Tag: NSPCC

Scottish adults support tough new laws and sanctions on tech firms to combat child abuse

  • Poll shows widescale public support for stronger legislation to protect children from abuse online
  • Comes as NSPCC report says UK Government’s Online Safety Bill must be more ambitious to comprehensively tackle sexual abuse
  • Charity chief calls for no compromise on children’s safety being at the heart of new laws

The Scottish public overwhelmingly back robust new laws to protect children from abuse on social media and wants bosses to be held responsible for safety, new polling suggests.

An NSPCC/YouGov survey found that more than nine in ten respondents (95%) in Scotland want social networks and messaging services to be designed to be safe for children.

The poll of more than 2,000 adults across the UK*, of which 179 respondents were from Scotland, shows huge support for putting a legal requirement on tech firms to detect and prevent child abuse, while backing strong sanctions against directors whose companies fail.

91% of respondents in Scotland want firms to have a legal responsibility to detect child abuse, such as grooming, taking place on their sites.

And almost four in five Scottish adults (79%) support prosecuting senior managers of social media managers if their companies consistently fail to protect children from abuse online, while 83% of respondents want social media bosses fined for consistent failures.

NSPCC Chief Executive Sir Peter Wanless said it shows a huge public consensus for robust Duty of Care regulation of social media.

He is urging the UK Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden to listen by ensuring his landmark Online Safety Bill convincingly tackles online child abuse and puts the onus on firms to prevent harm. He set out the UK Government’s vision for legislation in December.

The survey found that just ten per-cent of Scottish adults think sites are regularly designed safely for children, but 77% support a legal requirement for platforms to assess the risks of child abuse on their services, and take steps to address them.

It come as the NSPCC’s ‘Delivering a Duty of Care’ report, released earlier this week, assessed plans for UK legislation against its six tests for the UK Government to achieve bold and lasting protections for children online.

It found that UK Government is failing on a third of indicators (nine out of 27), with tougher measures needed to tackle sexual abuse and to give Ofcom the powers they need to develop and enforce regulation fit for decades to come.

Sir Peter Wanless said: “Today’s polling shows the clear public consensus for stronger legislation that hardwires child protection into how tech firms design their platforms.

“Mr Dowden will be judged on whether he takes decisions in the public interest and acts firmly on the side of children with legislation ambitious enough to protect them from avoidable harm.

“For too long children have been an afterthought for Big Tech but the Online Safety Bill can deliver a culture change by resetting industry standards and giving Ofcom the power to hold firms accountable for abuse failings.”

The NSPCC is calling for legislation to be more robust so it can successfully combat online child abuse at an early stage and before it spreads across platforms.

They want a requirement for tech firms to treat content that facilitates sexual abuse with the same severity as material that meets the criminal threshold.

This means clamping down on the “digital breadcrumbs” dropped by abusers to guide others towards illegal material. These include videos of children just moments before or after they are sexually abused – so-called ‘abuse image series’ – that are widely available on social media.

The charity also want Ofcom to be able to tackle cross platform risks, where groomers target children across the different sites and games they use – something firms have strongly resisted.

In its report, the NSPCC called on the UK Government to commit to senior management liability to make tech directors personally responsible for decisions on product safety.

They say this is vital to drive cultural change and provide an appropriate deterrent against a lax adoption of the rules.

The charity wants to see senior management liability similar to the successful approach in financial services. Under the scheme, bosses taking decisions which could put children at risk could face censure, fines and in the case of the most egregious breaches of the Duty of Care, criminal sanctions.

They warn that the UK Government has softened its ambition and at present just propose liability for narrow procedural reasons, which will only to be enacted later down the line.

The NSPCC has been the leading voice for social media regulation and the charity set out detailed proposals for a Bill in 2019.

The UK Government’s White Paper consultation response in December set out the framework for an Online Safety Bill that is expected in the Spring.

NSPCC to hold virtual assembly for children with guest hosts Ant & Dec and David Walliams

  • The charity is hosting its second virtual ‘Speak Out. Stay Safe’ assembly on Tuesday morning at 10am to help keep children safe and well during the pandemic
  • Parents and children are being encouraged to join the assembly that will be held on the NSPCC Facebook page
  • The first virtual assembly that aired online in June has had more than 100,000 views

Amid growing concerns about the impact of COVID19 on children’s safety and mental health and wellbeing the NSPCC is holding a second virtual ‘Speak Out. Stay Safe’ assembly on Facebook tomorrow (Tuesday February 23rd) at 10am.

The special broadcast suitable for children aged five and over aims to help them understand how to speak to a trusted adult if they feel anxious or worried, and it explains the support that Childline can offer.

It will also focus on some additional concerns that some children are experiencing due to the pandemic.

The assembly will see the return of guest hosts Ant & Dec and features an appearance from comedian David Walliams. The TV duo who have been long term supporters of the children’s charity hosted the first online assembly in June last year which received over 100,000 views on Facebook and YouTube.

A recording of Tuesday’s online assembly will also be available on the NSPCC’s website, Facebook and YouTube channel after the event for anyone who misses it.

One Facebook user who watched the first assembly said:” My boys loved it and following a family bereavement this gave them an opportunity to talk about their feelings. We took blank paper and marked it for every worry or fear we had and shared.”

With many vulnerable children still facing increased risks at home and with others struggling with their mental health due to the challenges posed by the pandemic, it’s vital that children know what to do and who to speak if something is worrying or upsetting them.

The coronavirus related worries the assembly will cover include, children not being able to see their family and friends, changes in daily routines, experiencing new feelings and spending more time online.

