Scottish landmarks illuminated in support of the charity this Christmas
As landmarks across Scotland and the UK are set to light up green on the longest night of the year in support of the NSPCC, the charity is calling on the public to rally friends and family to take part in a Walk for Children.
Buildings and landmarks, including the Falkirk Wheel, Glasgow Science Centre and Edinburgh’s Camera Obscura will be going green on the night of December 22 in support of the children’s charity and the help it provides young people in their darkest hours.
Other sites in Scotland lighting up for the NSPCC include Dalkeith Country Park, West Lothian Civic Centre, Glasgow Botanic Gardens, Dundee Science Centre and the Titan Crane in Clydebank.
The NSPCC is calling on families and friends across the country to get together and sign up to walk 5km that night to raise vital funds for the charity and its Childline service, which will have counsellors on hand to answer life-changing calls throughout the festive period, including Christmas Day.
Caroline Renton, NPSCC Scotland Supporter Fundraising Manager, said: “Our Childline service is expecting a child to contact them every 45 seconds this Christmas, and while it’s free for them to contact the service over the phone or internet, every counselling session costs the charity around £4.
“For children facing abuse, the winter nights can be long and lonely, and we want all children to know that Childline is here for them, even on the darkest nights. We rely on public donations for around 90% of our funding, and by joining us on December 22 you can help Childline answer more life-changing calls.
“Whether you’re enjoying mulled wine and mince pies on the way around, wearing reindeer antlers, Santa hats or light-up accessories, or just pulling on your warmest coats and hats and enjoying the view, you’ll be helping Childline be a lifeline for children this Christmas.”
While children are at home for the holidays, they are cut off from other support systems, which means the Childline service is vitally important at Christmas.
Last Christmas, Childline delivered more than 1,000 high-risk counselling sessions, with 64% of high-risk calls and web chats during that period coming in after dark. Childline is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
Last year, hundreds of people walked 5k on the longest night of the year and raised over £100,000 to help fund vital NSPCC services, like Childline.
It costs £10 to sign up for Walk for Children and participants are asked to try and raise £100 to help fund the charity’s vital work and keep more children safe this Christmas. Everyone who signs up will receive a fundraising pack with everything needed to plan a walk, resources to use on the day, and an NSPCC t-shirt.
To find out more or sign up for this year’s Walk for Children, click here or go to www.nspcc.org.uk and search ‘WALK FOR CHILDREN’ – anyone who uses the promo code WALK25 will get a 25% discount on their registration fee.
NSPCC staff will join a panel of experts for a crucial conversation today in a Roundtable discussion at the start of Scottish Games Week.
Patrick Weaver, NSPCC Assistant Director of Fundraising and Engagement (Communities), and NSPCC Scotland Local Campaigns Officer Euan Graham will join Simon Monkman, the Lead for Gaming and Extremism at Ofcom, and lawyer Kirk Dailly to talk about child protection in the gaming industry.
The discussion will cover the legal frameworks now in place following the Online Safety Act receiving Royal Assent last week and ethical considerations for ensuring the safety and wellbeing of young players.
They will also discuss potential opportunities to collaborate with some of the key players within the gaming industry to fundraise for the charity.
Patrick Weaver, Assistant Director of Fundraising and Engagement (Communities) at NSPCC, said: “We’re delighted to be joining this very important discussion about how we can help to keep young players safe in the gaming industry.
“We are also very excited about potential collaboration with some of the key players in the industry to help raise funds for the charity in the future.
“The NSPCC has a wealth of insight, knowledge and expertise on safeguarding children and suggestions for ways to keep young people safe online, and we are excited to get the opportunity to share this with the gaming world.
“In the long run we’d love to support companies to incorporate safeguarding when they design games and help to build a safer industry for children and young people.”
Using voluntary donations, which make up around 90 per cent of its funding, the NSPCC works tirelessly to protect children and prevent abuse from happening and to help children who have been abused, including online, to rebuild their lives.
The NSPCC’s free Childline counselling service provides a safe, confidential place for children when they have nowhere else to turn, whatever their worry, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
The charity also has a helpline open every day of the year for any adult who is worried about a child. The helpline has trained practitioners who provide advice and support, listen to concerns about a child, and offer general information about child protection.
