Boys less likely to talk to Childline about mental health issues than girls
Childline launches ‘We All Feel It’ campaign to help boys who are struggling to ask for help with their mental health
Childline has found, in Scotland, boys are four times less likely to talk with the service’s trained counsellors about their mental health than girls, and even less likely to come to them when they have suicidal thoughts.
New statistics from the NSPCC-run service show that in 2020/21 counsellors carried out 2,054 sessions with girls about mental health issues compared to 493 with boys in Scotland.
When it came to counselling sessions about suicidal thoughts and feelings, they delivered 891 with girls but just 103 with boys.
Which is why Childline has launched it’s ‘We All Feel It’ campaign, to support young males whoare struggling to speak about their mental health, and to help them before they reach crisis point.
The campaign video features popular clips from the world of sports, social media and gaming to reflect the emotions some young people may struggle to articulate. It encourages boys in particular to use Childline to help them make sense of anything that has upset or worried them.
Childline insight
Childline counsellors hear from boys in Scotland who say they feel isolated in their experiences and are reluctant to reach out for help due to the stigma they feel around sharing their feelings.
One boy told a counsellor: “I’m feeling suicidal, depressed and rubbish. I tried to kill myself recently but got talked out of it.
“My dad is really violent and has been hurting me for years. I usually miss school when he leaves marks on me. I’ve also been arguing with my step-dad and sometimes it gets quite bad. People just watch it happen.
“I feel like my parents hold things against me. I have thought about running away but it’s hopeless. I usually sit and play computer games to distract myself from it all.”
Another male, aged 18, told Childline: “I usually have thoughts about suicide, mostly when I am feeling stressed but sometimes when I am not under any stress too.
“This all started about two years ago when school was starting to get stressful and I had to start thinking about my future.
“I am a very personal person and I never open up to anyone – I just feel shy and this is my first time ever talking to anyone about these thoughts.”
Suicide is a complex issue and there is rarely one single factor or event that leads someone to take their own life. It is usually a combination of lots of different individual, community and societal factors interacting with each other to increase risk.
‘We All Feel It’
Developed with creative agency Livity, the campaign aims to resonate with boys and remind them Childline is always there and ready to support them, with whatever they are experiencing, 24 hours a day.
Alex Gray, Service Head of Childline, said: “At Childline, we know how hard it can be for children to speak out about their mental health.
“In particular, it can be really challenging for boy’s due to the pressures they feel around not showing emotion and appearing strong due to toxic masculinity.
“At Childline, we want to remind all children that sharing their mental health concerns with a trusted adult or a Childline counsellor is a brave thing to do, and it will enable them to get the help and support they need.
“Talking about mental health issues early on can prevents things escalating and can save a young person’s life.
“We hope that by putting the spotlight on male mental health we can help boys understand that they are not alone.”
Children and young people can contact Childline for free, confidential support and advice, 24 hours a day on 0800 1111 or at www.childline.org.uk.
Childline has been supported by the Postcode Children’s Trust for four years and it has recently given the service crucial funding of £1,000,000 – the equivalent of running Childline for an entire month – enabling counsellors to continue to save lives.
The child protection charity is urging the Scottish Government to prioritise resources for early years services, as it sets out its spending plans for 2022/23 at Holyrood tomorrow (Thursday, December 9).
NSPCC Scotland received 435 pairs of baby booties, after it put out a call for people to knit in support of its Fight for a Fair Start campaign. The charity has sent over 120 pairs to MSPs with message cards to raise awareness of the importance of investing in early childhood. The remaining booties are being donated to families supported by the NSPCC and other organisations.
The charity says providing support for very young children and their families is vital because people’s experiences in early childhood affect their future mental and physical health. It wants to see substantial investment in specialist services that support the parent-infant relationship, which is so important for a child’s healthy development.
Joanne Smith, Policy and Public Affairs Manager for NSPCC Scotland, said: “A baby’s experiences can greatly impact the rest of their life. Yet, this is a stage of life that is too often overlooked and under-supported.
“Too many children in Scotland do not have a fair start in life. Last year, around half of those on the child protection register and over a third coming into the care system were younger than five years old.
“We have been overwhelmed by the support we have received from the Scottish public for this campaign. And we hope our MSPs also show their support for the needs and rights of vulnerable infants by pushing for greater investment in the early years.
In studies carried out before the pandemic hit, NSPCC Scotland found that very few services across the country specifically addressed the emotional and developmental needs of children under the age of two.
And the charity is concerned the pandemic has put babies at greater risk, with Public Health Scotland data revealing a higher than expected proportion of children having one or more developmental concerns recorded at their 13-15-month review, since February this year.
Daisy*, a mother-of-two, had her eldest child taken into foster care during the first lockdown because of a breakdown in family relationships and was referred to the NSPCC’s Together for Childhood2 project in Glasgow. She was struggling with her mental health and managing her children’s needs. An NSPCC practitioner supported her and worked through the Circle of Security parenting programme3 with her.
Daisy* said: “The Circle of Security parenting work made me realise the way I was parented has affected the way I was parenting my kids. Even though I thought my upbringing was good, there were obviously tactics my parents used that have affected the way that I was parenting my kids and it’s obviously not been healthy.
“My parents didn’t listen when I went to them with my problems and I was guilty of that with my kids before doing the Circle of Security work. It’s been very helpful to realise that’s not the way things should be, so I’ve put an end to that and have found new strategies to better my relationship with my kids and how they feel about themselves as well.