Guest hosts Ant & Dec said:

Ant: “After what has been an incredibly difficult start to the year for many young people, we feel privileged to once again be hosting the NSPCC’s virtual assembly for children and their families.

Dec: “We hope we can remind children that they don’t have to just carry their worries with them – they can always speak to someone they trust if they’re feeling sad, overwhelmed, or unsafe.”

Service Head of School Service, Janet Hinton said: “The lockdown has turned the lives of children upside down and many are struggling to cope with the challenges it has posed.

“Although our trained ‘Speak Out. Stay Safe’ staff can’t currently go into schools, it is essential that every child knows who they can turn to if they need help and support.

“After watching the assembly, parents and carers can continue this conversation with their children by visiting the NSPCC website where they can find additional activities.”

Prior to the pandemic, ‘Speak Out. Stay Safe’ had been delivered in 96% of primary schools across Scotland with trained NSPCC volunteers and staff delivering the assembly and workshop with the help of ‘Speak Out. Stay safe’ mascot, Buddy the speech bubble.

The importance of empowering children to understand that they have the right to speak out and stay safe has been highlighted in a recent court case which saw 63-year-old Sidney Sales from Luton jailed for three years after a girl spoke about the abuse she had suffered following seeing the NSPCC assembly at school.

Adults concerned about a child can contact the NSPCC helpline seven days a week on 0808 800 5000, or email help@nspcc.org.uk.

Children can call Childline on 0800 11 11 or visit www.childline.org.uk.

NSPCC helpline referrals about parental substance misuse DOUBLE in Scotland

Referrals about parents’ use of drugs and alcohol by the NSPCC helpline to Scottish agencies have more than DOUBLED since the start of the pandemic.

New data reveals that the average monthly number of referrals concerning this issue increased from 26 during the first three months of last year to 63 between April 1 and January 31, 2021. Over the 10-month period there was a total of 626 referrals made in Scotland.

Referrals are made to external agencies such as the police and local authorities when concerns reported to the helpline are considered to be serious enough to warrant further investigation or if it is felt a family needs support.

The number of people from across the UK calling the NSPCC helpline with concerns about parents’ use of drugs and alcohol has increased by 66% since the start of the pandemic.1

Parental substance misuse is the misuse of drugs and/or alcohol by a parent or carer. This includes adults who consume harmful amounts of alcohol, are dependent on alcohol, use prescription drugs excessively or are using illegal drugs, any of which impacts their ability to care for a child.

Living in a household where a parent or carer misuses substances does not necessarily mean a child will experience abuse, but it can make it more difficult for parents to provide safe and consistent care and this can lead to abuse or neglect. It can also have a serious impact on children’s emotional well-being.

Due to the pandemic, children are much more immersed in the problems they are facing at home. Schools have stayed open for vulnerable children and those of key workers but many remain at home meaning there is no escape for those living with parental substance misuse.

As numbers of contacts to the helpline continue to rise, it is vital that local substance misuse services are accessible during the pandemic. Last month, Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon announced new investment into improving and increasing services for people affected by drug addiction in the country.

It is crucial that these and alcohol addiction services take a ‘whole family approach’, recognising the impact of substance misuse on children and the need to support adults as parents.

The NSPCC service centre in Glasgow runs a programme called Parents under Pressure TM, which supports parents and carers with substance misuse or mental health difficulties. The programme2 provides advice to parents on how to develop good relationships with their children and deal with challenging behaviour, as well as their own emotions.

Laura* was referred to the programme in Glasgow by her health visitor almost two years ago. Now in her 30s, Laura* began drinking regularly as a teenager in a bid to help her cope with bullying at school and domestic and substance abuse at home.

When she was 18 years old, she was sexually assaulted by a stranger in the street. She then went on to have a series of abusive relationships and had three children. She suffered with post-natal depression and was drinking heavily. Her three children were removed from her care, when the youngest was just a baby. It was following the birth of her fourth child that she finally received the help and support she needed to recover from her addiction to alcohol. She has now been sober for over 18 months.

Speaking about her experience, Laura* said: “When drink has got hold of you, you don’t feel like anything is worth it. Addiction makes you remain in the same place, while everything else moves on, and you end up isolated and alone. At the time, I thought the addiction just affected me but it doesn’t, it affects everyone around you, especially your children because they rely on you for everything.

“I think the Parents under Pressure programme is so good, as it makes you realise that at the centre of many addictions there is a child, who is suffering.  My recovery has not been easy; I have had to delve into boxes, which have been locked in my head for many years. I don’t bottle things up anymore and I feel free; like I can breathe again. If I hadn’t had this help, I wouldn’t be here today. I would be dead or in jail and I would have left my children without a mother.”

Some of the signs to look out for that show families might be struggling with parental substance misuse during the lockdown and need support include:

  • parents may be visually under the influence of alcohol or drugs over video chat or in public
  • a change in the parent’s behaviour as they may have difficulty controlling their emotions or act irrationally or unpredictably
  • a child may become withdrawn or develop behavioural, emotional or mental health problems
  • aggressive or repeated shouting at home
  • children may have taken on the responsibility of caring for their parents or siblings
  • children showing signs of neglect, such as regularly looking dirty or being unsupervised

Kam Thandi, head of NSPCC helpline, explained: “Parental substance misuse can have a seriously detrimental impact on the whole family. The pandemic and subsequent lockdowns have created a perfect storm for families affected by this problem.

“At the NSPCC helpline we’ve not only seen a rise in contacts and referrals but we’re also seeing families who weren’t previously known to children’s services requiring help and support for substance misuse.

