Issue 003: Friday 29th April
Keeping our community safe:
Safeguarding at Honywood School
Welcome to the April edition of our monthly safeguarding newsletter. Each month we provide an update containing reminders about how we approach safeguarding at Honywood as well as useful links to support families out of school - many links we share each month so they are easy to find for you. If you have a question about safeguarding our hope is that our monthly bulletins will be able to provide the answer or at least some signposting to where you may get the answer. This month our focus is Safeguarding in Sport.
Need to Talk, share a concern or ask a question? Who can learners talk to at School? ● ● ● ● ● ● ●
Learning Group Leader Cohort Leaders Pastoral Leaders Class teachers Learner Reception Learning Support Assistants Learner Wellbeing App on iPad
Mrs Nichols
Mrs Slaney
● ● ● ● ● ●
Senior Leadership Team Mrs Nichols - Safeguarding Lead Mrs Brook - Deputy Safeguarding Lead Mr Caygill - Deputy Safeguarding Lead Mrs Slaney - Transition and Alternative Provision Coordinator Mr Robertson - Attendance & Welfare Officer
Mrs Brook
Mr Caygill
Learner Information Please refer to the Honywood Wellbeing app on your school iPad, link below https://sites.google.com/honywoodschool.com/learnerwellbeing/home If you need Wellbeing & Mental Health support out of school, please contact: YOUNG MINDS - text YM to 85258, or https://youngminds.org.uk/find-help Kooth - your online mental wellbeing community https://www.kooth.com/ Emotional Wellbeing and Mental Health Service 0300 300 1600 to get in touch directly. For the out of hours crisis support, please call the general NELFT switchboard on 0300 555 1201 and ask for the EWMHS Crisis Support Service Childline 08001111 Weekly Bullying and Peer on Peer Abuse reporting form All learners and parents receive a weekly email link and reminder that if they have any concerns about the behaviour of any learners in school that could be considered bullying and/or peer on peer abuse, they may report it using the following link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeqPKQTTxpfBS8arLEYimPdpIyfObw_7P-yitTKhXMX S1LeBA/viewform If you have any questions about the form before completing it please feel free to email me scaygill@honywoodschool.com Similarly if you have any feedback regarding the structure/questions of this form please do share this too as the form could evolve over the coming weeks with any feedback shared.
Parents/Carers For support and information please contact: For information about support for children, young people and families please see the Essex County Council website. If you are a parent or carer, child or young person and you need support, you can phone 0345 603 7627 and ask for the Children's Line. Useful General Resources Safeguarding Policy https://www.honywoodschool.com/attachments/download.asp?file=67&type=pdf KCSIE September 2021 https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_d ata/file/1020050/KCSIE_2021_September_guidance.pdf Responding to Harmful Sexual Behaviours Policy https://www.honywoodschool.com/attachments/download.asp?file=116&type=pdf
Safeguarding in Sport
You may have recently read about Sir Bradley Wiggins making allegations that he was groomed by his coach when he was 13 years old. Whilst instances such as this are rare it is important to be aware that they can happen and what we need to be aware of. Parents play an important role in their child’s sporting life, both when things are going well and by supporting them if something's wrong. Your child might come to you with concerns about something that’s happened to them or something they’ve witnessed, in which case it’s important for you to address these concerns and raise the alarm with the right people. If you're worried that your child is being abused or put at risk during sports activities, it's vital that you talk to someone.
Listen ●
●
If you’re worried about your child or something they’ve witnessed, talk to them and listen to any worries or concerns they might have. Try not to be dismissive, judgemental or blame anyone. Have an open mind. Don’t panic, however small or large the worries or concerns may be, someone is available to help you.
