Safeguarding Resources

Please find on this page an evolving library of resources that you can use to keep safe. 

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Being Real on TikTok Now

TikTok has released a new (but familiar!) feature within their app called ‘TikTok Now’. Our online safety experts have taken a look to assess what TikTok Now is, the safeguarding concerns that come with it, and the comparisons it has to the popular photo sharing app BeReal.

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⚠️ Live Streaming of Explicit sexual content on Twitch ⚠️

It has come to our attention that explicit sexualised content has been broadcast on the popular livestreaming platform, Twitch, frequently used by children and young people. We are concerned that additional posts and articles about the livestream have since emerged on Reddit, Twitter and TikTok. 

This is not the first time that sexualised content has been broadcast on Twitch.

We understand that safeguarding alerts can invoke many feelings for lots of different reasons. It’s important as you read this email to pause, remain calm, and use our guidance and practical advice below to plan your response.  

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⚠️ Scam Alert ⚠️
‘Hi Mum’

We have recently been made aware of a phishing scam known as ‘Hi Mum’ that has been circulating through text messages or instant messaging services, such as WhatsApp. The scam involves the impersonation of friends or family members in order to gain access to your personal information. We strongly encourage you to read our article for guidance on identifying phishing scams and how to deal with them if you have been targeted.

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Drones Fact Sheet

Information released by the Civil Aviation Authority regarding the safe operation of drones.

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Snapchat Overview

Popular social media app Snapchat has been in the headlines recently. Our online safety experts have created this shareable graphic, highlighting the key features of the the app, the risks involved and our tips for keeping young people safe while using Snapchat

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⚠️Snapchat ‘Meet Up’ Safeguarding Alert⚠️

We have been made aware of a new, high-risk feature Snapchat have added to their app. The feature, called ‘Meet Up’ involves the ability to integrate Google Maps & Apple Maps into the Snapchat maps feature (Snap Map) to get precise directions to a friend’s location without any warning or notification

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Online Safety for 11 – 18s (CEOP)

CEOP has created a new website for teenagers called ‘The internet, relationships & you’ and offers advice on socialising online, online safety, getting support and sexual content online. CEOP is a part of the National Crime Agency.

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Tackling Child Abuse (HM Government/DfE)

The government has launched a campaign called ‘Together we can tackle child abuse’. The resources, aimed at everyone in the community, could be used with parents and include four very short videos explaining physical abuse, emotional abuse, sexual abuse, neglect and online abuse. 

The simple mnemonic, ABC, is used to remind people that they should look out for changes in appearance, behaviour or communication. The webpage has a search engine to find out where to report abuse.

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7-13 February marks Children’s Mental Health Week 2022 across the UK.

After nearly two full years of a pandemic, the newest research indicates it has taken a heavy toll on children’s mental health. Between the social impacts, education and home life adjustments, and the stress and uncertainties of a pandemic, the fog is beginning to clear. We may now begin to see the real effects this has had on children and young people’s mental health.

For Children’s Mental Health Week 2022, we’ve provided the latest statistics, signposting to further help and support and some top tips on how to talk to children and young people about mental health.

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Once upon a time, chatting with friends outside of school meant using a landline. Playing games with pals involved knocking on their doors. Being bullied by other pupils was confined to school hours.

Now, the virtual world has created a 24/7 timeframe for children and young people to become the targets of cyberbullying. With phones in their pockets and consoles in their bedrooms, the idea of home being a ‘safe place’ away from school bullies is, sadly, of the past.

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Resources for Safer Internet Day 2022

We believe that every day should be a safer internet day for children and young people. That’s why for 2022’s Safer Internet Day, we’ve put together a list of resources to help you safeguard the children and young people in your care online.

Safer Internet Day 2022’s theme is ‘exploring respect and relationships online’. From online bullying to LGBTQ+ and the power of words, we have resources on a range of topics designed to help children and young people develop and maintain safer, healthier relationships with others online.

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All children and young people have the right to learn in a safe and healthy environment that’s free from bullying, harassment, and intimidation in all forms. Unfortunately, bullying still happens inside and outside of school, but most cases are resolved quickly. 