Our Helpline responded to over 59,000 contacts last year from adults who were concerned about a child, with the most common reasons concerns about neglect, physical, emotional and/or sexual abuse and/or exploitation. *
Since 2018 the NSPCC has also campaigned for a robust Online Safety Bill to be introduced, working closely with four different prime ministers, ministers, MPs and members of the House of Lords to make the Bill stronger for children. The charity also continues to call on tech companies to take the necessary action to ensure children are safe on their platforms.
NSPCC Scotland Local Campaigns Officer Euan Graham, who leads a campaign called ‘Let’s Chat Online Safety’ in Moray, said: “Childline hears from many young people who have been bullied or experienced abuse online. For example, more than 3,500 online grooming crimes have been reported in Scotland since 2017, with under-13s representing over half of those affected.*.
“Our ‘Let’s Chat Online Safety’ campaign helps keep children safe by providing useful tips and resources to parents, carers and teachers to make it easier for them to talk about this topic with young people.
“Many parents and carers worry about their child’s safety online, whether they are playing games, browsing the internet or on social media. And it can be quite daunting for those who aren’t particularly tech savvy, because they may not know how to put parental controls in place or how to talk about it without causing hostility, especially with teenagers who don’t want their privacy to be invaded.
“We encourage families to have regular, positive conversations about their children’s experience being online and make sure children know they can talk to them, another trusted adult or Childline if anything is worrying them.”
Patrick Weaver and Euan Graham will join the Roundtable discussion on Monday, October 30 at 2.30pm in the Salisbury Suite at Dynamic Earth, Edinburgh.
Scottish Games Week, which runs from Monday, October 30, to Friday, November 3, is a Scotland-wide series of events creating a global platform for Scotland’s rapidly evolving games ecosystem.
Mental and emotional health and wellbeing is the top reason for children contacting the NSPCC service
Over the past year, more than 4.600 Childline counselling sessions were delivered on the issue to children in Scotland, with over 1,300 of these being related to stress and anxiety
This World Mental Health Day (October 10), Childline encourages children to speak out about any mental health concerns
More than half of all counselling sessions delivered by Childline in Scotland last year focused on young people struggling with mental health issues.
In 2022/23 the NSPCC service delivered at least 4,627 counselling sessions to children living in Scotland on mental and emotional health and wellbeing. Of these, 1,310 were specifically related to stress and anxiety.
This World Mental Health Day (October 10), the charity is raising awareness of the mental and emotional health issues children and young people are facing, and to let them know they are never alone.
NSPCC Scotland says it is vital that children are able to access early intervention support, such as through school, which can prevent young people’s mental health problems from getting worse and potentially reaching crisis point.
The charity believes that a top priority for Scottish Government investment should be in better support for families during pregnancy and in the early years, which can lay the foundations for positive mental health and wellbeing in a person’s life.
Childline continues to be a safe space for anyone under the age of 19 who is seeking help and support, with the option for them to speak to a counsellor either over the phone or online. Last year the service delivered more than 8,500 counselling sessions to children and young people in Scotland.
The top five issues raised by children and young people when speaking to Childline about their emotional and mental wellbeing were:
Anxiety and stress – 1,310 counselling sessions
Low mood and unhappiness – 634 counselling sessions
Depression – 292 counselling sessions
Accessing support and services for mental health – 287 counselling sessions
Loneliness – 210 counselling sessions
A 15-year-old girl from Scotland told Childline*: “I’ve been struggling with even basic tasks lately because of anxiety. I get filled with panic, can’t function and then I get angry with myself, so it gets even worse.
“It’s really frustrating. I want to tell someone but I’m not sure if my problems are important to anyone.”
A 14-year-old boy from Scotland told Childline*: “School and my friends are really stressing me out. I want to focus in class but I can’t do it.
“I don’t want to tell my friends they’re making me feel stressed, I don’t want them to feel like I don’t want to hear their problems, but it is affecting me. Thanks for letting me offload to Childline.”
SUPPORT
It can be hard for parents to accept that their child may be struggling with mental health issues, such as depression or anxiety. However, it is crucial that young people feel supported, reassured and not judged by the adults in their lives.