Report ● ●
if you’re unsure who to speak to, the NSPCC helpline can support you and advise you on what to do next - call 0808 800 5000 Every club should have procedures in place for dealing with concerns, and you can ask to see these. This will help you to follow the processes in place and feel confident to make a report
Support ● ● ●
speak to the club’s child protection, safeguarding or welfare officer and discuss your concern, ask what happens next and how your child will be supported going forward let your child know that you’ve acted on what they’ve told you and that they can come back to you again if they need to If you think a child is in immediate danger of abuse, contact the police on 999
The idea of speaking out about abuse or poor practice in a club can be daunting but the services above are designed to help you if you have any concerns at all. By taking action, you'll be safeguarding the child concerned as well as helping to prevent other children being harmed or put at risk.
Knowing when something is wrong Sometimes spotting abuse or poor practice might not be as simple as your child telling you about something that’s bothering them and that’s why it’s vital that all parents are aware of and can spot the signs of abuse. These are just some of the common signs children might display if they are experiencing abuse or there’s poor practice taking place in their sport. There might be: ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ●
unexplained changes in behaviour a change in the way they talk about their sport or a member of staff anxiety about taking part in a sport they once enjoyed or attending practice mention of negative things they’ve seen or heard happening to other children in the team changes in diet or a sudden concern about their weight or appearance frequent communication, either online or in person, with a coach or other member of staff outside of the sports setting that isn’t about practices or competition planning unexplained gifts or favours from coaches or other staff members increased levels of stress to achieve or perform well
Is this abuse or poor practice? Sometimes spotting poor practice or abuse in sport can be tricky. There’s some common misconceptions that certain practices are part and parcel of that sport’s ethos and might be the key to success.
Poor practice Poor practice refers to behaviour from a coach, volunteer or member of staff that causes a child distress or harm but might not meet the threshold of abuse. Poor practice can be subtle or happen over a long period of time, making it less noticeable and difficult to decide whether it’s something that needs to be addressed. Some examples of what poor practice might look like are: ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ●
pushing a child to train or perform on an injury or whilst unwell shouting, berating or humiliating a child not providing adequate or safe equipment or spaces for children to use pressuring a child to drastically change their diet, lose or make weight, or follow an unhealthy diet plan coaching with alcohol on the breath smoking or swearing in front of children setting unrealistic expectations for a child failing to safely supervise or support a child
● As a general rule, if your child is distressed, in physical pain or in danger, these kinds of practices are not acceptable and although they may not cross the line into abuse, they’re examples of poor practice and should be addressed before further harm is caused.
Abuse When poor practice steps over the line into abuse, it can become a criminal offence and the appropriate agencies may need to become involved to address it. There are 4 main types of abuse. Detailed information about these are available on the NSPCC website by clicking these links: ● ● ● ●
physical abuse emotional abuse sexual abuse Neglect
The CPSU website covers what abuse in a sports context can look like and gives examples of how these types of abuse might occur. If you suspect any of the above instances of poor practice or abuse are taking place in your child's sport, follow the advice on Speaking out in sport section.
Services that can help support you and your child ● ● ● ● ● ●
NSPCC – safeguarding advice, guidance and resources for parents and families Childline – support and information for your child on a range of different topics from managing emotions to staying safe online Young Stonewall – a branch of Stonewall UK designed to offer support and advice to LGBTQ young people Anti-Bullying Alliance – an anti-bullying charity with advice and tools for parents Gendered Intelligence – support for trans young people and their parents UK Anti-Doping - support for parents with children on the talent pathway regarding clean sport
Further information and resources for parents Here are some resources you might find helpful when it comes to supporting your child in sport, and which you might want to share with other parents. ● 5 questions to ask your child's sports club – a flyer detailing 5 great ways to make sure a club is safe for your child ● Keeping children safe in sport – a parent’s charter (PDF) – the charter outlines what sports organisations should be doing to safeguard children in their care ● Keeping children safe in sport booklet (PDF) - this booklet outlines what parents should look for when choosing a sports club or activity with their child ● Why parents are great for sport – some reasons why having parents involved benefits sport ● Sport Parent EU – more information and resources for parents
