax credits for any day in the period between 18 August 2023 and 17 September 2023.
The DWP continues to encourage low-income pensioners not already getting Pension Credit to check their eligibility, as – thanks to Pension Credit backdating rules – they could still qualify for both the second Cost of Living Payment as well as the third payment due in Spring 2024.
Over eight million pensioner households will also receive a further £300 payment later this year in addition to the Winter Fuel Payment.
The Online Safety Bill has been signed off by the Houses of Parliament and will become law soon
the bill will make the UK the safest place in the world to be online by placing new duties on social media companies – honouring our manifesto commitment
the bolstered bill has been strengthened through debate, with firmer protections for children, more control for adults and clarity for social platforms
The Online Safety Bill has passed its final Parliamentary debate and is now ready to become law.
This major milestone means the government is within touching distance of delivering the most powerful child protection laws in a generation, while ensuring adults are better empowered to take control of their online lives, while protecting our mental health.
The bill takes a zero-tolerance approach to protecting children and makes sure social media platforms are held responsible for the content they host. If they do not act rapidly to prevent and remove illegal content and stop children seeing material that is harmful to them, such as bullying, they will face significant fines that could reach billions of pounds. In some cases, their bosses may even face prison.
The bill has undergone considerable parliamentary scrutiny in both the Houses and has come out with stronger protections for all.
Technology Secretary Michelle Donelan said: “The Online Safety Bill is a game-changing piece of legislation. Today, this government is taking an enormous step forward in our mission to make the UK the safest place in the world to be online.
“I am immensely proud of what we have achieved with this bill. Our common-sense approach will deliver a better future for British people, by making sure that what is illegal offline is illegal online. It puts protecting children first, enabling us to catch keyboard criminals and crack down on the heinous crimes they seek to commit.
“I am deeply thankful to the tireless campaigning and efforts of parliamentarians, survivors of abuse and charities who have all worked relentlessly to get this bill to the finish line.”
Without this groundbreaking legislation, the safety of children across the country would be at stake and the internet would remain a wild west of content, putting children’s lives and mental health at risk. The bill has a zero-tolerance approach to protecting children, meaning social media platforms will be legally responsible for the content they host and keeping children and young people safe online.
Social media platforms will be expected to:
remove illegal content quickly or prevent it from appearing in the first place, including content promoting self-harm
prevent children from accessing harmful and age-inappropriate content
enforce age limits and age-checking measures
ensure the risks and dangers posed to children on the largest social media platforms are more transparent, including by publishing risk assessments
provide parents and children with clear and accessible ways to report problems online when they do arise
In addition to its firm protections for children, the bill empowers adults to take control of what they see online. It provides three layers of protection for internet users which will:
Make sure illegal content will have to be removed
Place a legal responsibility on social media platforms to enforce the promises they make to users when they sign up, through terms and conditions
Offer users the option to filter out harmful content, such as bullying, that they do not want to see online
If social media platforms do not comply with these rules, Ofcom could fine them up to £18 million or 10% of their global annual revenue, whichever is biggest – meaning fines handed down to the biggest platforms could reach billions of pounds.
Also added to the bill are new laws to decisively tackle online fraud and violence against women and girls. Through this legislation, it will be easier to convict someone who shares intimate images without consent and new laws will further criminalise the non-consensual sharing of intimate deepfakes.
The change in laws will make it easier to charge abusers who share intimate images and put more offenders behind bars and better protect the public. Those found guilty of this base offence have a maximum penalty of 6 months in custody.
Former Love Island star and campaigner Georgia Harrison said: “Violence against women and girls is so common, with one in three women in the UK having experienced online abuse or harassment.
“The Online Safety bill is going to help bring this to an end, by holding social media companies accountable to protect women and girls from online abuse.”
Under the bill, the biggest social media platforms will have to stop users being exposed to dangerous fraudulent adverts by blocking and removing scams, or face Ofcom’s huge new fines.
The government has recently strengthened the bill even further, by amending the law to force social media firms to prevent activity that facilitates animal cruelty and torture (such as paying or instructing torture). Even if this activity takes place outside the UK but is seen by users here, companies will be forced to take it down.
Anticipating the bill coming into force, the biggest social media companies have already started to take action. Snapchat has started removing the accounts of underage users and TikTok has implemented stronger age verification.
Ofcom Chief Executive, Dame Melanie Dawes said: “Today is a major milestone in the mission to create a safer life online for children and adults in the UK. Everyone at Ofcom feels privileged to be entrusted with this important role, and we’re ready to start implementing these new laws.