“I used to use distraction, even with the baby when he was crying, like jangling a set of keys in his face to distract him and make him laugh. But now I pick him up and give him a cuddle and be with him and how he’s feeling.
“He calms down much quicker and his smiles come naturally again, rather than me trying to force them, because he’s feeling better, because I’ve tended to that need that he had, because he just wanted a cuddle and love.”
People can show their support for our Fight for a Fair Start campaign by signing our petition here.
Child abuse image offences recorded by Police Scotland up 13% last year and reach over 3,100 in just five years
‘Social media being used as a conveyor belt to produce child abuse images on an industrial scale’
NSPCC sets out five-point plan to strengthen Online Safety Bill so it decisively disrupts the production and spread of child abuse material on social media
More than 3,000 child abuse image crimes were recorded by Police Scotland over the last five years, the NSPCC has revealed today.
Data obtained from Police Scotland shows the number of offences relating to possessing, taking, making, and distributing child abuse material peaked at 660 last year (2020/21) – up 13% from 2019/20.
The NSPCC previously warned the pandemic had created a ‘perfect storm’ for grooming and abuse online.
The charity said social media is being used by groomers as a conveyor belt to produce and share child abuse images on an industrial scale. It added that the issue of young people being groomed into sharing images of their own abuse has become pervasive.
The NSPCC is urging the UK Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries to seize the opportunity to strengthen the Online Safety Bill, so it results in decisive action that disrupts the production and spread of child abuse material on social media.
The child protection charity said that behind every offence could be multiple victims and images, and children will continue to be at risk of an unprecedented scale of abuse unless the draft legislation is significantly strengthened.
Ahead of a report by Parliamentarians who scrutinised the draft Online Safety Bill expected next week, the NSPCC, which has been at the forefront of campaigning for social media regulation, set out a five-point plan to strengthen the legislation so it effectively prevents online abuse.
The charity’s online safety experts said the Bill currently fails to address how offenders organise across social media, doesn’t effectively tackle abuse in private messaging and fails to hold top managers liable for harm or give children a voice to balance the power of industry.
The NSPCC is critical of the industry response to child abuse material. A Facebook whistle-blower recently revealed Meta apply a return-on-investment principle to combatting child abuse material and don’t know the true scale of the problem as the company “doesn’t track it”.
NSPCC Chief Executive, Sir Peter Wanless, said: “The staggering amount of child sexual abuse image offences is being fuelled by the ease with which offenders are able to groom children across social media to produce and share images on an industrial scale.
“The UK Government recognises the problem and has created a landmark opportunity with the Online Safety Bill. We admire Nadine Dorries’ declared intent that child protection is her number one objective.
“But our assessment is that the legislation needs strengthening in clear and specific ways if it is to fundamentally address the complex nature of online abuse and prevent children from coming to avoidable harm.”
The NSPCC’s five-point plan lays out where the Online Safety Bill must be strengthened to:
Disrupt well-established grooming pathways: The Bill fails to tackle convincingly the ways groomers commit abuse across platforms to produce new child abuse images. Offenders exploit the design features of social media sites to contact multiple children before moving them to risky livestreaming or encrypted sites. The Bill needs to be strengthened to require platforms to explicitly risk assess for cross platform harms.
Tackle how offenders use social media to organise abuse: The Bill fails to address how abusers use social media as a shop window to advertise their sexual interest in children, make contact with other offenders and post digital breadcrumbs as a guide for them to find child abuse content. Recent whistle-blower testimony found Facebook groups were being used to facilitate child abuse and signpost to illegal material hosted on other sites.
Put a duty on every social media platform to have a named manager responsible for children’s safety: To focus minds on child abuse every platform should be required to appoint a named person liable for preventing child abuse, with the ultimate threat of criminal sanctions for product decisions that put children in harm’s way.
Give the regulator more effective powers to combat abuse in private messaging: Private messaging is the frontline of child abuse but the regulator needs clearer powers to take action against companies that don’t have a plan to tackle it. Companies should have to risk assess end-to-end encryption plans before they go ahead so the regulator is not left in the dark about abuse taking place in private messaging.
Give children a funded voice to fight for their interests: Under current proposals for regulation children who have been abused will get less statutory protections than bus passengers or Post Office users. There needs to be provision for a statutory body to represent the interests of children, funded by an industry levy, in the Bill.
The NSPCC is mobilising supporters to sign an open letter to Nadine Dorries asking the UK Culture Secretary to make sure children are at the heart of the Online Safety Bill.
The NSPCC’s full analysis of the draft Online Safety Bill is set out in their ‘Duty to Protect’ report.
December 2020 saw Childline deliver a record number of counselling sessions across the UK for a single month*
NSPCC launches its ‘Here for Children’ TV Christmas Appeal
On 21st December, NSPCC supporters will take to the streets to walk 5K so the NSPCC can be here for children this Christmas, as landmarks across the UK, including the Glasgow Science Centre and the Camera Obscura in Edinburgh, light up green in support of the charity
The NSPCC-run service Childline, which has bases in Aberdeen and Glasgow, can today reveal the service delivered a record number of almost 600 monthly sessions about this concern to children across the UK last December.
From April 2020 to March 2021 there were 6,039 counselling sessions about loneliness with children from across the UK, marking an all-time high for a single year. This is an increase of nearly half (49%) over the past four years.