Understanding Technology Terminology - “Mods” As our world becomes increasingly digital, you may have noticed a lot of new terms and acronyms becoming common parlance. It can be hard for parents to explain these terms without understanding them themselves. Downloading “mods” – modifications – created by other gamers can be a fun and creative way to enhance your gaming experience, deepening your connection with a game and its surrounding community. The practice has become increasingly popular, with top-tier game developers and publishers such as Bethesda embracing the modding communities for popular titles like Skyrim and Fallout. Modding can be a legitimate route into the gaming industry. Gaming distribution platform Steam offers workshops and allows talented mod creators to sell their creations to players. Developer Rockstar Games recently paid a modder $10,000 after they developed a way to improve loading times on the PC version of Grand Theft Auto Online. However, not all developers and platforms are as welcoming. While they are generally created out of a sense of love and enjoyment of that particular game, mods can also contain adult or explicit content – which can be easily inserted into a game targeted at younger players. What are mods? “Mods” are created when someone alters the code of a game. They are generally designed to introduce new experiences, accessories or settings – such as adding mythical creatures to your Minecraft worlds, introducing realistic weather systems to Skyrim or giving your Sims characters a wider range of emotional responses. More significant mods can alter gameplay itself. A quick Google search of “game title + mods” may yield hundreds of options. They are often free to download and can be inserted into a game with just a few clicks. Users decide whether to install or uninstall mods, making them different to content updates published by the game’s developer (known as ‘patches’) which are downloaded automatically. Patches change the code of a game, meaning mods can stop working as a result of a patch being installed. The mod’s code also needs to be updated for it to continue to work. Are mods illegal? Modding’s legality varies from country to country. In the UK and US it isn’t strictly illegal, as long as it doesn’t infringe on a game’s copyright – but to platforms and developers there can be a fine line between modding and hacking. In Japan, however, modding could lead to a fine or even a prison sentence. The establishment of official modding communities like Bethesda’s Creation Club and platforms such as Steam has helped by providing controlled environments for modding, deterring illegal activities. Mods are traditionally applied to PC games, though this is starting to change in the wake of Bethesda’s move to include its games’ modding communities. Xbox calls mods “fun” and gives advice to gamers using them, while making it clear that they are not official products or content.
Other consoles, such as PlayStation and Nintendo, take a stricter line over concerns around mods’ ability to “break” a game or include unmoderated content. What are the risks? Adult content The biggest concern around mods is the possibility of adult, explicit or age-inappropriate content being added to a game. For example, one of the most common modifications across the spectrum of gaming, found from Fallout 3 to Minecraft, is to sexualise a (usually female) character’s costume, or remove their costume entirely. Other mods can make characters’ appearances more anatomically accurate, or simulate sexual activity – which, needless to say, can be used to great effect in combination. Others push this even further, actively seeking to degrade characters’ appearance or demonstrate sexually deviant scenes. Other types of mod can increase the level of violence and brutality, or be simply disturbing. For example, one mod available in The Sims turns toddler characters into murderous zombies. While it might seem humorous, younger players on shared devices, who might not realise certain mods have been downloaded, could find these changes and images distressing. While a game’s age rating gives players – and parents – appropriate warning about what kind of content to expect, playing games that have been modded means such content could pop up unexpectedly. Malware Mods are sometimes referred to as DLC or “downloadable content”. Accessing content in this way could leave your device exposed to malware or viruses. For example, around 20 apps on Google Play claiming to be mods for Minecraft were in fact found to contain malware. Once downloaded, the malicious “app” icon deleted itself, making it difficult to identify the source of the problem – and remove it. In its guidance to gamers using mods, Xbox warns that personal data may be exposed or accessed by the mod’s creator. If your child is interested in gaming mods, ensure they are downloading them from reliable sources and that the computer or device they are using has appropriate virus protection software in place. Talk to them about the potential danger viruses can pose, as well as the importance of thinking critically about whether something online may be potentially harmful. Enhancing gameplay Sometimes players download alterations to give themselves a competitive advantage over others in multiplayer games – for example improving aim or enhancing their chosen weapon. This can cause tensions to rise. Other players feel that adding mod after mod can alter a game so dramatically that it is no longer recognisable – making it feel “inauthentic” and detracting from the “pure” version of the game. When automatic updates (patches) are downloaded, they change the game’s code, so any mods being used also need to be updated. So-called “downgrade mods” can get around this issue and enable players to play an older version of the game, but it is worth noting that mods that remove patches could break the terms and conditions and lead to players being banned.
