Agenda item

Representatives from the NSPCC will deliver a presentation to the Panel on their Primary Schools Programme.

Councillor Loraine Morgan-Brinkhurst introduced this item to the Panel. She asked for the hand-out that had been circulated to be emailed to all Councillors.

Kevin West, Area Coordinator: BathNES, Bristol, Swindon and Wiltshire gave a presentation to the Panel on the ChildLine Schools Service. A copy of the presentation can be found online as an appendix to these minutes and on the Panel’s Minute Book, a summary is set out below.

Background

•  The service aims to reach every primary school in the UK once every two years

•  The service was piloted between April and September 2010, and rolled out from February 2011

•  Our resources have been produced in consultation with children, teachers and child protection specialists

Aims & Objectives

•  To ensure children have an understanding of abuse in all its forms, including bullying, and an ability to recognise the signs of abuse.

•  To ensure children know how to protect themselves from all forms of abuse.

•  To make them aware of how to get help and sources of help (including ChildLine).

Why?

•  On average, two children in every primary school classroom have suffered abuse or neglect

•  A new study by YouGov shows ONLY 36% of adults taking part in the survey would have been able to recognise abuse if it was happening to them in school

•  ONLY 38% claim they would have known who to ask for help

How?

•  30min Assembly presented to all Year 5 and 6 Children

•  Return 1 – 2 weeks later to deliver a 60min workshop with the children in their classes

Buddy the Childline mascot is used in the assemblies to talk about the rights of children.

Buddy believes that children have;

•  the right to be listened to

•  the right to stay safe and not be hurt

•  the right to get help when you need it

The five main aspects of the assembly were then discussed.

•  Neglect

•  Physical Abuse

•  Emotional Abuse

•  Sexual Abuse

•  Bullying

Story so far…

•  Across the UK, in 2012-13, we have visited 2,044 Schools, and over 138,000 children.

•  BathNES: to date we have visited 11 schools and over 700 children.

Current / Future work

•  Continued delivery of the ChildLine Schools Service

•  Raise the profile of the service

•  Exploration of other delivery methods

•  Volunteer recruitment

•  Appointment of new Area Coordinator for BathNES/Somerset

Councillor Loraine Morgan-Brinkhurst asked if he could explain the impact the programme has had on some pupils.

Kevin West replied by saying that staff had informed them that following on from the class workshops that some pupils had asked to talk about things further and disclose incidents.

Councillor Dine Romero asked if he was aware of the work already taking place in schools within the Council, such as anti-bullying.

Kevin West replied that as part of the programme they would contact schools prior to visits and then look to reiterate their key messages. He added that he was aware that some parents might not have raised these issues with their children yet and that they do have the opportunity to withdraw them from the assembly / workshop.

The Strategic Director for People and Communities replied that most pupils by this age would have had these matters raised within school.

The Chair commented that some of these issues are also raised at the Pupil Parliament events. On behalf of the Panel she thanked the NSPCC for the presentation and the work that they do.