The NSPCC has long highlighted that many children and young people struggle with loneliness and isolation. The data released today suggests that these feelings were exacerbated during the pandemic, as schools were closed, and they were forced to stay at home. Children shared with Childline’s counsellors that these experiences were particularly acute over the festive period, as households were unable to mix.
Dame Esther Rantzen, Founder of Childline said: “At Childline we know how painful Christmas can be for some children, particularly when the media is filled with pictures of families happily celebrating together, and they are feeling alone and unloved. A child once described it to us as like looking through a shop window where everything inside is warm and bright, and you are outside where it’s cold and dark.
“The festive period can be especially difficult for children who are struggling with their mental health or are in homes that are unsafe. Given the impact of the pandemic, it is no surprise that this year we’ve seen record numbers of children from across the UK get in touch with us about loneliness.
“The lockdowns exacerbated these feelings for some young people, especially when schools had to close, and they couldn’t see the friends and family they loved and needed.
“Last Christmas was one of the toughest in living memory, bringing with it great sadness and challenges for many children. And we want to remind children in Scotland who are struggling or feeling alone that our Childline counsellors, working from bases across the UK including Glasgow and Aberdeen, are there for them whenever they need to talk to someone, and that they can contact us by phone or on-line, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.”
Young people who contacted Childline about loneliness also talked about being unhappy, feeling unloved and generally low. Some described it as a dark experience that was overwhelming. As well as loneliness, the top reasons children turn to the service for support with their mental health include anxiety and stress, low mood, and depression.
Childline is staffed by 1,200 Childline volunteer counsellors across the UK and last month celebrated its 35th birthday.
A 14-year-old boy from Scotland told a Childline counsellor:“I self-harmed a couple of days ago after being clean for a year and it triggered a panic attack. I think I self-harmed because I felt lonely and bored.
“I just don’t know what to do anymore and really regret what I have done. I am bored with life and am lonely because I don’t get to see anyone because of COVID. I don’t have the energy to arrange to meet up with anyone.”
In response to concerns about children this Christmas, the NSPCC has launched its ‘Here for Children’ TV Christmas Appeal. The advert sees Childline counsellors taking calls at Christmas from children struggling with loneliness and isolation, suicidal thoughts and feelings and physical abuse.
Christmas can be a very challenging time for children who suffer from abuse, neglect and are struggling with their mental health. Cut off from school and other support, it is vital they have somewhere to turn.
The NSPCC is reaching out to the public to support its Here for Children Appeal and make a donation, so Childline counsellors can answer a child’s call for help this Christmas.
Despite the challenges of the past 18 months, as well as seeking support from Childline counsellors, young people accessed Childline online resources, information, and tools to support their mental health in ways and at times that were most convenient and helpful to them.
Childline saw huge increases in the number of young people using the website to access information, advice and resources.
On the 21st December, which is the longest night of the year, hundreds of people will walk 5K to support the NSPCC.
On this night, landmarks across the UK, including Glasgow Science Centre and the Camera Obscura in Edinburgh, are also supporting the charity by lighting up and turning the NSPCC’s trademark green colour. The people taking to the streets to walk and the landmarks lighting up green represent the hard-working Childline counsellors who are there for children, offering a beacon of light in their darkest times.
The Childline service is here for children every day, even on Christmas Day.
Children can contact Childline 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. When a child needs help, Childline can be a lifeline. When a child feels like they have nowhere else to turn to, it’s vital that the NSPCC is here, ready to listen and support children across the UK.
Anti-bullying week (Nov 15th – 19th) is an annual event in the UK that aims to raise awareness of bullying of children and young people, and highlights ways of preventing and responding to it.
The year’s campaign theme, One Kind Word, has been co-designed with young people before being adapted by the UK’s leading anti-bullying organisations, including respectme in Scotland.
Childline data – Scotland
In 2020/21, Childline delivered 334 counselling sessions about bullying to children living in Scotland.
More than a quarter (29%) of these were about online bullying.
In 2019/20, Childline delivered 558 counselling sessions about bullying (in person and online) to children living in Scotland.
The data shows that there was a 40% reduction in total counselling sessions about this issue in the year of the pandemic, which included lockdowns and children not attending school for months. However, there was only a fall in counselling sessions about bullying in person (464 sessions in 2019/20 and 238 in 2020/21). There was no reduction in the number of sessions for online bullying (94 sessions in 2019/20 and 96 sessions in 2020/21).
Childline data – UK wide
In 2020/21, Childline delivered 6,654 counselling sessions about bullying.
One teenage girl who contacted Childline about bullying said: “School was not great today. Due to the coronavirus there are new rules, and I have to sit next to the most horrible boy ever in almost every class.
“He tells me to do stuff, calls me names, spreads rumours and tells me I should hurt myself. I am so fed up with it and I can’t get away from him.” (Girl, aged 14, from Scotland)
Adeniyi Alade, Head of Childline in Scotland, said: “Each year, we hear from hundreds of children in Scotland who are being bullied. We know that the pandemic has been extremely tough for children as they have grappled with home schooling, being isolated from family and friends and worries about the virus. On top of this, some children were also being bullied.
“Children experiencing bullying online have told our counsellors that during lockdowns it felt even more overwhelming. The extra time they were spending online for their education, entertainment and to keep in contact with friends and family was making the bullying feel inescapable.