“The pressures on families at the moment are unprecedented and it is no surprise that our helpline is hearing that parents and carers are struggling with substance misuse. To keep our children safe it’s vital that those who are relying on drugs and alcohol, to the extent that the care of their children is being compromised, must seek help.

“The Scottish Government must also invest more in local services. Our frontline practitioners have told us that many parents and carers are struggling to access specialist support services which will help them recover from the impact of the pandemic.”

The NSPCC’s concerns are being backed by Adfam, a charity which provides support to families affected by drug, alcohol or gambling addiction.

Vivienne Evans OBE, Chief Executive, Adfam, said: “We are seeing that the usual daily challenges associated with a parent or family member’s alcohol or drug problem – fear, domestic abuse, isolation, loneliness, and mental stress – are being exacerbated by the lockdown measures.

“A staggering 88% of the families that we surveyed in our ‘Families in Lockdown’ survey told us that the first lockdown negatively impacted on their family member’s alcohol, drug or gambling problem. A third of families experienced an increase in verbal abuse from their family member and 13% feel more concerned than usual for their safety.

“As drug and alcohol misuse is so stigmatised, we know that many young people are scared to seek support, and for many children affected by parental substance use, the lockdown impedes them from the safety of the school environment. We know that with the right kind of support, children and young people can navigate this challenging time. We urge families not to wait until breaking point.”

The NSPCC is calling on anyone who is concerned a child is at risk due to parental substance misuse to contact the helpline. Trained professionals can offer advice to make sure everyone in the family receives the support they need – both parents and children.

If anyone is concerned about their own drug or alcohol intake and that it is affecting their family, support can be accessed by contacting the NSPCC helpline on 0808 800 5000 or visit www.Adfam.org.uk to find your nearest online support group.

Hundreds of child cruelty and neglect offences recorded by Police Scotland every year

672 concerns of adults neglecting, mistreating or assaulting children in Scotland in 2019/20

The NSPCC has launched its Here for Children Christmas Appeal and a new TV ad to raise awareness of abuse and neglect this Christmas

More than 600 concerns of child cruelty and neglect offences were recorded by Police Scotland last year, the NSPCC reports as it warns that some children may be at risk of abuse this Christmas.

The charity is today releasing a new analysis of police data for the whole of the UK, which reveals that there were 23,529 offences recorded by forces in 2019/20.

Although there are significant variations in numbers between different regions and nations, the analysis finds that overall in the UK there has been 53% rise since 2016/17. However, in Scotland the annual number of offences has varied considerably over these four years, between 640 and 818, with last year’s figure totalling 672.

While not every police-recorded offence leads to a prosecution or child protection outcome, each represents a significant concern raised to the police about a child.

The NSPCC has issued the findings as part of a warning that children may be at risk of abuse this Christmas and that everyone needs to play their part in keeping young people safe.

To raise awareness of child neglect and abuse this Christmas, the NSPCC has launched its Here for Children Christmas Appeal. The charity has also produced a new TV appeal which depicts some of the heart-breaking abuse contacts the NSPCC-run service Childline expects to take in the Christmas holidays.  

Over the last six months the NSPCC has been looking closely at the impact of lockdown – and its frontline teams are concerned that increased vulnerability, the challenges of safeguarding remotely and wider pressures on families may have increased the risks of abuse and neglect.

During the spring lockdown, an average of 50 children a day, across the UK, turned to Childline after suffering abuse, with counselling sessions about this issue increasing by 22% compared with pre-lockdown levels.

*A 14-year-old girl from Scotland told a Childline counsellor: “I’m feeling so stressed and upset at home right now. My dad abuses me a lot by making me starve. I literally have to beg for things to eat, and if I do get food it’s the tiniest bits. I feel hungry a lot but then it just turns into me feeling sick. I just wanted someone to talk to so I came here.”

*A 15-year-old girl from Scotland who contacted Childline said: “My parents don’t look after me and my siblings properly. The house is very dirty and my bedroom is damp and mouldy. The house is constantly cold as there is no heating and no hot water. Since lockdown, I’ve been finding it really hard to cope at home, I miss being at school.”

As part of its new appeal, the charity is calling on the public to donate £20 to the NSPCC so that services like Childline can be here for children this Christmas.

Everyone has a role to play in keeping children safe. The charity is reminding adults that if they have concerns about a child’s welfare they can call the NSPCC helpline.

NSPCC Scotland is also urging the Scottish Government to ensure that a comprehensive recovery plan is put in place and to deliver the long-term investment needed to provide high quality preventative and therapeutic services for children and support for families in every part of the country.

Matt Forde, head of service at NSPCC Scotland, said: “Every year there are children in Scotland experiencing pain and suffering at the hands of those who are supposed to care for them.

“For those children whose homes are not always a safe place, this year will have been extremely difficult. Their usual support networks and services will have been greatly reduced and many will have felt trapped and isolated.

“So, this year it is even more essential that children have a place where they can seek help and support. Our Childline service will be running every day over the Christmas holidays, but we need the public’s support so we can ensure vulnerable children are heard.”

Spotting the signs of abuse

The NSPCC is encouraging the public to look out for signs of abuse and speak up if they are concerned about a child. Signs of abuse and neglect to look out for can include:

  • Untreated injuries, medical and dental issues
  • Repeated accidental injuries caused by lack of supervision
  • Recurring illnesses or infections
  • Faltering weight or growth, and not reaching developmental milestones
  • Poor language, communication or social skills
  • Have unwashed clothes
  • Have inadequate clothing, like not having a winter coat
  • Living in an unsuitable home environment – for example without adequate heating, or dog mess being left
  • Left alone for a long time
  • Taking on the role of carer for other family members

Adults concerned about a child can contact the NSPCC helpline seven days a week on 0808 800 5000, or email help@nspcc.org.uk

Online grooming rises during pandemic

  • More than 250 offences of communicating indecently with a child in Scotland in four months after lockdown began
  • UK Prime Minister told bring forward tough Online Harms legislation that combats crime and brings in meaningful sanctions for rogue tech firms

Online grooming crimes in Scotland were more than 30% higher while children were not at school during the Coronavirus pandemic compared with the same months last year, the NSPCC can reveal.