What else do parents need to know? Coding skills Modding can be a gateway to coding and programming – and if your child enjoys creating mods of their own, it could be the first step towards a career in game development. The modding community is generally a supportive one, with creativity, imagination and fun all highly encouraged. It’s a great way for your child to let their imaginations run wild while honing the coding skills they may have begun to learn in school. The Parent Zone view Mods can be entertaining, practical and endlessly creative, and the modding community is becoming more and more accepted by big game developers and platforms. Many games remain fairly linear in format. The introduction of a few exciting or entertaining mods can transform a well-trodden path into a whole new adventure. However, it’s important to be aware of inappropriate ways in which games can be changed. If your child is interested in mods, it would be a good idea to find out more about what they do with them – whether they download or create them – to understand if there could be any risks involved. You could also let them know your expectations around the types of mods that are appropriate to create or download. https://parentzone.org.uk/article/gaming-mods-what-parents-need-know
Online Safety Advice & Information for Parents The following links are intended as a useful resource to find out about a number of issues that exist in the online world.
Childnet - online safety Childnet - Childnet
Educateagainsthate provides practical advice and support on protecting children from extremism and radicalisation Educate Against Hate - Prevent Radicalisation & Extremism
NSPCC Online Safety for Children - Tips & Guides Dedicated NSPCC helpline 0800 136 663. The helpline will provide both children and adults who are potential victims of sexual abuse in schools with the appropriate support and advice. This includes how to contact the police and report crimes if they wish. The helpline will also provide support to parents and professionals too. Dedicated helpline for victims of abuse in schools Use of social media for online radicalisation - How social media is used to encourage travel to Syria and Iraq. The use of social media for online radicalisation UK Council for Internet Safety UK Council for Internet Safety UK Safer Internet Centre UK Safer Internet Centre - Online Safety Tips, Advice and Resources Commonsensemedia provide independent reviews, age ratings, & other information about all types of media for children and their parents. Common Sense Media: Age-Based Media Reviews for Families Government advice about protecting children from specific online harms such as child sexual abuse, sexting, and cyberbullying. Coronavirus (COVID-19): support for parents and carers to keep children safe online Internet Matters provide age-specific online safety checklists, guides on how to set parental controls on a range of devices, and a host of practical tips to help children get the most out of their digital world. Information, Advice and Support to Keep Children Safe Online Let’s Talk About It provides advice for parents and carers to keep children safe from online radicalisation. Staying Safe Online London Grid for Learning provides support for parents and carers to keep their children safe online. Home Page - London Grid for Learning Stopitnow resource from The Lucy Faithfull Foundation can be used by parents and carers who are concerned about someone’s behaviour, including children who may be displaying concerning sexual behaviour (not just about online). Stop It Now! UK and Ireland | Preventing child sexual abuse National Crime Agency/CEOP Thinkuknow provides support for parents and carers to keep their children safe online - https://www.thinkuknow.co.uk/ Net-aware provides support for parents and carers from the NSPCC and O2, including a guide to social networks, apps and games - https://www.net-aware.org.uk/ Apps, games and social media sites reviews for parents
Internet Watch Foundation The IWF is a not-for-profit organisation that works towards the global elimination of child sexual abuse images and videos online. We help to make the internet a safer place for children and adults across the world. https://talk.iwf.org.uk/ Parentzone provides help for parents and carers on how to keep their children safe online https://parentzone.org.uk/home Parent info from Parentzone and the National Crime Agency provides support and guidance for parents from leading experts and organisations - https://parentinfo.org/ Breck Foundation The Breck Foundation is a charity founded by Lorin LaFave after the tragic loss of her 14-year old son, Breck Bednar, in 2014, through online grooming. Breck was groomed while enjoying his passions of computing and gaming. We want to ensure that no child is harmed through grooming and exploitation while enjoying their time on the internet. Prevention through education is essential. About Us | Breck Foundation Internet browsing history checks Only Fans Explained