“Although for other children, the lockdowns provided some respite from the bullying they had previously experienced. But this meant that they felt anxious at the thought of returning to school.
“As we continue to move out of the pandemic and adjust to the new normal, it is essential that children know where to turn to for support. Our trained counsellors are always here for children and believe that no child should have to deal with bullying alone.”
Advice from NSPCC and Childline
For children
Share how you are feeling with other young people. Childline’s online message board is a non-judgemental space where you can speak to other children who are in a similar situation to you about your experiences and feelings. This can help you feel less alone and will give you an online support network that you can turn to.
Talk to an adult you trust about the bullying you are experiencing so you feel less alone and so that adult can support you. This could be a parent, teacher or you can speak to a Childline counsellor on 0800 1111 or online at childline.org.uk
Take a break from your device if you are being bullied online and do something you enjoy such as sport, listening to music or art.
Remember the bullying is not your fault.
Get into a healthy routine and make sure you look after yourself by eating healthily, getting enough sleep and taking time out for yourself.
Report and block someone if they are sending you messages online that upset you.
Not wanting to go to school or take part in normal activities.
Getting anxious or angry if you go near their device.
Feeling withdrawn, upset or angry at home.
Problems sleeping or eating.
Having angry outbursts that seem out of character.
Spending more or less time online than normal.
Signs to spot that your child may be being bullied in person
Belongings are getting lost or damaged.
Physical injuries such as unexplained bruises.
Being afraid to go to school.
Not doing as well at school.
Being nervous, losing confidence, or becoming distressed and withdrawn.
Problems with eating or sleeping.
Bullying others.
What to do if you think your child is being bullied
Talk to your child and remind them to come to you with anything that might be making them feel anxious or sad. If your child speaks to you about an experience of bullying that they’ve had online or in person, try to remain calm and don’t overwhelm them with questions and reassure them that it will be ok, and that you’re always there for them.
Show them how to report or block a message that they’ve received from someone online that upsets or worries them.
Don’t take their device away if they’ve had a negative experience online. Although you may want to do this if they are upset, this may make them feel like whatever has happened is their fault. Instead, suggest they take some time away from the app they received the messages on and do another online activity they enjoy like playing a game.
Know where you can get further support. Adults can call the NSPCC helpline for advice on 0808 800 5000. There is also further advice on the NSPCC website.
One in five parents wouldn’t know who to turn to for help if they had any welfare concerns in relation to their child’s sport/leisure clubs
Campaign kicks-off to help parents understand their role in keeping children safe and who they can turn to for help
Scottish Athletics, Scottish Gymnastics and Netball Scotland join in supporting the NSPCC’s and Children 1st’s Parents in Sport Week
A group of Scottish governing sporting bodies has backed a joint NSPCC and Children 1st campaign which is raising awareness of where parents can turn if they have concerns about their child’s sports club.
An online survey*, conducted on behalf of the NSPCC by YouGov, has found that 20% of parents** who had children in sports and leisure clubs, would not know who to speak to if they had any worries about a child’s welfare at the club.
Now, Scottish Gymnastics, Scottish Athletics and Netball Scotland are backing Parents in Sport Week (4-10 October 2021) – an annual campaign run by the NSPCC’s Child Protection in Sport Unit (CPSU) and Children 1st, aiming to equip every parent with the safeguarding knowledge they need, and highlight the important role parents play in youth sport.
Doc McKelvey, Scottish Gymnastics CEO, said: “Many sports around the world, including ours, have had cause to focus and self-reflect following complaints on different issues. Scottish Gymnastics fully supports this campaign which highlights how important parents and carers are in helping keep children and young people safe in sport.
“Gymnast welfare is at the heart of everything we do, and wellbeing and protection is a priority in our clubs and programmes. We have embarked on a long-term project to ensure all our members, parents and carers know more about safeguarding and child protection, how to identify and raise concerns, and give them the confidence to do so. We are grateful to the NSPCC and Children 1st for helping raise awareness and empower parents.”
Claire Nelson, CEO of Netball Scotland and the Strathclyde Sirens, said: “We are once again proud to support NSPCC Scotland’s and Children 1st’s Parents in Sport Week. The campaign this year aims to ensure parents have access to the right resources, tools and information to feel confident that their children can return to, and most importantly enjoy, sport safely.
“After such a challenging year we know that many parents and children are feeling anxious about restarting clubs and activities, so this campaign will provide vital support to empower families to get back to doing what they love.”
David Fallon, Head of Development for scottishathletics, said: “We are delighted and proud to once again support the ‘Parents in Sport Week’ campaign, led by NSPCC Scotland and Children 1st.
“We will work with our clubs and members to promote the campaign toolkit, and encourage as many parents and guardians as possible to understand the important role they play in the bigger safeguarding picture of sport.
“We hope that by promoting this campaign, more parents will ask those important questions around safeguarding when their child takes part in athletics in Scotland, helping us to ensure our clubs are offering a safe, fun, and engaging environment.”
As part of the campaign the children’s charities have issued three key safeguarding tips for parents in relation to children’s sport:
Every club should have a child welfare officer in post – familiarise yourself with who that is and their contact details;
Check if your club has a safeguarding policy in place and understand how that keeps children safe;
Know that the NSPCC helpline is there if you have any questions or concerns. You can reach the helpline on 0808 800 5000 or at help@nspcc.org.uk
Children 1st provides a helpful guide for parents on finding a safe sports club for their child. And, this year, the NSPCC has launched new resources aimed at parents, to help them understand their role in keeping children safe and who they can turn to for help if they have any worries about their child’s sport.
