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Welcome to the NYSCP October 2024 edition of our e-bulletin
The academic year is now well underway, and it has been a busy time for the North Yorkshire Safeguarding Children Partnership. We are quickly approaching the launch date for Working Together to Safeguarding Children (2023) which will bring some very important changes for our partnership. To explain these changes, we have prepared a briefing which you can watch on our website:
September is always a busy time with the start of a new year and schools are implementing the latest version of Keeping Children Safe in Education. The NYSCP School Safeguarding Policy was updated in June 2024 and is available on the new information for schools section on our website.
As we get closer to Christmas, we are raising awareness of the impact of parental/carer use of alcohol on children and young people with our #WhosInCharge campaign. York and North Yorkshire’s safeguarding children’s partnerships are raising awareness of “who’s in charge when you’ve had a drink?”. The campaign is in response to increasing concerns that growing numbers of babies and children are at risk of serious harm because of the way some parents and carers consume alcohol. This can place their child and others in danger, for example driving after consuming alcohol.
The campaign is seeking to raise awareness of the affects that alcohol and drugs have on your body and how drinking alcohol and drug use may make you less aware of your child’s needs. The NYSCP has produced practice guidance for Substance Use in Parents and Carers and you can help to raise awareness within your organisation and supporting our campaign on social media by following us, liking and reposting our messages. For more information you can also visit the Campaigns page on our website.
North Yorkshire and York Safeguarding Children Partnerships have seen an increase in the number of babies who have died as a result of unsafe sleep practices over the last few years. In response, the Child Death Overview Panel continues to support the prevention of Sudden Unexpected Deaths in Infancy (SUDI) by raising awareness of safer sleep practice to help prevent SUDI incidents. The campaign links closely with #WhosInCharge and if you are working with families with young babies don’t forget to read our Safe Sleep for Babies Practice Guidance.
We hope you have an enjoyable October, and we will see you in the November edition of our e-bulletin.
Haydn Rees Jones, Policy and Development Officer
Jump to…
- Do your PART
- North Yorkshire Safeguarding Children Partnership Annual Report 2023-2024
- Paid Opportunity for those with Experience of the Care System
- New Synthetic Media Hub Launched
- Supporting a young person struggling with anxiety
- Papyrus Fully Funded Training
- #LookCloser resources
- NYSCP Developments in Safeguarding: Learning Sessions
- Practice Guidance and One Minute Guide Updates
- Free online webinars during Hate Crime Awareness Week
- Keeping Your Child Safe in Sport (KYCSIS) week
- Child Accident Prevention Trust Safety Alert – Water Beads
- Development of the Early Help and Being Young in North Yorkshire Strategies
- Barnardo’s Helpline for Asylum Seekers
- Digital Spaces – The Children’s Society
- North Yorkshire Safeguarding Children Partnership
There are a number of National Awareness Days and Weeks in October, and you can #DoYourPART in finding out about key issues for the following days:
- International Day for non-Violence, 2 October 2024 – this day is observed on the birthday of Mahatma Gandhi and is an occasion to share the message of non-violence. You can find out about Child Adolescence to Parent Violence and Abuse (CAPVA) and Honour Based Violence from our Practice Guidance and One Minute Guides (OMG)
- World Mental Health Day, 10 October 2024 – the NHS has identified that 1 in 5 people aged 8-16 have mental health difficulties with the Royal College of Psychiatrists identifying a 53% rise nationally in mental health crisis in the last four years. You can find out about mental health from the Goto website. This website contains a wealth of information about mental health for children, young people and their families.
- National Hate Crime Awareness Week, 12 October 2024 – We will be working with the Community Safety Partnership to raise awareness of Hate Crime. Find out about Mate Crime from our OMG.
- Anti-Slavery Day is on 18 October 2024 – You can find out about Modern Slavery from our Children from Abroad, including Victims of Modern Slavery, Trafficking and Exploitation practice guidance, our Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking OMG and find useful resources in the Modern Day Slavery and Human Trafficking Toolkit (note: this is a link to download).
North Yorkshire Safeguarding Children Partnership Annual Report
The Independent Scrutineer publishes an Annual Assurance Report judging the effectiveness of our multi agency arrangements to safeguard and promote the welfare of all children and young people in North Yorkshire.
The North Yorkshire Safeguarding Children Partnership is pleased to announce the publication of the Annual Report for 2023-2024. For more information please visit:
https://www.safeguardingchildren.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/NYSCP-Annual-Report-2023-2024.pdf
Paid Opportunity for those with Experience of the Care System
The Foundations’ Experts by Experience Panel is a national panel for young people, parents and carers with direct experience of family support services. Foundation and Leaders Unlocked are offering an opportunity for young people (Aged 16-25) with experience of the care system, or of engaging with a social worker and for parents and carers (kinship, foster or adoptive) with experience of family support services.