Under-18s who want nude pictures or videos of themselves removed from the internet can now report the images through an online tool. The service - from the Internet Watch Foundation and Childline - aims to help children who have been groomed, or whose partners have posted photos of them online. To access the Report Remove facility on the childline website please use the link below: Report Remove: Remove a nude image shared online
WhatsApp. WhatsApp is popular with many learners and many of them are members of different WhatsApp groups. It is important to remember that the freedom to use electronic devices such as phones, laptops and tablets comes with greater responsibilities for both children and parents. Please use the links below to make sure that you are aware of the age limits for different applications and how they are set to minimise the opportunity for inappropriate use. Does WhatsApp have any age restrictions? As of May 2018, WhatsApp’s minimum age of use is 16 years old if you live in the European Union, or a country that has adopted the GDPR, as the UK has. It was previously 13 and WhatsApp has not yet said what will happen to users between 13 and 16 who already held accounts under the old terms and conditions. By using WhatsApp, a user agrees to provide certain personal information such as their mobile phone number, billing and mobile device information.
If WhatsApp learns that identifiable information of a child under 16 has been collected on the WhatsApp Site or WhatsApp Service, then WhatsApp may deactivate the account. Read the full article here: https://parentinfo.org/article/whatsapp-a-guide-for-parents-and-carers Fake Profiles
A very good video resource to watch with your children about the risks of sharing images and fake profiles on line - Fake profile, real love story: https://www.youtube.com
Twitch is a streaming service which is extremely popular among young people - link- Twitch - a guide for parents and carers Parents need to be aware of an increasingly popular application called Discord. Discord is a chat service specifically designed for gamers to connect with each other using either text, voice or video chat. Even if chat features are disabled within online games, Discord can be downloaded separately allowing conversation to take place outside the game being played. Most major games
have a Discord channel associated with them. According to Essex police, private ‘channels’ are being created within Discord to target and groom some young people. Please talk to your children about the use of this app and how they may be vulnerable. Ensure that they understand that the people they may be talking to and forming friendships with, may not be who they claim to be. Parents guide to Discord: https://parentzone.org.uk/article/discord-everything-you-need-know-about-chat-service
CEOP. There is a button to CEOP on the school website: https://www.honywoodschool.com as well as a link under the Quick Links section. Wherever you see this logo you are able to directly report any concern.
CEOP helps young people who are being sexually abused or are worried that someone they’ve met is trying to abuse them. If you’ve met someone online, or face to face, and they are putting you under pressure to have sex, asking to share images or making you feel uncomfortable you should report to CEOP. This might be someone: ● ● ● ● ● ●
Making you have sex when you donʼt want to Chatting about sex online Asking you to meet up face to face if youʼve only met them online Asking you to do sexual things on camera Asking for sexual pictures of you Making you feel worried, anxious or unsafe
If this is happening to you, or you’re worried that it might be, you can report this to CEOP www.ceop.police.uk/safety-centre
Mental Health Support Resources for Parents
Exam Stress. The following link covers a wide-range of tips to keep students mentally healthy. Supporting Your Child during Exam Time (Young Minds) Exam Time & Exam Stress | Parents Guide To Support Young Minds https://youngminds.org.uk/ EWMHS. Emotional well being and mental health service have recently launched a new Instagram account to provide advice and support to young people experiencing mental health issues. Please encourage your children to follow the account where they will be able to access early intervention advice and support. https://www.instagram.com/ewmhs_nhs/