Resources include a free e-learning course for parents on keeping their child safe; a new animation which helps parents identify when something might be wrong in their child’s sport; and the new NSPCC CPSU Parents Hub – an online destination providing safeguarding information for parents.
“Since launching the campaign five years ago, countless sports bodies, clubs and coaches have supported our work and worked hard to develop better relationships with parents and carers.
“This year, we want to provide the tools needed to help parents and carers access important information to help keep their children safe in sport, to spot poor practice and to empower them to speak out. We’re also continuing to support the tireless work sports clubs put into involving parents in their safeguarding process.
“Sport is a huge part of childhood, with many young people spending countless hours practicing, playing and making new friends, and it is so important that every parent feels confident about ensuring their child is safe and having fun.”
Parents who have any worries about their child’s experience in sport or physical activity can seek advice from the NSPCC helpline on 0808 800 5000 or by emailing: help@nspcc.org.uk.
Support for children and young people with mental health issues
Funding of £10.83 million has been allocated for the remainder of this year to help improve access to Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS).
The investment will also increase the numbers of trained professionals to support children and young people with neurodevelopmental support needs.
The allocation is part the of £120 million Mental Health Recovery and Renewal Fund announced in February 2021, and will help to deliver a number of improvements, including: · improve access to CAMHS assessments out of hours · help to put in place specialist regional CAMHS services including those with learning disabilities and those requiring secure care · Help provide access to CAMHS Intensive Home Treatment Teams · Support mental health liaison teams within paediatric services.
The Recovery and Renewal Fund supports many mental health measures contained in the Programme for Government.
Other policies include extra support for health and care staff, completion of the commitment to recruit 800 additional mental health workers this year and a pledge that at least 10% of frontline NHS spending will go towards mental health over this parliament.
Mental Wellbeing and Social Care Minister Kevin Stewart, who announced the allocation during a visit to the Young People’s Inpatient Unit at The Royal Hospital for Children and Young People Edinburgh said: “I am pleased to announce the allocation of £10.83 million health boards to support children and young people with mental health issues, and those with neurodevelopmental support needs.
“This funding will lead to substantial improvements in the mental health care that children and young people receive in Scotland, ensuring that the right support is available in the right place at the right time.
“We know the pandemic has had a negative impact on many people’s mental health – whatever their age or circumstances. That is why we committed £120 million to the recovery and renewal of mental health services in this year’s Programme for Government. I hope that the allocation I have announced today makes a real and lasting difference to children, young people and their families.”
Joanna Barrett, Associate Head of Policy for the Devolved Nations, NSPCC Scotland, said: “Before the pandemic hit, thousands of children referred to mental health services in Scotland were having to wait unacceptable periods of time for treatment to begin.
“The profound impact of the conditions of the past 18 months on children has compounded this by increasing the need. Our Childline counsellors have heard from children struggling with loneliness and isolation, worries about education, abusive home environments and suicidal feelings.
“This funding by the Scottish Government to address young people’s mental health is therefore crucial. However, this investment must go alongside more preventative efforts, including the provision of mental health support in schools, to ensure children get the help they need before reaching crisis point.”
Offences of Communicating Indecently with a Child recorded by Police Scotland increase by 80% in last five years
True scale of grooming likely to be higher as Facebook tech failures saw drop in removal of abuse material during pandemic
UK Government Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden urged to strengthen draft Online Safety Bill to ensure it responds to the rising threat
Crimes of communicating a sexual message to a child have risen by 80 per cent in the last five years to an all-time high, Police Scotland figures obtained by the NSPCC reveal.
Offenders are exploiting risky design features on apps popular with children, the child protection charity has warned.
The NSPCC is calling on the UK Government to respond by ensuring the ambition of the Online Safety Bill matches the scale of the biggest ever online child abuse threat.
there were 685 offences of Communicating Indecently with a Child recorded between April 2020 and March 2021
that’s an increase of 80 per cent from 381 in 2015/16
there was also an increase of 5 per cent from 2019/20 – making the number of crimes recorded in the last year a record high
for offences against children under the age of 13, the number of recorded crimes rose by 11 per cent, from 334 to 370, between 2019/20 and 2020/21
A 15-year-old girl told one of our Childline counsellors: “I’ve been chatting with this guy who’s like twice my age. This all started on Instagram but lately our chats have been on WhatsApp.
“He seemed really nice to begin with, but then he started making me do these things to ‘prove my trust to him’, like doing video chats with my chest exposed.”*
The NSPCC believes last year’s figures do not give a full understanding of the impact of the pandemic on children’s safety online.
The charity says tech firms failed to adequately respond to the increased risk children faced during lockdowns because of historic inaction to design their sites safely for young users.
The NSPCC welcomes the recent flurry of safety announcements from companies such as Instagram, Apple and TikTok, but says tech firms are playing catch up in responding to the threat after years of poorly designed sites.
The charity is calling on the Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden to step up the ambition of the UK Government’s Online Safety Bill to ensure proposals comprehensively tackle an online abuse threat that is greater than ever.
The NSPCC says the Draft Online Safety Bill published in May needs to go much further to keep children safe and ensure it creates a practical response that corresponds to the scale and nature of the child abuse problem.