This is a paid opportunity, offering national living wage to all panel members for their time and lived experience expertise.
Foundations Experts by Experience Panel
The Experts by Experience panel is a brand-new national project working alongside Foundations to influence their work to create positive changes for children and families.
Panel members will:
- Work alongside professionals from Foundations to provide advice and ideas based on their lived experience.
- Make positive changes to improve the support for children and families, by working with Foundations to look at what works.
- Co-produce communications and projects in collaboration with Foundations to reflect the needs of children and families.
- Gain opportunities for personal development – through skills training and valuable experience.
Panel members will attend a combination of in-person and online meetings as well as receiving individual personal development opportunities.
The Experts by Experience Panel are especially keen to hear from Black, Asian and minoritized ethnic young people, parents and carers to ensure that these voices are heard.
All applicants should download and complete the application form.
As a part of this form, you will be asked to choose how you want to apply. There are three options, and you can choose what suits the applicant best:
- In writing: To apply in writing, applicants can complete written answers using the application form.
- Video: They can also create a short video (no more than three minutes long) to respond to the questions in the application. The file should be emailed with the applicant’s name in the title to emily@leaders-unlocked.org (applicants can use We Transfer to send video files)
- Phone: To apply by phone, applicants can select this option in the application form, and the Experts by Experience Panel will contact them to arrange a time to gather their answers by phone.
The closing date for applicants is Friday 25 October 2024. If anyone has any questions or would like any support with an application, please email emily@leaders-unlocked.org.
For more information, please see the FAQs sheet.
New Synthetic Media Hub Launched
SWGfL has released a new topic hub providing advice and support about synthetic media, as the prevalence of synthetic, AI-generated content, commonly referred to as ‘deepfakes,’ continues to grow. The Synthetic Media Hub provides important tools and information for anyone who wants to learn more about different forms of synthetic media, the technology behind it, and the support available for anyone affected by harmful or sexual synthetic content.
Expanding on the release of our AI hub, the Synthetic Media Hub is an essential guide for anyone looking to understand synthetic media, promote safer online practices and increase digital literacy and critical thinking in communities.
For more information and to access the SWGfL Synthetic Media Hub please visit:
https://swgfl.org.uk/magazine/new-synthetic-media-hub-launched/
Supporting a young person struggling with anxiety
Anxiety is a feeling of worry or fear that is experienced as a combination of physical sensations, thoughts and feelings.
Everyone will feel anxious sometimes, but these feelings will usually subside once a particular moment – such as taking an exam or trying something new – has passed.
Anxiety can become a problem when these feelings don’t pass and a young person feels constantly anxious, overwhelmed and distressed. It can also become a problem when previously enjoyable activities or tasks start to make a young person feel anxious. Young people may start to withdraw and limit what they feel able to do.
Young Minds have produced a collection of tips and advice to help parents struggling with anxiety. More information can be found by visiting the Young Mind’s website.
Papyrus Fully Funded Training
PAPYRUS has been awarded funding from the Peter Sowerby Foundation, which has enabled the charity to provide fully funded Suicide Prevention in North Yorkshire.
PAPYRUS have three courses available; these are:
- SPOT – Suicide Prevention Overview Tutorial. What EVERYONE needs to know. (90-minute training)
- SPEAK – Suicide Prevention Explore, Ask, Keep-Safe. An introduction to suicide prevention skills (3.5hr training)
- ASIST – Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training: A skills building workshop that prepares caregivers to provide suicide first aid interventions (2-day training)
For further information and to book your place, please visit the PAPYRUS website.
#LookCloser resources
Whether you work directly with young people, work in an industry where exploitation could be visible, or are a concerned member of the public, The Children’s Society #LookCloser resources help everyone play their part in stopping child exploitation.
It includes #LookCloser posters and leaflets, social media assets, a programme of learning events on child exploitation, explainers on grooming, financial exploitation and more.
To access resources please visit the Children’s Society website.
Please also see the Children’s Society Working with prevention report and learn more about the work of the society and their collaboration with organisations in every sector across England and Wales to improve responses and prevent exploitation and abuse.
NYSCP Developments in Safeguarding: Learning Sessions
The NYSCP Developments in Safeguarding Learning Sessions (formerly Masterclasses) are delivered as virtual events and are designed for anyone working or volunteering with children and young people.
