Keeping Safe

NSPCC Pants Underwear Rule

Our Keeping Safe Week was a great opportunity to focus in on safeguarding (including keeping safe from sexual abuse) and support our children to know their rights and recognise things that may concern them. Children were taught about the PANTS Underwear rules using NSPCC resources as well a online safety and tips for keeping safe online.

If you would like more information about the PANTS rules or child abuse support and information, you can access the NSPCC website here:
https://www.nspcc.org.uk/

If you are concerned about child exploitation and would like more information you can visit the ivision trust website:
www.ivisontrust.org.uk

You can also speak to our Safeguarding Team for any further support, advice or signposting.

Parents Against Child Exploitation

*Please be aware that PACE has changed its name to 'ivision trust' Thank you*

Pace is a leading national charity that brings the parent perspective to tackling child exploitation.

www.ivisontrust.org.uk

Victoria Northern from PACE visited school to run a parents information session about safeguarding your children at home on their mobile devices.

We have placed the documents discussed on our safeguarding page here which were sent by Victoria.

Click here to visit the safeguarding page

You can also find up to date support and advice about keeping children safe on the NSPCC website here using the link below. This includes support for online, in the home and mental health.https://www.nspcc.org.uk/keeping-children-safe/

The NSPCC have recently (2023) shared support and advice for families around safeguarding at home in relation to Virtual Reality Headsets. You can find this here:https://www.nspcc.org.uk/keeping-children-safe/online-safety/virtual-reality-headsets/

Online Safety

Talking to your child about Online Safety

Why is it important to talk to your child about online safety?

The internet is now an integral part of our children’s daily lives. Whether they are at home, at school, or on the go, they are constantly exposed to digital content. While the internet provides incredible opportunities for learning and social interaction, it also comes with risks that can impact a child’s wellbeing and safety.

As a parent, creating an open and judgment-free space where your child feels safe discussing their online experiences is essential. If they encounter harmful situations, early intervention and support can help prevent long-term emotional or psychological harm

What kind of risks might children face online?

Children may be exposed to various risks while online, including cyberbullying, inappropriate content, online grooming, and harmful trends on social media. For example, recent social media influencers have promoted harmful ideas, such as misogyny and violence, which can influence young minds.

Online bullying is also a significant concern, with nearly 1 in 5 children in the UK experiencing it. Because many of these risks occur in digital spaces that parents may not always monitor, it’s important to foster trust so children feel safe speaking up.

Why might children hesitate to talk about negative online experiences?

Many children hesitate to share their concerns for several reasons:

Fear of retaliation from bullies or online predators.
Feelings of embarrassment or shame, particularly in cases of online grooming.
Worry that telling a parent will result in losing access to their devices.
Fear of being blamed, for example, being told, “I warned you not to use that app.”

These concerns can create barriers to communication, which is why it’s crucial for parents to adopt a supportive and understanding approach when discussing online safety.

How can parents encourage open conversations about online experiences?

Start by making digital discussions a regular part of family life. Instead of interrogating your child about their online activity, try asking open-ended questions like:
“What’s the latest trend on TikTok?”
“Have you seen anything online recently that made you feel uncomfortable?”
“What do you think about this video/game?”

These types of questions encourage your child to share their thoughts and experiences without feeling judged or fearful of consequences.
It’s also important to focus on education rather than punishment. If a concern arises, instead of immediately restricting device access, explain why certain safety measures are necessary. For example, discuss how parental controls help protect them rather than making them feel like they are being restricted.

What tools can parents use to keep their children safe online?

There are many tools available to help parents create a safer digital environment for their children. Some key resources include:

Parental control apps like Google Family Link, Apple Family Sharing, Qustodio or Net Nanny, which allow you to monitor and manage your child’s internet use.
Online safety hubs such as the NSPCC or Internetmatters.org, which offer guides and tips on how to protect children online.
Wellbeing apps like My Happy Mind which provide children with a discreet way to express their feelings and reach out for help if they encounter something distressing online.

The Hidden Meanings Behind Emojis: What Parents Need to Know

People of all ages use emojis in their digital communications. In addition to adding humour or emphasis to messages, for some communities and peer groups, these symbols can form a language of their own. This is particularly true of young people and teenagers, who sometimes use emojis as a code to disguise their true intentions from adults.

While hidden meanings behind emojis used by young people can be harmless, some may indicate risks including extremism, drugs, sexual interactions and bullying. This was recently brought to life on the Netflix limited series, Adolescence, which depicted the devastating consequences of harmful online interactions, and the warning signs (in the form of emojis) that are easily missed by adults.

To help schools and parents decode potentially harmful messages, we’ve compiled a list of emojis commonly used in dangerous contexts. This includes specific emojis used on the show, and others highlighted by the work of Olivia Brown, Associate Professor in Digital Futures at the University of Bath.

Emoji(s)	Potential Meaning
💊 🔴	The red pill emoji is linked to incel, or “involuntarily celibate”, culture, where misogynistic and extremist views are prevalent. The meaning originates from The Matrix films, but has been adopted by the manosphere to represent those who see the “real truth” in the world.
🔵	The blue pill emoji is used in incel culture to represent the opposite of the red pill - those who are blind to the real truth and adhere to more mainstream views about gender dynamics.
💯	The 100 emoji is used in relation to incel culture. It represents the idea promoted by those in the manosphere that 80% of women are attracted to 20% of men.
🧨	The dynamite emoji is used in incel culture to represent the exploding red pill, in other words, breaking out of societal norms and myths.
	The kidney beans emoji is tied to incel culture. It is thought to represent coffee beans, which link back to a series of memes mocking women.
🔌	The plug emoji can be used to mean drug dealer, also known as a person’s “plug”.
❄️ 👃 ⛽	The snowflake, nose and petrol pump emojis are all used to represent the drug cocaine.
🐴 🐎	The horse emojis can be used to represent the drug ketamine.
☠️ 💀👽😈	Skull, alien and devil emojis may represent the drug ecstasy.
🎈	The balloon emoji may be used to represent the drug nitrous oxide.
📹 📷	Camera emojis can represent a request for nude/explicit images or videos.
🍑🍆🍒	Peach, aubergine and cherry emojis can all be used to represent body parts in a sexual context.
💦	The sweat emoji may also be used in a sexual context.
😶	The face with no mouth emoji can convey the message “Do not tell anybody”. It may be used in a bullying context or when sharing inappropriate, illegal or sensitive information.
🐸	The frog emoji can mean “You’re ugly”. It is used in bullying or harassment contexts.
❤️	Heart emojis can mean different things depending on the colour used. The red heart usually means love.
💜	The purple heart can be used to convey attraction or sexual desire.
💛	The yellow heart may mean "I'm interested, are you interested?"
💖	The pink heart can mean "I'm interested but not in sex."
🧡	An orange heart is more likely to be platonic, and means "You're going to be fine.”

When monitoring digital interactions for these emojis, it’s important to remember that context matters. Their use does not automatically indicate a harmful conversation - the specific circumstances in which a symbol is used will reveal whether it’s something that should spark concern. Understanding the hidden meanings behind emojis can be most helpful when they are considered alongside other markers of risk.

Of course, the language used by teenagers is constantly evolving. The meanings of emojis can change from one month to the next, so it’s useful to try to stay abreast of the latest slang, as it may offer signs of safeguarding risks.