World Mental Health Day has a focus on driving a positive change for everyone’s mental health. Adults can support young people’s wellbeing in a range of ways, including:
letting them know you’re there for them and are on their side
being patient and staying calm and approachable, even if their behaviour upsets you
recognising that their feelings are valid and letting them know it is okay for them to be open and honest about their emotions
thinking of healthy ways to cope together, like yoga, breathing exercises or mindfulness
encouraging them to talk to their GP, someone at their school or Childline. Especially if they’re finding it hard to talk at home.
taking care of yourself and getting support if you need to. Try not to blame yourself for what’s happening and stay hopeful for them.
Shaun Friel, director of Childline, said:“Young people may struggle with a range of mental health issues throughout their childhood and adolescence. This can be a time of turbulence, and so it’s important that children feel supported and uplifted.
“Ensuring that young people have a network of support, whether that’s in school, with their peers, at home or through organisations such as Childline, helps young people take the first step to tackling these struggles. Childline is here for any child that may be struggling with their mental and emotional wellbeing.”
All children can speak to a trained counsellor over the phone on 0800 1111, via email or on a 121 chat on the Childline website.
Children can also visit the website to find more advice on any concerns or questions they may have about mental health struggles.
· New poll finds that more than one in four parents (28%) who attend their child’s sports club or activity said they have seen or experienced inappropriate behaviour
· The week-long campaign kicks off today (Monday, October 2) to help parents recognise how negative behaviour at sporting events and activities can impact children
· The campaign, backed in Scotland by JudoScotland, Glasgow Warriors, Children 1st and other organisations plus former professional footballer Paul Stewart, encourages parents and carers to understand their role in safeguarding children and to show them positive support
Scottish sports clubs and footballing star Paul Stewartare backing the NSPCC’s Keeping Your Child Safe in Sport Week campaign which this year calls on parents to show positive support for their children in their activities.
JudoScotland, rugby team Glasgow Warriors, Scottish charity Children 1st and former professional footballer Paul Stewart, who was abused while he was a youth player, are all supporting this year’s campaign.
Paul, a former Premiership and International footballer who played for Manchester City, Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool, was sexually abused by a football coach as a child and now works to promote safety in sport, including advising the Scottish FA on safeguarding children in football.
Paul Stewart said: “The NSPCC’s Keeping Your Child Safe in Sport Week is an incredibly important campaign. Making sure that children are safe when they take part in sport is crucial.
“I’m proud to be helping raise awareness of the issue and empower parents and carers with the knowledge they need to spot the signs of abuse.
“Strong safeguarding policies in sport clubs and good parental awareness of them make it much harder for abusers to target children in these environments. That is why it is so important that parents and carers know how to access safeguarding information for their child’s club, and they can identify signs of abuse and have the confidence to speak out about any issues.
“We can all work together to help make sport a safer place for children and young people.”
More than one in four parents (28%) who attend their child’s sports club or activity said they have seen or experienced inappropriate behaviour, a new NSPCC survey has revealed.
This includes shouting insults, intimidating or threatening behaviour or fights between parents, guardians, carers or children.
The YouGov poll, commissioned by the NSPCC’s Child Protection in Sport Unit (CPSU) to mark the launch of the charity’s Keeping Children Safe in Sport Week, also found that 68% of these parents said they or their children or both had felt uncomfortable because of inappropriate behaviour, and almost one in five parents said no action had been taken to stop it.
The NSPCC has launched a new video (WATCH HERE) which explores how behaviour from the sidelines can affect young sportspeople.
Entitled My No.1 Fan, the short film features interviews with families talking about positive parental behaviour and support and how negative behaviour can impact children’s enjoyment of sport.
Luke Struthers, Lead Wellbeing Protection Officer from JudoScotland, said: “We are proud to be supporting NSPCC Scotland on this important campaign to help keep children safe in sport.
“Safeguarding in sport is crucial and this is a great opportunity to help raise awareness of the important role parents play in keeping their child safe and happy in sport.
“We hope Keeping Your Child Safe in Sport Week will help to empower parents and carers with the knowledge they need to get involved with safeguarding within sports clubs and raise any concerns they might have.”