The new data shows Police Scotland recorded 268 offences of communicating indecently with a child from April 1 to July 31 this year compared to 203 crimes in the same period last year, with the true scale of the problem likely to be much higher.

Yesterday, Police Scotland revealed that it had seen an 18% rise in all online child sexual abuse crimes between April and September this year compared to the same period last year.*

The findings have led to renewed calls for Boris Johnson to get tough on tech firms that fail to do enough to prevent offenders exploiting their sites and abusing children.

Offences have also increased annually in the three years prior to lockdown. In total, there were 1,661 offences recorded by Police Scotland from April 2017 to March 2020, with experts saying poorly designed social media sites are putting children at risk.

The NSPCC warned the pandemic had created a perfect storm for online offenders and believes these figures could mark the start of a surge in online grooming crimes.

With ongoing Coronavirus restrictions across the UK and children spending more time at home and online, the charity believes that the risk of online abuse will continue to spike, and many more offences may come to light when children report them at school. 

One girl who contacted Childline during the pandemic said: “I am 12 and I don’t have social media but I wanted to get online and chat to people since my friends had done it and told me it would be fun. It started off fine with the occasional ‘hi’ and then men started sending d*** pics and saying really personal things.”

The new data comes as the UK Prime Minister makes vital decisions about online harms legislation that will create a Duty of Care on tech firms, with an announcement expected within weeks.

It’s understood the Online Harms White Paper consultation response has been signed off by the UK Government’s Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport and the Home Office and is sitting with Boris Johnson.

The Prime Minister is being urged to ensure companies and named managers can be held criminally responsible for failing to protect children from avoidable harm and abuse.

The need for a bold and ambitious response from Government has been heightened by the knock-on effects of the pandemic.

Criminals are exploiting the fact that children are spending more time online and high-risk video chatting and livestreaming services have become more popular.

After years of failed self-regulation, many platforms were easily exploitable for groomers during lockdown, with many seeing the crisis as an opportunity to commit abuse. 

The NSPCC wants the upcoming Online Harms Bill to compel firms to consider child protections when they design their sites to prevent harm rather than react once the damage is done.

But it is warning tough deterrents will be needed to make some of the world’s biggest companies stand up and listen, and is concerned the UK Government may not go far enough.

NSPCC Chief Executive Peter Wanless said: “Families have long paid the price for big tech’s failure to protect children from abuse, but the Prime Minister has the chance to turn the tide and put responsibility on firms to clean up the mess they created.

“As the pandemic intensifies the threat children face online, bold and ambitious action is needed in the form of a world-leading Online Harms Bill.

“This means legislation that is tough on online crimes against children and regulation that holds tech companies and bosses financially and criminally responsible if they continue to turn a blind eye to entirely avoidable harm.”

Detective Chief Superintendent Samantha McCluskey, head of Police Scotland’s Public Protection Unit, said: “The digital world opens up massive opportunities for us all.

“As a society it has become integral to our daily lives, particularly for children and young people, whose key means of communication during this pandemic has been online. It is important that we take every opportunity to ensure young people stay safe and are protected.

“Online predators will infiltrate those platforms and apps most used by children. Tech companies and service providers have a key role, and a responsibility, in ensuring young people can access their services safely and that predators are identified and dealt with before they can groom or abuse children in the virtual or real world. Working together we can make the online world safe for all children.”

Last month the NSPCC laid out six tests the UK Government’s regulation of social media will be judged on if it is to achieve bold and lasting protections for children online.

The charity said in order to make the UK a world-leader in child protection online, regulation must:

  1. Create an expansive, principles-based duty of care
  2. Comprehensively tackle online sexual abuse
  3. Put legal but harmful content on an equal footing with illegal material
  4. Have robust transparency and investigatory powers
  5. Hold industry to account with criminal and financial sanctions
  6. Give civil society a legal voice for children with user advocacy arrangements.

Instagram was the most used platform in child grooming crimes during lockdown, research by the NSPCC suggests.

New data shows there were more than 1,200 online grooming crimes recorded against children in the three months from April to June, with the true scale of the problem likely to be much higher.

The figures reveal how Instagram is increasingly being exploited by offenders. It was used in 37% of cases where the platform was recorded, compared with 29% over the previous three years.

The findings have led to renewed calls for Boris Johnson to get tough on tech firms that fail to do enough to prevent offenders exploiting their sites and abusing children.

Freedom of Information responses from 38 police forces in England and Wales show that 1,220 offences of Sexual Communication with a Child were recorded in the first three months of lockdown.

Facebook-owned apps (Instagram, Facebook, WhatsApp) were used in 51% of instances where the means of communication was recorded. Snapchat was used in 20% of instances for which data was available.

2,500 Scottish children seek help from Childline over mental health since lockdown began

  • Young people share that they don’t fit in or feel ‘normal’
  • Childline launches Nobody is Normal campaign to let children know they aren’t alone

Since lockdown measures were first introduced Childline has delivered almost 2,500 counselling sessions with children in Scotland about mental and emotional health issues including loneliness and low self-esteem.