“Very soon after the bill receives Royal Assent, we’ll consult on the first set of standards that we’ll expect tech firms to meet in tackling illegal online harms, including child sexual exploitation, fraud and terrorism.”
While the bill has been in progress, the government has been working closely with Ofcom to ensure changes will be implemented as quickly as possible when it becomes law.
The regulator will immediately begin work on tackling illegal content and protecting children’s safety, with its consultation process launching in the weeks after Royal Assent. It will then take a phased approach to bringing the Online Safety Bill’s into force.
Passing of the Online Safety Bill ‘a momentous day for children’ says NSPCC chief
The Online Safety Bill will finally require tech companies to make their sites safe by design for children
New laws come after years of campaigning and robust political scrutiny in Parliament
NSPCC CEO Sir Peter Wanless thanks survivors and bereaved parents and urges tech companies to seize the opportunity offered by regulation
Survivors of online child abuse tell how the Online Safety Bill will address further preventable harm to countless other children
The NSPCC has welcomed the passing of the Online Safety Bill, a ground-breaking piece of legislation they say will radically change the landscape for children online.
After years of campaigning, tech companies will now have a legal duty to protect children from sexual abuse and harmful material on social media sites, gaming apps and messaging services.
The charity has helped strengthen the legislation during its long journey through UK Parliament, ensuring that it results in regulation that comprehensively protects children online.
The charity says the legislation will mark a new era for children’s safety at a time when online child abuse offences are at a record high and children continue to be bombarded with harmful suicide and self-harm content on social media.
In August this year, NSPCC Scotland revealed that more than 3,500 online grooming crimes* had been recorded by Police Scotland over the past six years while the legislation was being discussed. Last year (2022/23), 593 Communicating Indecently with a Child offences were recorded in Scotland, with more than half of the offences against children under the age of 13.
The Online Safety Bill was published in May 2021 and has been subject to robust scrutiny and debate by MPs, Lords and civil society.
Its importance was starkly highlighted by the inquest into the death of 14-year-old Molly Russell in September last year, which ruled that the self-harm and suicide content that Molly had been recommended on social media had contributed to her death.
Ruth Moss, whose 13-year-old daughter Sophie died by suicide after viewing harmful content online, joined forces with Molly’s father Ian Russell and other parents whose children died following exposure to harmful content online, to form the Bereaved Parents for Online Safety group to strengthen the protections in the Bill.
The Edinburgh nurse has been campaigning with the NSPCC for several years for robust new legislation that would force tech bosses to make their sites safe for children.
Ruth said: “I’m pleased that the Bill has passed. I have always argued that self-regulation by tech companies hasn’t worked. Numerous families, including mine have highlighted these failings over many years. So, I welcome the bill wholeheartedly. It is a big step in offering protection to children online.
“For at least two years, we struggled to keep my daughter Sophie safe online. In spite of removing devices, restricting internet use, implementing parental controls and having conversations about internet safety, these were not enough to prevent her from being exposed to websites that promoted self-harm, suicide and contained dark, graphic, harmful material. Complaining to internet and social media companies was either impossible or futile.
“The impact of Sophie viewing this harmful material was a deterioration in her existing mental health struggles, with devastating consequences. Sophie was 13 years old when she died by suicide. We will never truly recover from her death, and it is rightly every parents worse nightmare.
“This Online Safety Bill may not solve all the issues that children have online. But it is essential to start regulating online platforms. They have a duty of care to keep their users safe to the best of their ability.
“Of course, I do have some reservations about the Online Safety Bill. It is a new piece of legislation that has not had the chance to be tested – so there will be some unknowns. And no piece of legislation will be perfect. We will only really know if the legislation goes far enough over time.
“The Bill will need to stay relevant. If we look at other initial law, it develops over time with the changing environments in which we live. Technology changes and with it, the legislation around it will need to keep up. But this is a good first step. It sends a message to tech companies that safety should not be compromised for the sake of profit and that tech companies cannot deny responsibility for keeping their service users safe on their websites.
“In my opinion, the enforcement of the Bill is key. This will be challenging. It will require Ofcom going up against some of the most powerful and influential organisations in the world. Ofcom will have a difficult job. Currently, I have confidence that they will do what is necessary to uphold the legislation where needed, however time will tell.
“As with any piece of complex legislation, there were amendments that did not get passed around legal but harmful content for adults, the appointment of a children’s advocate and other areas that I would like to have seen included in the bill. But again, no Bill is perfect, and I am pleased to see it passed.”