Cameron MacAllister, Lead Communications and External Affairs Manager at Glasgow Warriors, said: “We are backing the NSPCC’s Keeping Your Child safe in Sport Week because as a parent I know how important it is to make sure your children’s experiences of sport is safe so they have a happy and memorable time.
“As a club we are looking forward to our players visiting NSPCC’s Childline base in Glasgow in November with our Clan groups to hear more about the vital work they are doing for young people across the UK.”
Keeping Children Safe in Sport Week is being supported by sports clubs and sportspeople across the country at all levels, including Liverpool FC, Everton FC, Leeds United, Sunderland AFC, Birmingham City, Tranmere Rovers, Volleyball England, as well as football icon Alan Shearer and the youngest ever British Olympian, skateboarder Sky Brown.
Sky said: “Having my family with me is really important to me on my journey. My dad and my brother are always by my side and my mom always makes me feel at home when we are on the road and cooks the best food!
“I am thankful that they often travel with me for competition and training.”
The NSPCC recognises that children enjoy sport and activities the most when parents are engaged in what they do, whether it is postgame support and cheerleading or showing an interest in the rules of the game.
As well as this new film, the NSPCC’s CPSU hosts a wealth of resources and information for parents on the Parents’ Hub, including a free e-learning course for parents on keeping children safer in sport, videos, podcasts and factsheets.
Michelle North, head of CPSU, said: “We’re delighted to have so much support for this year’s Keeping Your Child Safe in Sport Week.
“We know that inappropriate behaviour has a negative impact on young people and affects their enjoyment of the sport or activity, which in positive and safe environments can bring a lot of fulfilment to their lives.
“It is important that sports organisations and activity providers not only work with their staff and volunteers but with parents too to ensure that children have the safest and most enjoyable experience in sport.”
The NSPCC and its CPSU want to bring together parents and sports clubs and bodies to help give them the confidence and knowledge about the role they can play in keeping their children safe in sports and activity settings.
Last weekend, the NSPCC supported the Football Association’s Play Safe campaign – a countrywide campaign to focus attention on the vital importance of safeguarding in our national game.
Sir Peter Wanless, CEO of the NSPCC, added:“Being your child’s biggest supporter can help instil in them a lifelong love of sport, and help them build friendships and confidence. It can also help you learn about what makes their sports club safe and how to spot the signs that something might be wrong.
“Our Keeping Children Safe in Sport Week campaign highlights how important parents and carers are in a child’s sporting life. You can make a difference by being involved and supporting your child in their club or activity in a positive way and helping to spread the word about keeping children safe in sport.”
The NSPCC is encouraging parents to get involved and learn more about their local sports clubs and safeguarding and to be part of the team, on the CPSU parent hub via the official website.
This year’s campaign is calling on parents to:
· recognise that negative behaviour, including at sporting events, can have an impact on their child and their enjoyment of their chosen sport or club.
· understand their crucial safeguarding role in their child’s sport and help keep them safe from possible abuse.
· get involved in their child’s sporting club or activity and show positive support. Sport is safest when everyone plays their role in keeping children safe, including parents.
To find out more about being your child’s biggest supporter and how to get involved with the campaign, visit thecpsu.org.uk/parents
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
New NSPCC research highlights children are at risk of being sexually abused or exploited when using immersive technology such as VR headsets.
Study reveals insight from offenders who are desensitised and say viewing child sexual abuse material on VR headsets is “stupidly easy”.
Child Safeguarding & Immersive Technologies includes recommendations for technology companies, government, regulators, and law enforcement on how to tackle abuse in VR environments.
Today, the NSPCC have released a new study highlighting how virtual reality is putting children at risk of child sexual abuse and exploitation.
The new research entitled, Child Safeguarding & Immersive Technologies, was undertaken by Limina Immersivewho were commissioned by the children’s charity to assess what present and future risks children may face when using virtual reality.
The research paints a concerning picture of abuse taking place through immersive technology and illustrates the harm that children are already facing in these spaces.
This comes ahead of the Online Safety Bill being debated in the House of Lords this week and emphasises the important role regulation will play in tackling technology assisted child sexual abuse once this ground-breaking piece of legislation has been passed.
Key findings from the research include:
VR multiuser spaces provide opportunities for offenders to commit child sexual abuse and exploitation against a child.