The Bill is due to be scrutinised by a Joint Committee of MPs and Lords from September, which experts say is a crucial opportunity to ensure legislation provides solutions that comprehensively fix the way platforms are exploited by abusers.
The NSPCC wants to see the Bill strengthened to address how abuse rapidly spreads across platforms and ensure it responds effectively to content that facilitates abuse.
Joanne Smith, NSPCC Scotland policy and public affairs manager, said: “The failings of tech firms are resulting in record numbers of children being groomed and sexually abused online.
“To respond to the size and complexity of the threat, the UK Government must make child protection a priority in legislation and ensure the Online Safety Bill does everything necessary to prevent online abuse.
“Legislation will only be successful if it achieves robust measures to keep children truly safe now and in the future.”
The NSPCC is also urging Facebook to invest in technology to ensure plans for end-to-end encryption will not prevent the tech firm from identifying and disrupting abuse.
The charity says Facebook should proceed only when it can prove child protection tools will not be compromised and wants tougher measures in the Online Safety Bill to hold named-managers personally liable for design choices that put children at risk.
The NSPCC has been calling for Duty of Care regulation of social media since 2017 and has been at the forefront of campaigning for the Online Safety Bill.
Record number of Higher and Advanced Higher passes
Scottish school pupils will receive their official grades today. There were more than 200,000 entries for Higher and Advanced Higher courses this year – and this year’s students have achieved new records.
The number of Higher passes is at a record level since the advent of Devolution, and the number of Advanced Higher passes is the highest since their introduction in 2001.
Almost 137,000 learners are receiving Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) results today – the most since 2017.
Pass rates overall remain high, despite the exceptional challenges caused by the COVID-19 crisis, and are significantly higher than the historic picture – up 12.6 percentage points for Highers compared with 2019, but down slightly on last year.
With an exam diet not possible because of the pandemic, this year’s grades for National 5s, Highers and Advanced Highers were based on teachers’ judgement of evidence of attainment.
The results show:
the highest number of Higher passes since at least 1999
the highest number of Advanced Higher passes since the qualifications were introduced in 2001
an increase in the number of entries for National Qualifications compared with 2020
the percentage of grade As awarded at National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher level is at a record high
pass rates at National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher are higher than in 2019, although slightly down on 2020
the poverty-related attainment gap is narrower than in 2019, although slightly wider than in 2020
Education Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said: “This is a strong set of results, achieved under extraordinary circumstances.
“It’s been one of the toughest academic years we’ve ever known, with the pandemic throwing significant challenges at our young people. So to have this many learners receiving certificates and for the number of passes at Higher and Advanced Higher to be so high is incredible.
“These results are testament to the hard work, resilience and determination of learners – and to the dedication of their endlessly supportive teachers and lecturers, who have been with them every step of the way, going above and beyond to make sure pupils got the grades they deserve.
“Learners can be confident that their awards are fair, consistent and credible. Indeed, industry representatives have made it clear how much they value this year’s qualifications.
“As in any year, the results highlight some areas for us to focus attention on. Closing the poverty-related attainment gap and ensuring every young person has the chance to fulfil their potential remains central to our work. We know that the challenges presented by the pandemic mean our efforts to deliver equity in education are more vital than ever, so we are investing a further £1 billion over the course of this Parliament to help close the gap.
“While congratulating those receiving SQA results today, we should also recognise, and celebrate in equal measure, the successes of young people whose achievements are not measured in national qualifications but in other ways. They should be proud of their hard work and resilience during such a difficult year.
“For some young people, today’s results may not be what they would have liked. There is always a next step – and there is a range of support and practical advice available for learners, and their parents and carers, to help in that onward journey, whether it’s staying in education, training, or moving into the workplace.”
Fiona Robertson, SQA Chief Executive and Scotland’s Chief Examining Officer, said yesterday: “Results Day, when learners receive their certificates and find out their grades, is always a significant and important annual date in the calendar.
“This year is very different for lots of reasons, not least because teacher judgement has replaced exams and because learners already know their grades after receiving provisional results before the end of term.
“The 2021 approach to assessment – the alternative certification model (ACM) as it is formally known – has not been without its critics.
“Perhaps that was inevitable given the need to agree and build a new model at pace, but it was the best possible solution in the exceptional circumstances we faced and I have yet to hear a credible alternative put forward.
“As we approach Results Day 2021 tomorrow, it is time to put those criticisms aside and to focus on paying tribute to the tremendous efforts made by Scotland’s young people in what has been a very difficult and challenging time for many.
“It’s also important to recognise the tireless professionalism and commitment of Scotland’s teachers, lecturers and support staff who have gone the extra mile to do their utmost for their learners, whom they know best.
“Following the cancellation of exams by the Deputy First Minister, the education sector came together last autumn to form the National Qualifications 2021 Group, which was tasked with developing and implementing an alternative.
“There was no ‘off the shelf’ solution but we quickly agreed that the ACM had to have evidence of learners’ learning and skills at its heart.
“And so provisional results, decided by teachers and lecturers using assessments completed by learners that followed the national standard set by SQA, were used to award this year’s National 5, Higher, and Advanced Higher courses. Those provisional results are the same as the final results learners will receive tomorrow unless the SQA, in very exceptional circumstances, discovered an administrative error.
“As we all know, through this year there have been further restrictions and lockdowns and together with teachers, lecturers, learners, parents and carers, the ACM had to quickly adapt.