MindEd is a free educational resource on children and young people's mental health for all adults: https://www.minded.org.uk/ Safe and reliable advice about young people’s mental health, created by experts and parents together: https://www.mindedforfamilies.org.uk/young-people NHS Mental Health Charities directory: Mental health charities and organisations Parent zone - 10 mental wellbeing apps for all the family: https://parentzone.org.uk/article/10-mental-wellbeing-apps-all-family Gov.uk COVID-19: guidance on supporting children and young people’s mental health and wellbeing Headstogether - Changing the conversation on mental health: https://www.headstogether.org.uk The Mix - Essential support for under 25s: https://www.themix.org.uk/
Safeguarding Support Resources for Parents Safeguarding when learning to drive. We are aware that from time to time, concerns are raised by post-16 learners and their parents in Essex about inappropriate conduct of driving instructors. We have been given the following
information to help to safeguard https://www.gov.uk/learn-to-drive-a-car
those
accessing
driving
lessons:
https://www.gov.uk/find-driving-schools-and-lessons (all instructors on the list will have had a DBS check and passed all the qualification tests to become an instructor) https://www.gov.uk/complain-about-a-driving-instructor Parent zone - County Lines: https://parentinfo.org/article/county-lines-what-is-it-and-who-is-at-risk? Parent zone - Sleep Advice: https://parentzone.org.uk/article/how-sleep-easy-during-global-pandemic Parent line Family Support: Parentline family support and bullying helpline Domestic Abuse support: #ReachIn
Welfare Support Resources for Parents Essex Welfare Service (EWS). The EWS, a service to help vulnerable people in the community in need of support and unable to access it at this time: https://essexwelfareservice.org/ Parents are able to ‘self-refer’ if they are experiencing difficulties EWS Contact details: Phone: 0300 303 9988 Email: provide.essexwelfareservice@nhs.net Website: https://essexwelfareservice.org/ Opening hours: Monday to Friday, 8am to 7pm Saturday and Sunday, 10am to 2pm Livewell Essex There is a real need to collectively find solutions that contribute towards wellbeing in order to reduce the cost to health and social care. The Livewell campaign is designed to engage communities, families and individuals and to provide information about all that is on offer in Essex to improve health and wellbeing. All 13 Essex Local Authorities and our partners have come together to collaborate on the health and wellbeing agenda and work towards achieving better health outcomes for people across Essex. Household Support Fund ECC has received funding from central government to support vulnerable families and adults this winter. There are a range of initiatives in place to ensure help with household food and utility bills, essential items and emergency situations are provided for. To find out more about how to access this support please follow the link for access points where parents, young adults and adults can be signposted to www.essex.gov.uk/money-debt-and-benefits/household-support-fund
Key Contacts in School
Please see the key contact list below to support you to address any concerns. Leadership Team Mr Saunders Mrs Brook Mr Munro Mr Calver Mr Caygill Mrs Downes Mrs Hickford Miss McPhail Mr Smith Mr Williams
Headteacher Deputy Headteacher Deputy Headteacher Assistant Headteacher Assistant Headteacher Assistant Headteacher Assistant Headteacher Associate Assistant Head Associate Assistant Head Associate Assistant Head
jsaunders@honywoodschool.com jbrook@honywoodschool.com jmunro@honywoodschool.com dcalver@honywoodschool.com scaygill@honywoodschool.com pdownes@honywoodschool.com jhickford@honywoodschool.com amcphail@honywoodschool.com dsmith@honywoodschool.com jwilliams@honywoodschool.com
Safeguarding, welfare and support team Mrs Nichols Mrs Slaney
Safeguarding Officer Mrs Slaney - Transition & Alternative Ed Coordinator Mr Robertson Attendance Concerns Mrs Loydall Medical concerns
knichols@honywoodschool.com sslaney@honywoodschool.com crobertson@honywoodschool.com medical@honywoodschool.com
Cohort Leaders Cohort 7 Cohort 8 Cohort 9 Cohort 10 Cohort 11
Mr Hall Ms Ward Ms Martin Mr Scott Mrs Reece
shall@honywoodschool.com tward@honywoodschool.com amartin@honywoodschool.com dscott@honywoodschool.com ereece@honywoodschool.com
SEND team Mrs Vaughan SENCO cvaughan@honywoodschool.com Mr Wood Deputy SENCO (Autism Hub)mwood@honywoodschool.com