‘Phantom touch’* can mean that victims of VR sexual abuse experience the physical sensation of being touched without their consent.
Offenders are using simulated child sexual abuse games on the dark web and through private networks that “mirror” the way they would abuse children offline.
VR multiuser spaces can desensitise offenders with avatar disguise and anonymity ‘normalising’ their abusive behaviour.
Multiuser VR worlds invite the creation of tighter knit offender ‘communities’, allowing for the sharing of child sexual abuse material and harmful behaviours to amplify and escalate.
The research includes insight from law enforcement agencies and experts and contains in-depth interviews with specialist coverts, who for the first time are sharing their information about emerging technologies that may pose risks to children.
UK law enforcement’s Online CSA Covert Intelligence Team (OCCIT) said in the study: “Virtual reality and the metaverse have the potential to be a monumental hurdle for law enforcement, criminal justice, and the safeguarding of vulnerable people. The proposed technology may have implications not seen since the global explosion of internet technologies”.
Crucially, the research includes key recommendations for technology companies, government, regulators, and law enforcement agencies on how to address abuse that takes place on immersive platforms.
Recommendations include:
Technology companies must ensure immersive environments are safe by design for children by implementing robust child safety features and reporting systems.
Ofcom should work closely with other UK regulatory bodies to develop clear guidance on how immersive technology platforms must assess and respond to the child safety risks on their products.
Government must provide more guidance, funding and learning opportunities to law enforcement on how to deal with VR and simulated offences.
Government must review the Online Safety Bill (Act) on a rolling basis to ensure that emerging harms are adequately covered under the law.
The research includes testimony from victims who have been groomed in VR and includes an excerpt from “Exposing a VR Cult” by documentary filmmaker BrandonFM.
In the film, one victim who wished to remain anonymous, described their experience of being groomed in virtual reality. They said: “The mental scars that this whole experience has put on my mind are so extreme that I was recently diagnosed with Stockholm Syndrome… it was so normal for [the offender] to have relationships with minors, in the bubble that we lived in… I came out of that situation with severe trust issues, and I am not sure when things will go back to normal”.
The findings from this research are due to be presented to key politicians, government officials and charity partners at an event in Parliament today where the research and its recommendations will be presented to those influencing the new online safety regulatory regime currently making its way through Parliament.
When asked, three quarters (75%) of the public said they believe that 6–12-year-olds are at major or significant risk of child sexual abuse on the metaverse while 80% believe that 13-16 year olds are at risk.
Richard Collard, Head of Child Safety Online Policy at the NSPCC, said: “These shocking findings should be a wake-up call to us all about the harm young people are facing when engaging with immersive technology.
“Technology will continue to progress, and so must we to ensure that we can understand the existing and emerging risks that young people face in these virtual spaces.
“As the Online Safety Bill completes its passage through Parliament, it is vital that new and emerging technology forms a crucial part of the online safety regime. This will only be made possible through clear collaboration between educators, parents, policymakers, and the technology industry.”
A specialist covert officer, who was interviewed in the research, said: “Virtual reality headsets and VR spaces are already being misused by those with ill intentions.
“These technologies further expose children to the risk of abuse, whilst at the same time reducing opportunities for intervention, safeguarding and appropriate prosecutions.
“2023 sees technology being abused in ways that we would not have accurately predicted 12 months ago.
“This underlines the need for legislators, law enforcement and technology companies to work closer together and at a pace that better reflects the rapidly evolving tech landscape.”
NSPCC urges tech companies and MPs to back Online Safety Bill following new research on scale of online grooming
Primary school children targeted in more than half of online grooming crimes in Scotland since social media regulation was first demanded
More than 3,500 online grooming crimes have been recorded by Police Scotland while children have been waiting for online safety laws, new figures published by the NSPCC reveal today.
Data from Police Scotland shows 593 Communicating Indecently with a Child offences were recorded last year (2022/23).
The new research shows that in Scotland, 1,873 offences took place against primary school children, with under-13s making up more than half of victims.
The new analysis of the scale of child sexual abuse taking place on social media comes ahead of MPs and Lords making final decisions on the Online Safety Bill next month.
The NSPCC first called for social media regulation to protect children from sexual abuse in 2017 and has been campaigning for robust legislation ever since.
