Daily Safeguarding News - Safer Schools

What should you do if you think your child is being bullied at school?

The Anti-Bullying Alliance (ABA) has spoke about how parents should respond if they notice any signs that bullies may be targeting their child.
Martha Evans, director of the ABA has that research suggests that being bullied can have serious implications for a child’s life chances, with the implications often carrying through to adulthood.
Anti-bullying training and programmes for schools are vital in helping tackle the problem.
Some warning signs include a child coming home with torn clothes or missing belongings, them unexpectedly not wanting to go to school, or complaining about unexplained illnesses or becoming quiet and withdrawn.
Evans advises parents to stay calm, get the facts, reassure their child not to retaliate and that it is not their fault and follow appropriate escalation procedures to mitigate the problem.
For more, please visit the Independent’s website.

In a change to the Online Safety Bill, tech companies will have to proactively prevent material that facilitates animal torture from being posted on their platforms.
Failure to do so could result in a fine of £18m, or up to 10% of a company’s global revenue.
The change means that animal cruelty becomes a “priority offence” under the bill, alongside child sexual abuse images and terrorist content.
On Wednesday the government sought to head off a threatened exodus from the UK by encrypted messaging apps, saying that a controversial clause in the bill paving the way for message scanning will only be used if the process was “technically feasible” and if it met minimum standards of privacy and accuracy.
For more, please visit the Guardian’s website.

The use of chlorophyll water is the latest skincare trend on TikTok, which claims to cure acne, eliminate body odour, improve energy levels, clean blood and aid in weight loss.
Chlorophyll is the natural compound present in green plants, and is in vegetables such as broccoli, spinach and kale.
Wellness expert Ryan Davidson reported that whilst it is rich in vitamins A, C and E, there are still known side effects of the water.
He stated that the regular consumption of chlorophyll water can also increase your body’s sensitivity to the sun making you more susceptible to sunburn.
Mr Davidson warned against chlorophyll water by saying it should not be consumed alongside certain medications.
He also added, there are additional risks to the drink if you suffer from psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis or are pregnant.
He reported that drinking the water will not replace a healthy diet.
Instead, Mr Davidson recommended eating food such as Kale, Spinach, Parsley, Broccoli and Asparagus.
Finally, he stated that the long-term safety of the supplement is unknown.
For more, please visit the Wales Online website.

Schools are handing out clothes and food to children, while teachers report deteriorating hygiene amongst pupils as families cut back on brushing teeth, showering and flushing the toilet.
According to a survey of English schools, nine out of 10 said they were providing clothing and uniform to students.
Seven out of 10 were providing food parcels, food bank provisions, vouchers and subsidised breakfasts.
The National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER) reported the demand for mental health support has increased to one in four pupils in mainstream schools, and two in five in special schools.
Teachers have reported to NFER that they were worried that some children in special schools did not have vital specialist equipment such as wheelchairs and mobility aids.
They have also seen an increase in illness amongst students due to lack of heating in the home and poor nutrition, which affects school attendance.
Others are missing school due to transport costs.
The NFER survey of 2,500 senior teachers and leaders found that poor behaviour is also on the rise.
For more, please visit The Guardian website.

All schools and registered childcare providers are required to help prevent the risk of people supporting terrorism or become terrorists.
This is known as Prevent duty, which requires authorities such as education, health, local authorities, police and criminal justice agencies (prisons and probation) to help prevent supporting terrorism or becoming terrorists.
The education sector plays a massive role in safeguarding students from radicalisation and intervening early to divert them from extremist influences.
Last year, the education sector contributed the highest number of referrals to Prevent to raise radicalisation concerns.
The updated guidance provides greater consistency, clarity and access to good practice.
It will come into effect no earlier than 31 December 2023.
The Prevent guidance helps those who have statutory obligation, including education settings to take action to stop individuals being radicalised and understand how they can comply with their duty.
It explains the policies and training providers should have in place and how to create an environment where ideologies which are used to radicalise people are challenged and not permitted to flourish.
For more, please visit the GOV.UK website.