The Online Safety Bill has been shaped in large part by survivors of abuse, bereaved parents and young people themselves who have campaigned tirelessly to ensure the legislation leads to real-world change for children.
Aoife (19) from East Kilbride, South Lanarkshire, was 15 when she was exploited by a man online who pretended to be a teenager.She said: “He convinced me to send him photos and then blackmailed me with them.
“It was terrifying but luckily I knew to report to Child Exploitation and Online Protection (CEOP) and he was eventually convicted.
“I know this kind of thing happens all the time – we need the new law to stop it from hurting more lives.”
Sir Peter Wanless, NSPCC Chief Executive, said: “We are absolutely delighted to see the Online Safety Bill being passed through Parliament. It is a momentous day for children and will finally result in the ground-breaking protections they should expect online.
“At the NSPCC we hear from children about the completely unacceptable levels of abuse and harm they face online every day. That’s why we have campaigned strongly for change alongside brave survivors, families, young people and parliamentarians to ensure the legislation results in a much safer online world for children.
“Children can benefit greatly from life online. Tech companies can now seize the opportunity to embrace safety by design. The NSPCC is ready to help them listen to and understand the online experiences of their young users to help ensure every child feels safe and empowered online.”
The NSPCC’s commitment to protect children online does not end with the passing of the Bill and the charity will continue to advocate to ensure it results in truly safe online spaces for children.
Online Safety Bill Timeline:
2014 NSPCC launches a campaign calling for a new offence to make online grooming a crime, by making it illegal for an adult to send a child a sexual message. 50,000 people signed our petition
2015 The Government included the offence in the Sexual Offences Act 2015, but it took two more years of sustained campaigning before they finally brought the offence into force so police could take action and arrest offenders
April 2017 Sexual Communication with a Child became an offence
April 2017 The NSPCC first called on Government to bring in statutory regulation of social networks
Dec 2017 NSPCC call for tech companies to have a legal duty of care to keep children safe
April 2019 Government publishes the Online Harms White Paper
January 2020 Online Harms paving bill, prepared by the Carnegie Trust and introduced by Lord McNally, was selected for its first reading in the Lords
February 2020 Government publish initial consultation to the Online Harms White Paper, announcing Ofcom as the likely watchdog
September 2020 NSPCC sets out six tests for the Online Harms Bill in its Regulatory Framework
December 2020 Government published its Online Harms White Paper consultation response
March 2021 NSPCC analysis of the consultation response found significant improvement is needed in a third of areas of proposed legislation if the Online Safety Bill is to extensively protect children from avoidable harm and abuse
May 2021 Government publishes draft Online Safety Bill
September 2021 Parliamentary scrutiny begins, and the NSPCC publish Duty to Protect – An assessment of the draft Online Safety Bill against the NSPCC’s six tests for protecting children
October 2021 Facebook whistleblowerFrances Haugen gives evidence to the Joint Committee on the Draft Online Safety Bill
December 2021 The joint committee on the Draft Online Safety Bill call for a number of changes to the legislation to better prevent child abuse
January 2022DCMS Committee back NSPCC’s call for the Online Safety Bill to put a legal duty on tech firms to disrupt the way offenders game social media design features to organise around material that facilitates abuse
January 2022 The Petitions Committee also called for the Online Safety Bill to be strengthened
March 2022 The Government publishes the Online Safety Bill
April 2022 Online Safety Bill has its Second Reading and NSPCC publish its Time to Act reportwhich sets out where the Bill can be improved to become a world-leading response to the online child abuse threat
May 2022 Online Safety Bill Committee Stage begins
July 2022 Online Safety Bill Report Stage debates
Summer 2022 Online Safety Bill delayed by two changes to Prime Minister
September 2022 Inquest into the death of 14-year-old Molly Russell finds social media contributed to her death
December 2022 Online Safety Bill returns to Parliament
December 2022 Bereaved Families for Online Safety formed to campaign for strong protections for children and families through the Online Safety Bill
January 2023 Conservative MP rebellion backs NSPCC amendment that forces Government to commit to holding senior tech managers liable for harm to children
January 2023 Online Safety Bill begins its journey through the House of Lords
Spring 2023 Government amendments strengthen protections for children following campaigning by civil society, including NSPCC and Bereaved Families for Online Safety
September 2023 Online Safety Bill due its Third Reading in the House of Lords and to return to Parliament for final passage