Bullying is best understood as a set of harmful behaviours directed at one person or a group. It can include verbal, physical, psychological, or socially harmful behaviours that can inflict harm, stress, and injury. 

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We can all conjure up a mental image of a “bully” – someone mean, troubled, and angry who takes out these feelings on others. You might imagine a person from your life or a character from a film or television showBut what happens when the “bully” in question is the child in your care?  

This is a reality many parents and carers are facing, especially as cases of cyberbullying are rising. It can be embarrassing and heart-breaking to find out a young person in your care has engaged in bullying behaviour. The most important thing to remember is that a bully who is a child is still a child.

Our online safety experts have put together this guide to help parents, carers, and teachers make the best decisions when dealing with a child who is bullying their peers.

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Free” stuff comes at a very high price

Have you been invited to a party or gathering, either online or in-person and have been told that there will be “free” drink and/or drugs?

Ask yourself;

“Why is someone offering to give me something for free?

“What do they want in return?”

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Have you ever seen the term “troll” or “trolling” used on social media? If you look at the comment section of any controversial topic, you’ll likely find it. Trolling is typically used to irritate communities, fans of celebrity targets, or people who hold specific beliefs or positions of power. The seemingly anonymous nature of internet commenting allows “trolls” to operate without fear of punishment. However, trolling is considered a form of cyberbullying and can have a severe impact on offline life.

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You may have seen (and laughed) at some funny videos that use deepfake technology. For example, videos in which celebrities, friends, or relatives have had their faces manipulated to sing, dance, or even tell jokes. When deepfakes are used in this way, they are unlikely to cause serious harm.

However, there is a much more worrying and disturbing side to how deepfakes are being used online. This article brings you the latest research on deepfakes and explains how they can be misused. Read on to find out how you can protect the children in your care as this technology continues to evolve.

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Every day, we see the release of new apps and new features that promise to help keep you more connected to others. One of the most popular online spaces for children and young people to connect is Discord. Keep reading to find out everything you need to know about this platform and why it presents a risk to those in your care.

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The NSPCC is launching a dedicated helpline for children and young people who have experienced sexual harassment or abuse at school, and for worried adults and professionals that need support and guidance.

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WhatsApp remains one of the most popular social media messaging services even after ten years of being on the scene, with nearly two billion users worldwide. Though they’ve clearly found a formula for success, they are continuing to develop and expand WhatsApp, including three new features expected to launch or move into testing very soon. Our online safety experts have taken a look at these future features before their release to let you know what’s up with the changes.

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Prevent is about working together to safeguard and support those vulnerable to radicalisation.

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How to Develop Healthy Habits on Screen Time

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What you need to know about child criminal exploitation

The National Crime Agency reports that 88% of police forces in England and Wales have an established or emerging County Lines problem in their area. County lines is the term used by police to describe this activity. This article tells you more about the so-called ‘county lines’ phenomenon, how you can recognise the signs and what you can do if you are concerned.

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Prevent is about working together to safeguard and support those vulnerable to radicalisation.

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We have previously raised concerns about the dangers of self-generated sexual imagery created by children and young people. It can be scary and confusing for children and young people, especially if they lose control of any images. Here, we help define this issue and give you some top tips on supporting children and young people by keeping control of images.

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Published: 24 June 2021

It’s Pride Month in the UK, which marks the celebration of and focus on LGBTQ+ communities. While this is a time to celebrate, it is also an important time to shed light on the difficult everyday situations many LGBTQ+ young people find themselves in, especially during the ongoing pandemic. Understanding the context of the lives of young LGBTQ+ people and the lived experience of children and young people in our care means we can better understand and support them.

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Look At Me – Teens, Sexting and Risks Report

Highlighting the digital relationships today for young people, this report provides insight into who shares nudes and why. It goes on to explore an ecology of related risks sharers encounter.

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⚠️ Safeguarding Alert – Dangerous Chat Rooms ⚠️

Following recurring press reports about the dangers of Omegle we are sharing an updated safeguarding alert to make you aware of a likely increase in interest on this platform.

