Daily Safeguarding News - Safer Schools

Rimmel London ad banned for implying girls need make up

A Rimmel London advert that features a Love Islander has been banned for “playing on young girls’ insecurities.”
The text stated: “Get ready to slay this back-to-school season. Get 25% off Multi-Tasker Concealer and other Rimmel faves…”
The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) said it implied it was necessary to wear make-up at school to succeed.
The regulator found that using the words “back-to-school season” would be understood as referring to the time of year students returned to school so would appeal to young girls.
The ASA ruled that the ad “implied that girls or young women were more likely to succeed or do well when they went back to school if they wore make-up, in this case a concealing and contouring product.”
They continued: “We considered the ad had the effect of playing on young girls’ insecurities about their appearance and therefore concluded it was irresponsible.”
Coty UK, which trades as Rimmel London reported that it targeted women aged 18-35 who were interested in cosmetics, beauty, fashion and make-up, said the wording was intended to motivate and build confidence.
The ASA ruled the advertisement must not appear again.
For more, please visit the BBC News website.

The NSPCC has announced the launch of the inaugural Game Safe Cup, in partnership with Epic.LAN, National Student Esports (NSE) and SAF.
The EA Sports FC 24 tournament is free to enter and will feature a creator-led format to give players the opportunity to play against their favourite high-profile EA Sports FC streamers.
The tournament forms part of the NSPCC’s wider Game Safe Festival, which will run from February 5th to 11th 2024.
This festival aims to celebrate ‘all that is great about the world of gaming and encourage parents, professionals who work with children and the gaming community to join the charity in its mission to create a safer online world for young people.’
Registration will open on 3rd January 2024.
For more, please visit the Esports News website.

The Epic Games Store has a ban on games classified as “Adults Only” by the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB).
These games class as “Adults Only”, normally contain excessive nudity or violence.
However, the marketplace announced that blockchain games classified as AO only because they use blockchain are an exception to this rule.
Adults Only is the ESRB’s most restrictive rating.
Games such as ‘Gods Unchained’ and ‘Striker Manager 3’, that were recently removed from Epic’s marketplace due to their 18 and over rating, and because of the new policy shift, have returned to the store.
For more, please visit The Verge website.

Under the newly published guidance, teachers should inform parents if their child wishes to change their gender identity at school.
Schools in England should “take a very cautious approach” if pupils want to use a new name, pronouns or uniform.
Teachers will also be able to withhold information if they believe a child could be put at “significant” risk.
Education Secretary Gillian Keegan said: “Parents’ views must also be at the heart of all decisions made about their children.”
Minister for Women and Equalities Kemi Badenoch added the guidance made clear “schools do not have to accept a child’s request to socially transition.”
The guidance also says primary school aged children should not have different pronouns to their sex and reaffirms single-sex schools’ right to refuse to admit pupils of the opposite sex, even if they are questioning their gender.
The guidelines are now subject to a 12-week consultation before being finalised, which can be found here.
For more, please visit the BBC News website.

Dedicated volunteer counsellors at Childline’s 12 bases across the UK, including in Cardiff and Prestatyn, will be working and answering calls from children and young people throughout the festive period.
Last year Childline delivered 5,501 counselling sessions with children across the UK during the 12 days of Christmas between December 24 and January 4, averaging around 450 a day.
For some young people, spending extended amounts of time at home with their families can lead to tensions, or amplify existing issues, which can leave children feeling upset and isolated.
Among the volunteers working a shift this Christmas Day are Borbala Martos and Childline supervisor Amy Beaumont who will be at the NSPCC’s Childline base in Cardiff.
Amy reported: “For some young people Christmas can be the most difficult time of the year and it’s also a time when they may have limited access to their usual support services. However, our Childline volunteers will be here to listen and give support at any time they need.”
“The Childline service is here for children every day, even on Christmas Day. Children can contact Childline 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. When a child needs help and Christmas means abuse, Childline is a lifeline and so it is vital that our counsellors are here and ready to listen and support children across the UK.”
For more, please visit the Nation Cymru website.