Childline’s volunteer counsellors have heard from many children who, after being cut off from important support networks, shared that they were feeling isolated, anxious and insecure.

Now, with stricter social-distancing measures imposed again across the UK, Childline is launching a new campaign called Nobody is Normal. It aims to help children understand that lacking confidence, feeling not good enough or that you don’t fit in, is a shared experience. Childline is encouraging them not to suffer in silence. 

Developed with young people, the campaign features a bold new animation of a young boy who is struggling with anxiety while desperately trying to appear ‘normal’. Backed by Radiohead’s hit song Creep, it reminds young people that no matter how isolated they feel, they are not alone and Childline is here.

Childline delivered higher monthly numbers of counselling sessions with children in Scotland about a range of mental health-related issues in April, May and June, including low self-esteem, loneliness and worries about the world. Mental health remains the top reason young people get in touch with Childline, making up over a third of all counselling sessions delivered in the UK.

In the last seven months, Childline has delivered nearly 43,000 counselling sessions about mental and emotional health with children across the UK.

The NSPCC, which runs Childline, can also reveal that the number of UK contacts about body image, gender and sexuality increased since the end of March.

Since lockdown measures were first introduced, the monthly average number of Childline counselling sessions across the UK about eating and body image disorders increased by almost a third (32%) on the pre-lockdown average. Similarly, the monthly average number of sessions about sexuality and gender identity increased by 16% compared with the pre-lockdown average.

Counsellors have heard that some children have developed unhealthy eating behaviours for the first time such as binge eating and bulimia nervosa, and those with existing eating disorders have experienced worsened symptoms, or a relapse.

While the service has heard that lockdown gave some LGBTQ+ children the confidence to come out to their friends and family, others expressed fears about coming out and some young people were left unable to cope after receiving a negative response.

A 14-year-old child told Childline: “I think I’m transgender and I have no one to talk to. I have always been a tomboy and never fitted in with the girls. I was fine with it for a while, but recently I have become very uncomfortable with my gender and I’m really struggling. I feel stuck, I wish someone can help me.”

A young girl told Childline: “I don’t know if it’s just me being sad because of lockdown, but I’ve been feeling really disgusting in my own body lately. All my friends have clear and beautiful skin with even tones, but mine is spotty and red and covered in freckles. I just feel like I’m always the odd one out”

Throughout the pandemic, Childline counsellors have heard from children who have shared that the crisis has affected their mental and emotional health.

Childline Founder, Dame Esther Rantzen said: “The pandemic has cut children off from the reassurance many of them need. When young people are facing mental health issues such as anxiety or depression or are struggling with eating disorders or self-harm, they often hide it from their parents and families.

“A lockdown intensifies stress in all our lives, and the Childline team know from past experience that it has made many children feel especially isolated. 

“The Nobody is Normal campaign encourages any children feeling unable to discuss their anxiety and distress to reach out to Childline for support. Many young people are under immense pressure from social media to look and behave like everyone else, but the campaign recognises that we are all individuals, special and unique.

“If these tough times have caused children to feel an extra level of anxiety, we want them to feel confident to express their fears and share their worries, and know that Childline is still here for them.”

Sporting bodies back children’s charities’ campaign to make sports clubs safer for children

  • Less than four in ten parents* actively sought to understand a sports club’s safeguarding procedures before allowing their child to join
  • Some sports clubs are also not providing parents with information about their safeguarding procedures
  • Scottish Athletics, Scottish Gymnastics and Netball Scotland join together in supporting NSPCC and Children 1st’s Parents In Sport Week (October 5-11)

KEEPING CHILDREN SAFE IN SPORT

A group of Scottish governing sporting bodies has backed a joint NSPCC and Children 1st campaign to raise awareness of safeguarding standards in sports clubs and improve safety measures.

Scottish Gymnastics, Scottish Athletics, and Netball Scotland have all pledged their support to Parents In Sport Week, an NSPCC event that runs each year.

New research found less than four in ten parents* actively sought to understand the safeguarding procedures of their local sports/ leisure clubs before signing their child up to take part in practice sessions, matches and competitions.

An online YouGov survey*, conducted on behalf of the NSPCC showed that 38% of parents across the UK actively tried to find out whether basic safety measures were in place before allowing their child to join a club.

Further cause for concern is that 38% of parents* said they had either never received or could not recall whether they had been sent any information about safeguarding measures by their child’s sports/ leisure club once they were a member.

Tackling these issues and encouraging positive parental involvement in youth sports is the aim of the NSPCC and Children 1st’s ‘Parents In Sport Week’, which launches today (Oct 5).

The three Scottish sporting bodies are supporting the annual event, which also calls on parents to make ‘The Sports Parents Promise’ – an online commitment which helps them choose a safer club for their children.

‘The Sports Parents Promise’ also encourages parents to be a positive influence when watching their child’s games from the side lines.

Doc McKelvey, CEO of Scottish Gymnastics, said: “We fully support Parents in Sport week as they play an important part in sport whether taking their child to a club or supporting them through their competitive journey.

“We are committed to providing a safe, healthy, and positive environment for children and young people to enjoy gymnastics and encourage parents and carers to ask ten key questions to find out about the safeguarding procedures in their club.”

Colin Hutchison, Head of Development at Scottish Gymnastics, said: “Scottish Athletics is delighted to support NSPCC Scotland’s ‘Parents in Sports Week’.

“Parents and guardians play a vital role in supporting the development of young people in sport and providing a safe, fun environment for them to learn. We would urge all parents with children in sport to make the Sports Parents Promise.”

Claire Nelson, CEO of Netball Scotland and the Strathclyde Sirens, said: “We have been proud partners of NSPCC Scotland for the past four years and we are delighted to again support the Sports Parents Promise.

