Tag: Speak Out Stay Safe

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 launches virtual assembly with guest hosts Ant & Dec

  • With children back at school in Scotland, monthly referrals from the NSPCC helpline continue to be significantly higher than pre-lockdown levels.
  • The NSPCC made the decision to produce an online assembly so they can still be in schools. 
  • Primary Schools can sign up, for free, to access the assemblies and resources via NSPCC Learning.

With referrals from the NSPCC helpline remaining more than 30% higher than pre-lockdown levels since schools returned in Scotland, the charity has teamed up with Ant & Dec to make sure children know what to do and who to speak to if something is worrying or upsetting them.

The celebrity duo is hosting a new virtual version of the NSPCC’s Speak Out. Stay Safe assembly, which – before lockdown – the charity had delivered to millions of pupils across the UK.

NSPCC experts reported that the risk of abuse and neglect increased during lockdown, and in the period April to July, the NSPCC helpline saw a 50% increase in its average number of monthly referrals to agencies in Scotland.

Today, the charity can reveal that in August and September, as children have returned to school in Scotland, the number of referrals were 38% and 61%, respectively, above the average monthly figure before lockdown this year. There were 157 referrals in August and 184 in September.

Last month NSPCC Scotland launched a social media campaign with CPC Scotland, Barnardo’s Scotland and Police Scotland asking people to keep an eye out for unusual behaviours or signs that something was not right for a child, and to speak up so that children who might have had adverse experiences during lockdown could be supported.

The national lockdown left many children trapped indoors with their abusers for months on end, and the main issues the helpline heard about were physical and emotional abuse and neglect.

It is vital that children know what to do and who to speak to if something is happening in their life which is making them feel scared or anxious.

Before the pandemic NSPCC Scotland delivered its assembly face-to-face, in more than 96% of all primary schools across the country, and in 2019/20 the charity visited 833 schools, speaking to more than 145,000 children, before lockdown was imposed.

At this current time, NSPCC school volunteers can no longer deliver the assembly in person, so instead the organisation has made a 30-minute online Speak Out. Stay Safe assembly available to all primary schools in the UK.

In an accessible and age appropriate way, the assembly helps children understand how to recognise different forms of abuse, and how to speak out if they need to.

The NSPCC is also offering supporting teaching materials with plenty of engaging activities. The assembly and resources are also available in British Sign Language (BSL).

As well as this, it also focuses on some of the additional worries that children are experiencing due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

SOSS-Assembly-V3Download

Hosts Ant & Dec, who’ve been supporting the NSPCC for many years said: “We’re thrilled to be involved with the online version of the NSPCC’s Speak Out. Stay Safe assembly and we’ve had great fun filming with Buddy, the NSPCC mascot.

“We know that the lockdown will have been a difficult time for some children and others may be struggling with being back at school.”

Dec added: “This is why the NSPCC’s Speak Out. Stay Safe assembly is so important as it reminds children that no matter what may be worrying them, there is always someone who can help.

“It is a real privilege to be supporting the NSPCC with this online assembly and we want all children to remember that difficult times never have to be dealt with alone.”

In all Speak Out. Stay Safe assemblies children are taught to speak out if they are worried, either to a trusted adult or Childline.

The assemblies help to reinforce key lessons about abuse and neglect that are compulsory for all primary schools.  

Alan Stewart, NSPCC Scotland schools service manager, said: “Because of measures put in place to control the spread of Covid-19, children have had months of staying at home; away from school and cut off from their usual support networks.

“At the NSPCC, we know for some children home isn’t always a safe place and that many will have faced increased risk of harm.

“As the pandemic continues we all need to be there to support children, and equipping them with the knowledge and understanding they need to speak out is one vital way we can help ensure their safety.

“I encourage all primary schools to sign up, so that we can work alongside teachers to help as many children as possible to recognise and report any worries they have.”

To sign-up visit nspcc.org.uk/speakout

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 from 7.30am to midnight from Monday to Friday or 9am to midnight on weekends.

Or they can get in touch via www.childline.org.uk