Learning sessions will take place between 12:00 noon and 1:00 pm on the first Wednesday of each month unless stated otherwise. Each session will cover a different safeguarding theme. To find out about upcoming courses and links to book training please visit our website.
Our September Learning Event was an update from the NYSCP covering a variety of issues such as the new Working Together, MACE, Who’s Sober Campaign and more. The session can be viewed on our YouTube Channel.
Don’t forget to subscribe to our YouTube channel to receive regular updates for new content.
Practice Guidance and One Minute Guide Updates
New and updated practice guidance and OMGs that have been approved by the Practice and Learning Subgroup are available now on the NYSCP website:
- NYSCP One Minute Guide for Professionals
- Understand Working Together to Safeguard Children One Minute Guide for Parents and Carers
- Managing Different Professional Perspectives and Mutual Challenge Practice Guidance
- NYSCP/NYSAB One Minute Guide for Information Sharing
Free online webinars during Hate Crime Awareness Week
The week-long programme caters for professionals who want to learn more about hate crime and how it can impact on our communities. Covering topics include disability, misogyny, cultural and interfaith awareness and gender identity. The sessions have been designed to stimulate discussion, spark innovation and share best practice. Each session will be delivered by inspirational and motivational speakers, all of whom are experts in their field.
The full programme of events is open for viewing and booking via Hate Crime Awareness Week 2024 | North Yorkshire Partnerships (nypartnerships.org.uk) and early registration is recommended to avoid disappointment.
For colleagues in schools, the attached document provides links to a range of resources for raising awareness of Hate Crime with children and young people in all age groups.
Keeping Your Child Safe in Sport (KYCSIS) week
KYCSIS week takes place 7-11 October 2024. This year, you can get involved by hosting a Team Huddle. By hosting a Team Huddle, you are helping to ensure that safeguarding is at the forefront of everyone’s mind—because everyone has a role to play. Download the NSPCC’s activity pack to start planning your event!
NSPCC Plan Your Team Huddle Resources
Child Accident Prevention Trust Safety Alert – Water Beads
The Office for Product Safety and Standards has issued an alert to parents and childcare settings warning that water beads should be kept away from all children under 5.
If swallowed they can expand in the belly and block the bowel. Water beads don’t show up on X-ray, so finding them can be really complicated and a child may need major surgery to remove them.
To find out more visit the Child Accident Prevention Trust website.
Development of the Early Help and Being Young in North Yorkshire Strategies
Following the success of the NYSCP consultation events looking at the development of the Early Help and Being Young in North Yorkshire Strategies, in summer 2024, the North Yorkshire Safeguarding Children Partnership would like to work with front line practitioners in the development of a regular practitioner forum. This would be an opportunity to share the valuable knowledge of frontline practice and experiences of working with children and families across North Yorkshire, to shape and develop the work of the partnership in order for it to have the biggest impact on practice.
We want the scope and function of the meetings to be developed by frontline practitioners, therefore we would like to invite you to an initial meeting to develop terms of reference and explore possibilities for future meetings.
The initial meeting will be held 12:00 – 13:00 on Wednesday 13th November. If you are a frontline practitioner or volunteer who is working with children and families in North Yorkshire and would like to join us, please can you let us know by emailing NYSCP@northyorks.gov.uk by Friday 1st November.
Managers and team leaders are asked to promote this meeting among your teams and encourage attendance.
Barnardo’s Helpline for Asylum Seekers
Barnardo’s Helplines offer emotional support, advice and signposting across the United Kingdom. Their helplines support service users with therapeutic support through their LINK therapy service. They have a team of over 100 therapists who speak 40 different languages. Their team offers virtual support via telephone or online.
Service users can self-refer or be referred by a professional for eight sessions lasting up to forty-five minutes. Barnardo’s can offer some extensions if these are required.
To refer you can call Barnardo’s Helplines or complete our online referral form by visiting their website.
For therapeutic support visit:
Boloh Helpline | Barnardo’s Helplines (barnardos.org.uk)
For Hong Kong NB(O) status holders arriving in the UK visit:
Support for Hong Kong BN(O) | Barnardo’s Helplines (barnardos.org.uk)
For Refugee Family Helpline visit:
Therapeutic support | Barnardo’s Helplines (barnardos.org.uk)
Digital Spaces – The Children’s Society
The Children’s Society, in their continued commitment to equity and inclusion at the Prevention Programme, have an ambition to equip professionals with the best tools to prevent child exploitation, and to improve their responses when young people are at risk of being exploited.