“This is a great initiative, and we would urge anyone whose children are involved in sports to sign up. Positive support and involvement from parents helps to build strong and lasting relationships between them and their children.”

Michelle North, Director of the NSPCC’s Child Protection in Sport Unit, said: “Sport is a huge part of childhood with many young people spending countless happy hours practicing and playing and making new friends.

“Checking on a club’s safeguarding procedures before signing up will give parents the peace of mind that their child is in a safe and secure environment.

“That’s why we’re encouraging parents and sports clubs across the country to make our Sports Parents Promise, because it’s essential that everyone plays their part in protecting children and help make every sporting experience a positive one.”

Every sports club and activity provider should have a welfare or safeguarding officer as well as a safeguarding policy and the NSPCC is encouraging every parent to find out who to contact in their children’s sport if they have any questions or concerns.

To keep up to date with the latest news from the NSPCC’s Child Protection in Sport Unit, follow @TheCPSU on Twitter. To support the NSPCC’s Parents In Sport week on social media, follow the campaign using #ParentsInSportWeek2020.

NSPCC lays out six tests to create world-leading laws to protect children online

  • Charity at the forefront of the Online Harms Bill urges UK Government to deliver on Boris Johnson’s determination for ambitious regulation
  • NSPCC sets 11th hour demand for Government: ‘Pass our tests for online regulation so children don’t continue to suffer avoidable harm and abuse’
  • Online sex crimes recorded against children in Scotland surpass five a day; as Ian Russell backs calls for Bill to also tackle suicide and self-harm posts

The NSPCC has laid out six tests the UK Government’s regulation of social media will be judged on if it is to achieve bold and lasting protections for children online.

The charity’s How to win the Wild West Web report, released today, sets out how the upcoming Online Harms Bill must set the global standard in protecting children on the web.

With crucial decisions just days away, the charity is urging the UK Government to ensure it levels the playing field for children, and new laws finally force tech firms to tackle the avoidable harm caused by their sites.

The call comes after figures released by Police Scotland show the number of online sex crimes against children recorded by the force during lockdown (April – June) reached the equivalent of more than five a day – a 20% increase on the same quarter last year.

The pandemic is likely to result in long-term changes to the online child abuse threat, with high-risk livestreaming and video chat becoming more popular. Changes to working patterns, meaning more offenders working at home, could result in a greater demand for sexual abuse images and increased opportunities for grooming.

The NSPCC has routinely highlighted the growing levels of abuse and harm caused to children on social media platforms, and believes the problem has been exacerbated by the fallout from coronavirus.

At the UK Government’s Hidden Harms summit earlier this year, the Prime Minister signalled his personal determination to legislate for ambitious regulation that successfully combats child abuse.

But the NSPCC is worried the landmark opportunity to change the landscape for children online could be missed if this is not translated by the UK Government into law.

The charity has released its six tests ahead of a full consultation response to the White Paper, amid concerns Ministers are wavering in their ambitions for robust regulation.

Regulation must:

  1. Create an expansive, principles-based duty of care
  2. Comprehensively tackle online sexual abuse
  3. Put legal but harmful content on an equal footing with illegal material
  4. Have robust transparency and investigatory powers
  5. Hold industry to account with criminal and financial sanctions
  6. Give civil society a legal voice for children with user advocacy arrangements

The charity believes, if done correctly, regulation could set a British model that leads the world in child protection online.

But in a stark warning, NSPCC CEO Peter Wanless, said: “Failing to pass any of the six tests will mean that rather than tech companies paying the cost of their inaction, future generations of children will pay with serious harm and sexual abuse that could have been stopped.

“Industry inaction is fuelling sex crimes against children and the fallout from coronavirus has heightened the risks of abuse now and in the future.

“The Prime Minister has the chance of a lifetime to change this by coming down on the side of children and families, with urgent regulation that is a bold and ambitious UK plan to truly change the landscape of online child protection.

“The Online Harms Bill must become a Government priority, with unwavering determination to take the opportunity to finally end the avoidable, serious harm children face online because of unaccountable tech firms.”

The six tests are backed by Ian Russell, who has campaigned for regulation since the death of his daughter, Molly, by suicide, after she was targeted with self-harm posts on social media.

Mr Russell, who is due to be made an Honorary Member of Council for the NSPCC this week, said: “Today, I can’t help but wonder why it’s taking so long to introduce effective regulation to prevent the type of harmful social media posts we now know Molly saw, and liked, and saved in the months prior to her death.

“Tech self-regulation has failed and, as I know, it’s failed all too often at great personal cost. Now is the time to establish a regulator to protect those online by introducing proportionate legislation with effective financial and criminal sanctions.

“It is a necessary step forward in trying to reclaim the web for the good it can do and curtail the growing list of harms to be found online.”

The six tests the Government must pass if it is to create game-changing and lasting protections for children online are:

  • An expansive, principles-based duty of care; tech firms should have a legal responsibility to identify harms caused by their sites and deal with them, or face tough consequences for breaching regulation.
  • Tackling online sexual abuse; platforms must proactively and consistently tackle grooming and abuse images facilitated by dangerous design features. There must be no excuses. In the current state of play abuse images have been left online with the excuse that a child’s age cannot be proven, and images signposting abuse are not removed.
  • Tackling legal but harmful content; current Government proposals will see companies set their own rules on legal but harmful content. This is not good enough. The law must compel firms to respond to the harms caused by algorithms targeting damaging suicide and self-harm posts at children and avoid a two-tier system that prioritises tacking illegal content. The danger of harmful content should rightly be balanced against freedom of expression, but focus on the risk to children.
  • Transparency and investigation powers; tech firms currently only dish out information they want the public to see. The regulator must have the power to lift up the bonnet to investigate platforms and demand information from companies.
  • Criminal and financial sanctions; fines are vital but will be water off a duck’s back to some of the world’s wealthiest companies. Government can’t backslide on a named manager scheme that gives the regulator powers to prosecute rogue tech directors in UK law.
  • User advocacy arrangements; to level the playing field there must be strong civil society voice for children against well-resourced industry pressure. Big tech should be made to clean up the damage they have caused by funding user advocacy arrangements.

