NSPCC’s Speak out; Stay safe programme
I am pleased to tell you that this term we will be participating in the NSPCC’s Speak out; Stay safe programme. This consists of an assembly that will be taking place on Tuesday 19th November with further classroom-based activities taking place the following week including a visit to our year 5 and year 6s from the NSPCC. Speak out;Stay safe is a safeguarding programme available to all primary schools in the UK. It aims to help children understand abuse in all its forms and to recognise the signs of abuse in a child-friendly way. Children are taught to speak out if they are worried, either to a trusted adult or Childline.
In the assembly, the Speak out;Stay safe messages are delivered in a fun and interactive way with the help of their mascot Buddy, as well as special guest appearances (online) from Ant and Dec.
We have studied the content of the materials and are extremely confident that they are appropriate for primary-school-aged children. By the end of the programme, we’re convinced children will feel empowered – knowing how they can speak out and stay safe.
If you would like to know more about the Speak out; Stay safe programme you can find information on the NSPCC website www.nspcc.org.uk/speakout or I would be happy to discuss any questions that you may have.
The NSPCC has also developed an adapted version of their assembly for parents/carers to use at home with their children. This can be found here: www.nspcc.org.uk/keeping-children-safe/support-for-parents/safety. With the help of celebrities, the film focuses on how a child can get support if they have any worries or concerns.
To complement the assembly, there are some resources that can be used to enable further discussion whilst doing activities with your children. These are hosted on the NSPCC website www.nspcc.org.uk/activities.
Online safety hub
You may also like to visit the NSPCC Online Safety Hub where you will find advice and information on a range of different online safety topics including gaming, social media, sharing nudes, parental controls and more.
You will also find online safety information for families of children with additional needs and disabilities. The NSPCC have worked with Ambitious about Autism and parents and carers who have children with additional needs and disabilities to create activities to help talk about online safety which you can find at www.nspcc.org.uk/keeping-children-safe/online-safety/online-safety-families-children-with-send.
Childline Under 12’s Website
Childline also have a website with age-appropriate advice for primary school children on topics such as bullying. It also has games and other interactive tools. Your child can visit it at www.childline.org.uk/kids.
If you’d like to know more about the NSPCC’s work, or take a look at the wide range of information and advice which is available for parents and carers, please visit their website www.nspcc.org.uk/parents.
Talking PANTS with your children
Talk PANTS is a simple conversation to help keep your child safe from sexual abuse. From P through to S, each letter of PANTS provides a simple but valuable rule that can help keep your child safe. You can find out more and download the free resources at www.nspcc.org.uk/pants.
Yours sincerely,
Maxine Smith
Deputy Head and Designated Safeguarding Lead