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Supporting Young People Online

The internet is an amazing resource that enables children and young people to connect, communicate and be creative in a number of different ways, on a range of devices. However, the internet is always changing, and being able to keep up to date with your children’s use of technology can be a challenge. You may sometimes feel that your child has better technical skills than you do, however, children and young people still need advice and protection when it comes to managing their lives online.

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Safer Internet Day 2021 Top TipsSupporting Young People Online

Make the most out of your time online by taking a look at these top tips this Safer Internet Day. From double-checking information to questioning the source, these top tips look at all the things that you should be free to be online.

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County Lines Information from Northumbria Police

County lines is a major threat to young people and vulnerable adults throughout England, Scotland, and Wales, which is expanding and progressing at a fast pace. With a growing number of County Lines operating throughout England and Wales putting thousands of young people and vulnerable adults at risk.

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Top E-safety Tips to Staying Safe Online Guide

For parents and families, and for anyone working with children and young people, it’s not easy to keep up with what’s going on.

With a huge increase in device ownership and use of online services, it is important to ensure that you and your children are safe when enjoying the potential of technology.

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TikTok Information and Guidance

The TikTok family pairing feature allows parents to link their accounts to their children’s. Find out what features are available and how it can help keep young people safe on social media

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DOWNLOAD TIKTOK CHECKLIST

⚠️ Safeguarding Alert – Avakin Life ⚠️

We have been alerted to the risk of potential grooming and abuse on the Avakin Life platform by members of our network.  

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⚠️ Harmful Viral Content Warning ⚠️

We’re sharing urgent concerns about conversations happening online on TikTok about a movie being discussed on social media and shared on YouTube 

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PlayStation 5 Parent and Carer Guide

The PS5 sold out within hours of its release last week. It’s been hotly anticipated throughout the year. But what makes it different? How can parents set it up safely? And what should they consider? Find out with this guide.

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Urgent Information for Families

Information for Families – How not to be a ‘Screen Zombie’

Please click for helpful information provided by NOS. 

Online Safety Alert

Please be aware of a new app called

‘Doki Doki’.

On the surface this looks like it is a Japanese Anime colouring app, however, it makes regular reference to suicide and self-harm.

Information for Families about ‘ZOOM’

Use of video conferencing services such as ‘Zoom’ has increased greatly in recent times, please click for helpful information provided by NOS. 

14 Ways to be Kind Online

Suggestions from NOS on creating a kinder online experience. 

URGENT MESSAGE FOR NINTENDO SWITCH USERS

Nintendo Switch users are being prompted to secure their accounts following reports of hacking and fraud. Click the image or the link above to access this important message from ineqe.com

Net Aware

Click the thumbnail or the link above to access a guide to social networks, apps, and games from net-aware.org.uk

Internet Matters

Click the thumbnail or the link above to access ‘Supporting Families Online’ from internetmatters.org 

UK Safer Internet Centre

Click the thumbnail or the link above to access Tips, advice, guides and resources to help keep your child safe online from saferinternet.org.uk

NSPCC

Click the thumbnail or the link above to access online safety resources from nspcc.org.uk

Parent-Guardian Online Radicalisation Information and Support Sheet

Click the thumbnail or the link above to open the information sheet in a new tab. Right-click to choose the option to download or save the PDF.

NOS Omegle Information Sheet

Click the thumbnail or the link above to open the information sheet in a new tab. Right-click to choose the option to download or save the PDF.

House Party Information Sheet

Click the thumbnail or the link above to open the information sheet in a new tab. Right-click to choose the option to download or save the PDF.

Learn more about TikTok

Please find below: information, links and a video exploring the social networking service ‘TikTok’. The information is provided by INEQE Safeguarding Group.

TikTok is soaring in popularity, with over 1.5 billion downloads across 155 different countries.

To help you support the children and young people in your care, we have made a short video overview of TikTok’s digital wellbeing tools.

 

INEQE Safeguarding Group provide other resources that could help everyone stay as safe as possible whilst using TikTok:

National Online Safety

Direct links to resources from this website can be found below.

Safe Internet

Direct links to resources from this website can be found below.