“Ways in which the model adapted include the in-built flexibility around when and how schools and colleges assessed learners so that they had the best chance to demonstrate their knowledge and skills.
“A big congratulations to each and every learner getting their certificate. You have achieved so much.”
Open Letter to Young People
Introduction from Sandy Begbie, CEO Scottish Financial Enterprise, Chair of Young Person’s Guarantee Implementation Group, Chair of DYW:
We all know that this year has been a year like no other and understand that the impact on young people has been significant.
Research undertaken with young people by Young Scot reveals anxiety that this year’s qualifications and achievements will not be valued as highly by employers in comparison to previous years.
My many discussions with industry and employers resoundingly confirms the opposite. Instead my experience is widespread employer admiration for the fortitude and resilience young people have shown throughout all the challenges faced in the past year, and a solid commitment to create opportunities to help shape futures.
Official SQA results are due to be issued on 10 August. This is an opportune moment to communicate through an ‘open letter to young people’ that Scotland’s industry and employers stand in support of them, recognise their qualifications, and congratulate them on their achievements. The content of the open letter is attached and includes a number of signatories who represent a broad range of Scotland’s employers. We couldn’t include everyone, however I know there will be many more who stand ready to endorse it.
I therefore kindly ask for your support now, to get behind our campaign and help re-build youth confidence at this critical time.
An open letter to Scotland’s Young People
While you enjoy the summer and a well-deserved break from your studies we wanted to write to you in our role as Scotland’s business leaders and on behalf of our networks of thousands of Scottish employers.
As you receive your official SQA results, we want to reassure you that we recognise and value your qualifications as much as any other year. We congratulate you on everything you’ve overcome and achieved this year, and you have our support, whatever your needs and wherever your ambitions lie.
Over the past 18 months you’ve had to deal with a situation like no other and the flexibility, ingenuity and resilience you’ve shown gives us confidence in you as future employees.
We are committed to helping to create job opportunities for you so that you can have a positive future. We are also committed to ensuring that there are opportunities available for every young person and that you have help and support to develop further.
Many people in interesting job roles across Scotland may not have taken an obvious or traditional path. Look out for #NoWrongPath which will show you that, whatever your results, there are different routes into jobs.
There are lots of industries continuing to grow and new ones emerging which offer exciting opportunities. Employers need young people with fresh ideas and experience to get involved and work together with us to tackle big challenges, such as climate change. We will do all that we can to help you find ways to use your skills and talents in the workplace.
We all support the ambition of the Young Person’s Guarantee and its commitment that within two years, every young person aged between 16 and 24, will have the opportunity of a job, apprenticeship, further or higher education, training programme or volunteering. And we’ll keep speaking to young people across Scotland to understand how we can keep delivering on our commitment to you.
Wishing you the very best of luck with your next steps. Scotland’s employers stand ready to support you. This is our #CommitmentToYOUth.
Signed:
Sandy Begbie, CEO, Scottish Financial Enterprise Marc Crothall, CEO, Scottish Tourism Alliance Louise Macdonald, National Director Scotland, Institute of Directors Damien Yeates, CEO, Skills Development Scotland James Withers, CEO, Scotland Food and Drink Dr Liz Barron-Majerik, Director, LANTRA Lee Ann Panglea, Head of CIPD Scotland and Northern Ireland, CIPD Tracy Black, Director Scotland, CBI Anna Fowlie, CEO, SCVO Fiona Hodgson, CEO, SNIPEF Training Services David Lonsdale, Director, Scottish Retail Consortium Karen Betts, CEO, Scotch Whisky Association Martin Crewe, Director, Barnardo’s Susan Love, Head of External Affairs, The Federation of Small Businesses Liz Cameron, CEO, Scottish Chambers of Commerce Sara Thiam, CEO, Scottish Council for Development and Industry Paul Carberry, Director for Scotland, Action for Children Iain MacRitchie, Founder and Chair, MCR Pathways Anne Wexelstein, Director for Scotland, Career Ready Kate Still, Director Scotland, The Prince’s Trust Kirsten Urquhart, CEO, Young Scot Linda Hanna, Interim CEO, Scottish Enterprise Carroll Buxton, Interim CEO, Highlands and Islands Enterprise Jane Morrison-Ross, CEO, South of Scotland Enterprise
Wendy Robinson, Service Head of Childline, said: “At Childline we know that results day and the period running up to it can be a really challenging time.
“The impact of the pandemic has made this even more difficult – and young people have told our Childline counsellors they are understandably feeling anxious and stressed.
“The last year has been incredibly tough for young people with school closures, exam cancellations and changes to the assessment process – so it is vital that they are supported and listened to.
“Young people have told us they’re concerned that they may get lower grades than if they’d been able to sit their exams, or that their results are out of their control – whereas others are concerned that they won’t get the results they need for their future.
“Some also said they struggled to prepare and do the work they were being graded on due to having so much time out of school because of restrictions.
“If any young person is feeling apprehensive and worried about their results, I’d urge them to talk to someone about it.
“And if they don’t get the results they need, there are options they can take and there are trusted adults that they can turn to for help and support. This could be a teacher, careers advisor, parent, carer or Childline.
“Our counsellors are always here to talk to young people whether that be on the phone or online.
“The conversation will be completely confidential and no worry is ever too small. If it matters to a young person, it’s important to Childline.”