The NSPCC has been the leading voice for social media regulation and the charity set out detailed proposals for an Online Harms Bill last year, which informed much of  the White Paper.

The Government has said the consultation response will be published in the autumn, with legislation expected to be delivered in the new year.

Protecting Scotland, Renewing Scotland

Programme for Government 2020-21

Ensuring Scotland’s economic, health, and social recovery from the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic is the focus of this year’s Programme for Government.

Speaking in Parliament yesterday, the First Minister said the Scottish Government would prioritise work to suppress the virus – building on its commitment to COVID-19 testing, contact tracing, and surveillance.

The COVID-19 response will be bolstered with the launch of Protect Scotland, a new proximity tracing app, later this month. The app will add an additional means of notifying people that they may have been exposed to the virus and that they should isolate to prevent onward transmission.

The First Minister also set out the government’s plans for renewal while ensuring a green recovery is at the heart of the economic recovery, with job creation, support for health and wellbeing and work to tackle inequalities all high on the agenda.

A National Transition Training Fund will support up to 10,000 people at risk of redundancy or unemployment. The Scottish Youth Guarantee will ensure every young person has the opportunity of work, education, or training.

A new £100 million Green Jobs Fund will be created while a new Inward Investment Plan will create 100,000 high value jobs over the next decade and boost GDP.

The pandemic has also reiterated the need for a radical rethink of social care. An independent review of the care system will be established to examine how adult social care can be most effectively reformed to deliver a national approach to care and support services. This will include consideration of a National Care Service.

In order to support families, applications for the Scottish Child Payment will open in November 2020, with the first payments to be made in February 2021.

A new £10 million Tenant Hardship Loan Fund will protect people from homelessness by providing interest-free loans for those struggling to pay their rent and there will be a ban on evictions until March 2021.

Other measures include:

  • accelerating the roll-out of Community Treatment and Assessment Centres so more people can receive medical care in their community rather than going to hospital
  • expanding digital access to health care to ensure more people can get the help they need
  • £1.6 billion low carbon funding to secure a just transition to a net zero economy, including a £100 million Green Jobs Fund, investment in heat and energy efficiency and industrial decarbonisation
  • a 20 year vision for energy efficient, zero carbon housing, with access to outdoor space, transport links, digital connectivity and community services
  • £500 million for infrastructure to support active travel
  • bringing 50,000 people into the digital world through the Connecting Scotland programme and creating a world class digital eco-system in Scotland
  • introducing legislation on domestic abuse protection orders and progressing legislation to improve forensic medical examinations for victims of sexual assault

The First Minister said: “The COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a profound impact on our health and wellbeing, on business and the economy – indeed, on our whole way of life. That is true here in Scotland, and across the globe.

“Today’s Programme is clear that suppressing COVID is our most immediate priority – and it will remain so for some time. However, it also makes clear that we will not simply hunker down and wait for the storm to pass.

“This Programme for Government sets out plans for a stronger, more resilient and sustainable economy – with a laser focus on creating new, good, green jobs.

“It guarantees opportunities for young people – and refuses to accept that their generation will carry the economic scars of COVID into adulthood.

“It sets out plans to strengthen and reform our public services, including our NHS. And it takes the first step on the road to a National Care Service.

“It promotes equality and wellbeing, with decisive action to combat child poverty. At its heart is the new, game-changing Scottish Child Payment.

“We must treat the COVID-19 challenge not as a brake on our ambitions but as an accelerant – helping us shape a stronger, greener, fairer future.”

STUC welcome National Care Service commitment in Programme for Government, but raise concerns around Fair Work

STUC General Secretary Roz Foyer said: “While we strongly support many of the aspirations in today’s Programme for Government, aspirations aren’t enough and it will take a serious stimulus package to deliver the sort of transformative change being talked about by the First Minister.

“We welcome the First Minister’s commitment to review adult social care and support for a National Care Service. This is a very important development that we have long called for. However, it is deeply disappointing that trade unions representing the workers in this sector have not been offered a seat at the table for any review in order to hold the Scottish Government to account and represent our members.

“Additionally, given the scandal that has unfolded across our care services and the sub-standard employment practices that have been uncovered the Government must commit now to ensuring that the profit motive is removed from any future social care model and Fair Work issues are addressed as an urgent priority.

“We commend the Programme’s ambition of building a green economy. Unfortunately, the level of investment to create a zero-carbon economy is simply too small to meet the scale of the challenge. Supporting workers to upskill and retrain is important, but it counts for little when there is currently a lack of jobs and demand in the green economy.

“We need to see major investment and intervention and would have liked to have seen an extension of public ownership in key areas like transport, construction and energy to ensure that the government’s aspirations can be delivered effectively.

“Where money is invested it is essential that it comes with Fair Work conditionality attached. We are disappointed that the Fair Work agenda and conditionality has not featured more heavily in today’s programme.

“We would also have liked to have seen more commitment to increased funding for local government, which is absolutely vital if we are to ensure services in local communities for our most vulnerable.