The charity said the number of offences is likely to be far higher than those known to police. In response, they are urging politicians on all sides to support the Bill in its final stages and pass this vital legislation.
Aoife (19) from East Kilbride, South Lanarkshire, was exploited online when she was 15 by an adult male who pretended to be a teenager.
The man convinced her to send him images of herself and blackmailed her with these to control her behaviour. When his demands became increasingly intense and frightening, Aoife plucked up the courage to tell her mum and teachers, who helped them to report it to the police.
Aoife said: “When I found out I’d been talking to an older man I was petrified. I remember it was 3am and I was sitting in my room, just shaking. I felt like I was the only person in the world and started crying.
“I wanted my mum, and while she was just in the room next door I thought I couldn’t tell her because it’s so embarrassing, but all I wanted was a hug from her.”
A draft Online Safety Bill was published over two years ago but regulation was first promised by Government in 2018 following the NSPCC’s call for action and the launch of its Wild West Web campaign.
The charity has been campaigning for strong legislation ever since, working closely with survivors, Government, Parliamentarians, and other civil society groups to ensure it effectively tackles the way social media and gaming sites contribute to child sexual abuse.
The legislation will mean tech companies have a legal duty of care for young users and must assess their products for child abuse risks and put mitigations in place to protect children.
It will give the regulator Ofcom powers to address significant abuse taking place in private messaging and require companies to put safeguards in place to identify and disrupt abuse in end-to-end encrypted environments.
The NSPCC said these measures are vital to effectively protect children from the most insidious abuse and recent polling shows they are backed by more than seven in ten voters.
Sir Peter Wanless, NSPCC Chief Executive said: “Today’s research highlights the sheer scale of child abuse happening on social media and the human cost of fundamentally unsafe products.
“The number of offences must serve as a reminder of why the Online Safety Bill is so important and why the ground-breaking protections it will give children are desperately needed.
“We’re pleased the Government has listened and strengthened the legislation so companies must tackle how their sites contribute to child sexual abuse in a tough but proportionate way, including in private messaging.
“It’s now up to tech firms, including those highlighted by these stark figures today, to make sure their current sites and future services do not put children at unacceptable risk of abuse.”
As well as winning the commitment to legislate, the NSPCC has helped shape significant gains for children in the Online Safety Bill as it has passed through Parliament, including:
Senior tech bosses will be held criminally liable for significant failures that put children at risk of sexual abuse and other harm.
Girls will be given specific protections as Ofcom will produce guidance on tackling Violence Against Women and Girls for companies to follow.
Companies will have to crack down on so-called tribute pages and breadcrumbing that use legal but often stolen images of children and child accounts to form networks of offenders to facilitate child sexual abuse.
Sites will have to consider how grooming pathways travel across various social media apps and games and work together to prevent abuse spreading across different platforms.
The NSPCC is still seeking assurances that the legislation will effectively regulate AI and immersive technology and wants an online child safety advocacy body specifically to speak with and for children as part of the day-to-day regulatory regime. They argue that this will help spot emerging risks and fight for the interests and safety of children before tragedies arise.
The charity are asking campaigners to reach out to MPs with personal messages about why they should act to make the online world safer for children and pass a robust Online Safety Bill in the coming weeks.
A new partnership between the NSPCC and Britain’s four Gas Distribution Networks (GDNs) will deliver vital safeguarding training to more than 18,000 workers across the country.
Half a million children suffer abuse and neglect a year in the UK, and almost 60,000 calls were made to the NSPCC Helpline last year from adults including utility workers* reporting concerns about child safeguarding across the UK.
Everyone has a role to play in safeguarding children, and workers who visit homes have a unique chance to make a difference. This is why gas engineers, including sub-contractors and GDN staff at Cadent Gas, Northern Gas Networks, SGN and Wales & West Utilities, will take part in specialised training developed by the children’s charity over the next two years.
The training, entitled It’s Your Call, will give GDN employees who cross thousands of doorways every day the knowledge and confidence to help support vulnerable families and children in their communities.
It’s Your Call is a simple training package which helps workers who visit homes recognise signs of abuse and neglect and gives them the confidence and knowledge to seek appropriate support, including contacting the NSPCC Helpline. The roll-out of the training with GDN workers across Britain has already begun and will continue throughout the next two years.