One 16 year old girl said: “It is exam season and I am missing three very important papers because I have COVID. I feel so trapped and alone in my room. I’m expected to study for exams as if the pandemic hasn’t happened.
“The exam board said they’d cancel exams yet they proceed to give the papers to schools to give to us to sit which I find so unfair. I have missed months of school, had to learn online, and now I have COVID right before exams. None of this is my fault and I don’t understand why my grades should suffer for something that is out of my control. (Girl, 16, Scotland)
Advice
For young peoplewho may not achieved the results they wanted:
Ask a teacher, careers advisor or any adult you trust what they think and discuss your options and how you are feeling.
Remind yourself of what you did well in whether that be specific pieces of coursework, or other parts of your life.
Don’t compare yourself to your friends.
If you do not feel your grade reflects your ability speak to your school about making an appeal. This doesn’t always mean you’ll get a better grade but it can help if you think things would have been different had you sat the exam.
Look at other courses or training programmes and apprenticeships that you can do.
If you haven’t got a place at your chosen university, try not to worry as there is a chance you could get a place at another university through the clearing process.
Take a gap year and do something different like volunteering.
Look at different courses that you can do with the grades you have achieved.
For parents and carers:
Your child may find it hard to talk to you about their results so be patient and supportive until they feel ready to talk about how they feel.
Encourage your child to take their time to think about what they want to do next. There’s no need to rush into a decision straightaway.
Help them think about their choices by writing down a list of pros and cons for each of their options
If they are finding it hard to talk to you, let them know they can contact Childline for free, confidential support and advice on 0800 1111 or www.childline.org.uk
Childline data for the UK
Between April and June this year Childline has delivered 1812 counselling sessions to young people who spoke about concerns relating to exams and exams being cancelled.
This has more than doubled when compared to the same period last year where 861 counselling sessions were delivered.
In 43% of these counselling sessions, a young person also spoke about their mental and emotional health.
985 sessions were delivered to girls (54%), 220 were delivered to boys and 607 of the sessions the gender of the child was either other or unknown (34%).
The EIS has congratulated Scotland’s senior students after a strong set of qualifications results were confirmed.
Commenting, EIS General Secretary Larry Flanagan said, “Scotland’s young people have endured a particularly difficult period over the past year, with the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic creating many challenges in all aspects of their lives including their education.
“The late decision to cancel the exam diet and to move to the Alternative Certification Model (ACM) inevitably created additional pressures on students, but it is clear that Scotland’s young people have performed exceptionally well in the most trying of circumstances and they can be extremely proud of all that they have achieved.”
Mr Flanagan continued, “The additional pressure and workload created by the late move to adopt the ACM, compounded by a three-month lock-down, placed a particularly heavy burden on teachers and lecturers, and they deserve sincere thanks for their absolute commitment to ensuring that young people could receive the grades that they deserved.”
Mr Flanagan added, “As we look ahead to the welcome replacement of the Scottish Qualifications Authority and a refresh of a qualifications system that still places too much emphasis on high-stakes end of year exams, there will be lessons to learn from this year’s experience.
“Today, however, is about recognising and celebrating the successes of Scotland’s young people.”
The NSPCC’s Childline has delivered 305 counselling sessions to young people in Scotland about gender identity and sexuality in the past year.
In more than 170 of these counselling sessions, young people mentioned coming out as a concern – an 11% increase from the previous year.
The children’s charity has released this data to mark Pride Month. Childline currently has around 370 volunteer counsellors, across its Glasgow and Aberdeen bases, who have heard first-hand how tough the past year has been for many children and young people due to challenges posed by the Coronavirus pandemic. Many have struggled with local lockdowns and being cut off from their usual support networks, while others have been worried about returning to school.
However, some young people described the lockdown as a time of reflection and a chance to take stock, and finding confidence to come out to their friends and family. Some also talked about feeling worried about the reaction they would get from other people.
A young person who spoke to Childline said: “I want to tell somebody that I’m gay but I just can’t find the courage to. I don’t want people to judge me or treat me any differently if they find out. Some people really hate gay people and I’m scared of what will happen if I tell someone”. (Girl, aged 12)
As restrictions continue to ease, it remains vital that all children and young people know where they can access help and support.
This Pride Month, Childline reminds young people that the service is here for them. All children can speak to a trained volunteer counsellor over the phone, via email or on a one-to-one chat on the Childline website.
The NSPCC also has information on it’s website for parents and carers on how to talk to children about their sexuality and advice on how to help keep them safe.
Lauren Burke, Childline Glasgow team manager, said: “At Childline, we know that coming out or speaking about sexuality and gender identity can be really challenging.
“Many children and young people who have spoken to our trained volunteer counsellors have described their time under lockdown as a period of reflection, a chance to think about important issues in their lives, both recent and historic.
“Some children with sexuality and gender concerns revealed that lockdown had been particularly hard for them, as they’d been cut off from their usual support networks. Whereas others told Childline that lockdown had given them the confidence and freedom to come out to their friends and family.
“No matter what a young person’s experience is with coming out or speaking about their gender identity or sexuality, at Childline we believe every young person has a right to be listened to and speak about any worries or questions they may have without feeling judged.
“If a young person feels unable to speak to a trusted adult in their life then we would encourage them to speak to Childline.”
Adults concerned about a child can contact the NSPCC helpline on 0808 800 5000 or email help@nspcc.org.uk. Children can contact Childline on 0800 1111.
