The Children’s Society Newly Revised Appropriate Language Guide: Free Learning Event
Join The Children’s Society for their #LookCloser campaign week, focusing on ‘language matters’.
Please join Phoebe Bond from the Children’s Society at 12:00 – 13:30 hrs on Friday the 22nd of November for an input around the newly revised Appropriate Language Guide.
This learning session will highlight the importance of using appropriate language when working with children and young people who are victims of exploitation and abuse.
What is victim blaming language?
Victim blaming language refers to any language that implies, intentionally or unintentionally, that a victim is responsible for the abuse they have experienced. As language evolves, phrases that were once commonly accepted may no longer be appropriate. Therefore, it is crucial to maintain an open and reflective attitude to make sure that our language evolves in a way that supports and respects all individuals.
Why is this important?
Victim blaming language exacerbates the trauma experienced by survivors of abuse and hinders their access to justice and support. Serious case reviews highlight the profound negative effect of victim blaming language on victims themselves and on professional and public perceptions of victims, often leaving them in unsafe and abusive circumstances.
What will I learn?
This session will discuss key themes within ‘child exploitation and abuse: an appropriate language guide’ co-developed by The Children’s Society and NAPAC to explore the critical importance of avoiding victim blaming language in all forms of communications and ensure that the language we use as professionals supports, rather than harms, victims of child exploitation.
Who should join this session?
This session is suitable for any professional who may come into contact with a victim of exploitation and abuse, both directly and indirectly.
Microsoft Teams Need help?
Meeting ID: 355 669 760 465 Passcode: VZf2Ad
Additional Resources:
NYSCP are please to share the exciting news that the ‘Appropriate Language Guide’ for child exploitation and abuse has now been published and is available on The Children’s Society’s website, please see this link below:
Child Exploitation Language Guide | The Children’s Society
The guide is available in both English and Welsh, and has been co-developed with the CSE Taskforce and the National Association for People Abused in Childhood.
To promote the use of positive language across the partnership, a series of resources have been created and collated by NYSCP to help practitioners consider the words and phrases that they may use when speaking to and about young people. It encourages consideration of the impact language can have for children and young people, as well as parents and carers affected by exploitation or other forms of extra-familial harm. This includes not just language used verbally, but information that is written in files, case notes, statements, assessments and reports.
These resources, alongside a series of partnership principles and questions for refection are collated on out BeAware knowledge Hub, which can be accessed at the following page: NYSCP