Although they still lack data on the exploitation risks posed to young trans people, they do understand that there are particular aspects of unique life experiences that may exacerbate the risks experienced by all young people in digital spaces.
The Children’s Society have produced a resource which aims to provide professionals with a wider understanding of the experiences of trans and non-binary young people in digital spaces.
For more information visit:
Pilot Draft Transgender and Non-Binary Young People in Digital Spaces (northyorks.gov.uk)
North Yorkshire Safeguarding Children Partnership
At North Yorkshire Safeguarding Children Partnership, we are committed to sharing learning, resources, information and training for everyone across North Yorkshire in order to ensure that all children and young people are Safe, Happy, Healthy and able to Achieve in North Yorkshire.
The NYSCP website is the hub of safeguarding knowledge and information for professionals and volunteers across North Yorkshire. Here, you will find up to date and relevant national and local resources, guidance and training and learning to enhance your practice. We also have resources and information designed for parents and carers, children and young people and local communities. NYSCP (safeguardingchildren.co.uk). Key areas for professionals include:
- Worried about a child: If you are worried about a child, it is everyone’s responsibility to share concerns. Find out how to do this here.
- Be Aware: Child Exploitation Hub: an online knowledge hub set up and ran by NYSCP to help prevent and tackle child exploitation. NYSCP has developed and hosts a series of North Yorkshire centric and appropriate national resources to provide information, raise awareness and develop knowledge across areas of child exploitation.
- Campaigns: NYSCP throughout the year run and supporting various safeguarding campaigns, these campaigns promote vital safeguarding messages as well as being a hub for key resources and information. We encourage partners to promote the campaigns, share the resources and promote the social media assets on their own platforms.
- Child Deaths: The reviewing of child deaths is statutory for local safeguarding partnerships in England. The purpose of the processes is to try to understand how a child has died and then put in place interventions to protect other children and prevent future deaths wherever possible. Find key resources and information about what to do in the sad event of a child death here.
- Early Help: Early Help is not a designated team; it is the way that everyone works together to support the needs of families. The aim of Early Help is to build on people’s capacity and resources to manage their own dilemmas, resolve their own difficulties and prevent further problems in the future. Early Help is the response offered by all services in North Yorkshire who are in contact with children, young people and families.
- Forms and Tools for Professionals: Easy access to relevant forms and tools to use to support the work you may be doing with children and families.
- Information for School and Early Years Providers: A page with specific resources and information for education and childcare settings, including safeguarding audits and Child Protection Policy guidance.
- LADO – Managing Allegations Against Those Who Work or Volunteer with Children: A page of key resources and information related to LADO procedures outlining the key roles and responsibilities to be undertaken when responding to allegations against staff or volunteers who work with children.
- Learning for Professionals: Part of the role of North Yorkshire Safeguarding Children Partnership is to carry out reviews of individual cases, undertake multi-agency audits, and provides briefings on specific safeguarding issues. It is important that this is captured and vital that it is then shared with professionals who work with children and young people to improve practice when it comes to keeping children safe, happy, healthy and achieving. We encourage partners to explore the learning and take the opportunity to share among teams and reflect on what the outcomes mean for how they work with children, young people and families across North Yorkshire.
- Procedures, Practice Guidance and One Minute Guides: This section of the NYSCP website contains links to key multi-agency safeguarding procedures, practice guidance and one-minute guides. They have been designed to support all practitioners who are working with children, young people and their families across North Yorkshire.
- Services in North Yorkshire: There are a number of services in North Yorkshire who are commissioned or set up specifically by services to provide support to children and young people. To find out what these services offer and how you can access support for children and families you are working visit this page.
- Strength in Relationships Practice Model: Information relating to the North Yorkshire Children and Families Practice Model, the purpose of which is “To support positive change that continues after we no longer need to be involved. We will create conditions that allow relationships to flourish. Our collaboration in practice with you is built to deliver this outcome.”
- Training Details of training offered through NYSCP including our free monthly safeguarding learning sessions. Recordings of previous sessions can be accessed for free via the NYSCP YouTube site: NYSCP – YouTube
NYSCP also offer additional resources for Parents & Carers, Children and Young People and Local Communities
You can keep up to date with all updates to NYSCP via out free monthly e-bulletin – subscription can be accessed here: NYSCP (safeguardingchildren.co.uk)
Useful Links
- Worried about a child?
- NYSCP Website, including:
- NSPCC – CASPAR Weekly updated
- CEOP – Think U Know
- CYPS info
Did you know you can sign up to receive this bulletin directly into your inbox at NYSCP e-Bulletin (mailchi.mp)
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