Edward Allard, social programmes manager at Cadent, said: “We are delighted to announce our new partnership with the NSPCC. This is a significant and wide-reaching project and will create a real force for good across Britain.
“We visit thousands of homes every day, and thanks to this partnership we can create an army of safeguarders to help identify children at risk of neglect or abuse and ensure our workers know how to help them get the support they need as soon as possible.
“As part of our ongoing commitment to support customers living in the most vulnerable situations, each GDN will also work with the NSPCC’s safeguarding experts to ensure that the safeguarding of children and young people is fully embedded into our organisations.”
This project has been funded by the Vulnerability and Carbon Monoxide Allowance (VCMA) – an Ofgem fund split between the four GDNs to work with partners, charities and organisations to support customers in vulnerable situations.
As well as ensuring thousands of workers across the UK can help identify children at risk of neglect or abuse, the project will offer the chance for a network of child protection practitioners working with the NSPCC to learn about spotting carbon monoxide risks.
The practitioners will have access to free carbon monoxide detectors and will learn about fuel poverty signposting to support thousands of households across the UK, ensuring more families are kept safe and warm in their homes.
Sir Peter Wanless, CEO of the NSPCC, said: “We are hugely excited about this project, and grateful to Ofgem and all the GDNs for supporting this wonderful partnership. Everyone has a role to play in preventing child abuse and neglect. With this training and support, we can create a real force for good and help protect some of the most vulnerable members of our society.
“By working together and sharing our resources, experience and expertise we can help engineers and gas employees across the country play their part in supporting vulnerable families and children in their communities.”
To find out more about how the NSPCC can support professionals to keep children safe, including safeguarding training, consultancy and free resources, go to: www.learning.nspcc.org.uk/
To find out more about the NSPCC’s work to protect children and young people and support families across the country, go to www.nspcc.org.uk
Eating disorders and body image issues were the sixth most common concern brought up by children and young people in Scotland contacting Childline last year (April 2022 – March 2023), with 273 counselling sessions carried out on the issue.
Childline, the counselling service run by the NSPCC, has also revealed that 40 per cent of counselling sessions with children across the UK about these issues took place in the summer months (June to September).
There are number of factors that make the summer holiday a particularly tricky time for young people struggling with their body image or relationship with food.
For some, the prospect of wearing clothing which shows more of their body can make them feel under pressure to look a certain way, lose weight or change their appearance.
This pressure can be reinforced by content they are exposed to online that makes them feel negatively about the way they way look.
At Childline, there is always someone to talk to. Our counsellors are there to listen and offer support and advice every day of the year on 0800 11111 or at www.childline.org.uk
Now that the long school holiday is on the horizon, many parents in Scotland will be sorting out extra childcare over the break.
At the NSPCC Helpline, we often receive calls asking about the appropriate age to allow children to stay home alone. Between work appointments and other family commitments it’s inevitable that some parents will have to deal with this situation.
It can be difficult to know what’s best to do and it’s natural for parents to worry. With this in mind I thought it would be a good opportunity to give some insight into when it is safe for your child to be home alone.
There is no legal age that a child can be left home alone but it’s against the law to leave a child alone if it puts them at risk. Every child matures differently so it would be almost impossible to have a ‘one size fits all’ law. A child who doesn’t feel comfortable should never be left home alone and, obviously, infants aged 0 to 3 should never be left, even for a few minutes. Also, we wouldn’t recommend leaving a child under 12 years old home alone, particularly for longer periods of time.
However, as children get older they may want more freedom and independence. This can present another tough decision for parents and carers, and one that will differ from child to child. That’s why it’s a good idea to have a plan in place, to help to build up their independence at a pace that is right for them.
It’s absolutely vital to talk to your child about how they feel about this situation and to ask if they are worried about anything when home alone. Regularly checking how they feel can pinpoint any concerns and will give you an idea of how to help or why they might not be ready. If they are happy to be home alone for a while, it’s always good to check in with them during that time to make sure they feel safe.
Parents can contact our helpline at help@nspcc.org.uk for more advice.
Our Childline service is available too, and children can contact us 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, on 0800 1111 or via a one-to-one chat on www.childline.org.uk