“Overall the programme is full of the right ambitions, but it’s too cash tight. We will continue to call on both the UK and Scottish Governments to work together to deliver the level of stimulus our economy so desperately needs as this investment can’t wait for the debate on independence to be resolved.

“Today’s programme has good potential, but we need more investment to ensure real transformative change in our society.”

Joanna Barrett, NSPCC policy and public affairs manager, said: “It is clearly right that Covid-19 recovery, including for children, is at the heart of this year’s Programme for Government.

“Calls to our Childline service from children and young people who had experienced sexual abuse in the home tripled during lockdown. And there was an increase in referrals from our helpline to Scottish agencies, due to parental behaviour, physical and emotional abuse and neglect, during this time.

“It is, therefore, crucial that any efforts to support children recover from the effects of the pandemic, especially those focusing on mental health, include specialist and timely treatment for those who have endured traumatic experiences, such as abuse and neglect.”

Full Programme for Government

Full First Minister statement

Bills to be progressed during this parliamentary session (2020-21):

Budget Bill

Domestic Abuse Bill

Incorporation of United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) Bill

University of St. Andrews (Degrees in Medicine and Dentistry) Bill

Defamation and Malicious Publication Bill

Forensic Medical Services (Victims of Sexual Offences) Bill

Hate Crime and Public Order Bill

Heat Networks Bill

Redress for Survivors (Historical Child Abuse in Care) Bill

Social Security Administration and Tribunal Membership Bill

UK Withdrawal from the European Union (Continuity) Bill

Children are ‘hidden victims of coronavirus crisis’

  • More than 480 referrals made by the NSPCC helpline to Scottish agencies in three months following lockdown
  • Parental behaviour, neglect and physical and emotional abuse were the top concerns of adults contacting the helpline
  • Charity calls on Scottish Government to explain in detail how it will aid children’s physical and mental recovery from abuse and trauma suffered during the lockdown

A 40% increase in referrals made to police and local authorities in Scotland by the NSPCC helpline during lockdown highlights how children have been the hidden victims of the coronavirus crisis.

NSPCC Scotland reveals that in April, May and June the helpline made a monthly average of 161 referrals compared to an average of 114 in the three months prior to lockdown.

Last month, Scotland’s Deputy First Minister John Swinney announced plans for young people to return to school fulltime in August, and the NSPCC is today urging the Scottish Government to ensure the recovery plan addresses the full range of children’s needs. This includes ensuring schools are ready to help all children who need it – particularly those who may have suffered abuse, neglect or other traumatic experiences during the lockdown – and investing in children’s social care.

During the past three months, the helpline has heard from more than 22,000 adults across the UK concerned about the wellbeing of a child. 

This is an increase of almost a third (32%) on the monthly average for the three months prior to lockdown, with May seeing 8,287 contacts – the highest number ever made to the adult helpline in a single month on record.

During lockdown, the main issues confronting NSPCC child safety experts were parental behaviour, physical and emotional abuse and neglect.

Around 40% of the total contacts received were referred on to local authorities or the police for further action.

One adult who spoke to the NSPCC helpline during the lockdown said: “I’ve become increasingly disturbed by the noises coming from one of one my neighbours – it’s been getting worse since the lockdown. I can hear the mother shouting and swearing at her two little ones, it sounds vengeful and aggressive.

“Sometimes the mother locks her kids out in the front garden as punishment – last time this happened the youngest was crying hysterically for half an hour, it was awful. Is there anything you can do?”

These figures released by the charity today back up the findings of a research report it recently published – ‘Social Isolation and the risk of child maltreatment in the lockdown and beyond’ –  which underlines how increasing parental and family stress, reductions in protective services and the intensification of pressures on children’s emotional wellbeing caused by lockdown can increase the risk of abuse and neglect.

These traumatic experiences can have a devastating impact on children’s health and wellbeing and can stop children from learning, with the long-term effects following them into adulthood.

However, with the right support young people can recover and be helped to move on with their lives.

Now the charity is calling on the Scottish Government to urgently commit to a children’s recovery plan which sets out how it will:

  • Deliver the long-term investment in children’s services that is needed to provide high quality preventative and therapeutic services for children in every part of the country;
  • Invest in rebuilding support for families with babies and young children who have missed out on the normal support from health visitors during the lockdown;
  • Support multi-agency partnerships of the local authority, NHS and police to work with schools to review support for children known to the designated child protection lead, and identify those who continue to miss class with a plan to understand and address any barriers to a child’s school attendance;
  • Ensure schools are ready to help all children who need it – particularly those who may have suffered abuse, neglect or other traumatic experiences during the lockdown. Schools must be equipped to recognise and respond sensitively to children who have experienced physical or mental harm, trauma or adverse experiences when they return to the classroom. This includes putting in place support for teachers to enable them to support children confidently, including training on child development science and how trauma can manifest in behavioural problems or poor emotional regulation.
  • Support recovery services across health, education and social care, including through the provision of additional investment, to develop a coordinated plan to respond to what is likely to be an increase in need for therapeutic services.

Matt Forde, NSPCC Scotland head of service, said: “The increase in referrals from our helpline during the lockdown highlights how some families have been driven to crisis point and the home has become an increasingly unsafe place for some children.

“It is vital that children are now supported to help them recover from any mental and physical harm that many will have suffered these past few months.

“Government’s role is crucial, and it must put in place a detailed recovery plan that makes sure children and young people can receive the expert help they need if they have had difficult or damaging experiences.

“Putting children at the heart of recovery planning and taking this action quickly will mean the crisis of the last three months does not scar the childhoods of a whole generation.”