Updates & Key Information
Safeguarding Update on AI Artificial Intelligence
AI is being used to turn ordinary photos of children into sexual abuse material. The National Crime Agency and Internet Watch Foundation have issued new guidance to help parents make informed choices about sharing images of their children online. It covers reviewing privacy settings, revisiting consent with your child as they grow, and what to do if you're worried.
The parent's guidance can be found here: https://www.iwf.org.uk/resources/ai-child-abuse-imagery-parent-guide/
PARENTING PROGRAMMES
Supporting your child with their Mental Health
You can support your child’s mental health by listening openly, keeping daily routines, and seeking professional help early when needed.
Everyday Support:
- Keep routines stable: Keep regular times for meals, waking up, and going to bed to help your child feel secure. Reduce screen time
- Spend time together: Do fun, relaxing activities or exercise outdoors as a family. Try to encourage regular physical activity.
- Acknowledge feelings: Help them name their emotions instead of using heavy medical labels.
- How to Communicate
- Listen without judgment: Let your child share their feelings. Do not try to instantly fix the problem or dismiss what they say.
- Stay calm: Avoid angry reactions or phrases like "just get over it." This keeps communication open for the future.
- Talk during normal routines: Chat during family meals or walks so talking about feelings feels normal and safe.
- Signs to Watch For
- Mood shifts: Look for long periods of sadness, crying, or high irritability.
- Withdrawal: Notice if your child stops seeing friends or avoids favourite hobbies.
- School or physical changes: Watch for dropping grades, refusal to go to school, or frequent stomach aches and headaches.
Where to Get Help:
- School Support: Please speak to a member of the Safeguarding Team Mrs. Speller, Mr. Mackay or Mr. Tomene immediately via the school office 020 8514 4666 or email lsst@loxford.net
- General Practitioner (GP): Start with your GP for advice, treatment options, or referrals to local mental health teams.
- NHS 111: Call 111 or use NHS 111 Online and select the mental health option for urgent guidance.
- YoungMinds: Contact the YoungMinds Parents Helpline at 0808 802 5544 for free, confidential advice.
- Childline: Children and young people can call Childline anytime at 0800 1111 for free support.
The Under 16 Social Media Ban
The under-16 social media ban relieves parents of the sole burden of policing screen time. Instead of relying on individual restrictions, responsibility shifts to tech companies to enforce age verification by spring 2027. Neither you nor your child will be penalised if you bypass the rules.
Key changes and implications for parents include:
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No Penalties for Families: The onus is strictly on platforms and tech giants to implement robust age assurance or face massive fines. You will not be fined or penalised if your child finds a way around the ban.
- Feature Restrictions vs. Complete Block: While algorithmic platforms like TikTok will be restricted, children can still access the internet for educational learning, news, and gaming. Messaging apps like WhatsApp remain unaffected.
- Shift in Responsibility: The government has designed this policy to back parents, giving them a societal consensus to lean on when setting boundaries.
- Unchanged Expectations for 16 & 17-Year-Olds: Older teens will still be allowed to use social media, but high-risk features like livestreaming and stranger direct-messaging will be switched off by default.
- Implementation Date: The new regulations are expected to be fully rolled out by spring 2027, so family routines will not need to change immediately.
For more official guidance on what the new regulations will cover, you can check the UK Government Online Safety Fact Sheet or visit the Molly Rose Foundation Support Hub for advice on navigating these digital boundaries with your children.
DISCORD
Discord is a hugely popular communication platform where young people can chat, play games and join communities built around shared interests. This WakeUpWednesday guide explores some of the risks that can come with using it, including contact with strangers, inappropriate content, harassment and the potential for gaming and socialising to become a distraction from everyday life.
The guide also offers practical advice for parents and educators, from using Discord’s Family Centre and checking privacy settings to talking openly about suspicious behaviour and reviewing spending controls. It also encourages families to agree on clear expectations around screen time, helping young people enjoy the platform while making safer and more informed choices online.
Harmful Sexual Behaviour - HSB
What is Harmful Sexual Behaviour (HSB)?
- Definition: Sexual behaviour that is developmentally unexpected, inappropriate, or harmful to others.
- Spectrum: Ranges from inappropriate touching or language to coercion, pressure, or non-consensual sharing of images (sexting).
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Consent: Occurs when someone is forced, tricked, or pressured, or when they are too young or unable to give free consent
HSB encompasses both contact and non-contact behaviours. Warning signs that require parental attention include:
- Non-contact behaviours: Creating, sending, or requesting explicit images (sexting), frequently accessing adult pornography, using sexually explicit language toward others, or exposing themselves intentionally.
- Contact behaviours: Forced or pressured touching, simulating sexual acts, and full penetrative abuse.
How to Recognise Worrying Behaviour
To figure out if your child's actions are normal exploration or HSB, consider the following:
- The child's age and development: What is normal for a toddler (e.g., curiosity about bodies) is highly concerning in an older child or teenager.
- Power dynamics: Is there a significant age, size, or maturity gap between the children involved?
- Coercion and consent: Does the behaviour involve secrecy, threats, bribes, or a lack of clear consent?
Confronting harmful sexual behaviour (HSB) requires immediate, calm intervention. Do not ignore it. Speak with your child privately to understand the situation, set clear boundaries, explain why the actions are inappropriate, and contact specialist services. The majority of children who receive the right support do not repeat these behaviours.
What You Can Do
- Ensure Safety: Separate the individuals involved to protect everyone from further harm and limit device access if online.
- Talk to Your Child: Choose a quiet, private time. Stay calm, ask open-ended questions, and listen without immediate judgment to understand if your child is confused, has experienced trauma, or is copying behaviours.
- Establish Boundaries: Explain exactly why the behaviour is harmful or illegal, emphasizing concepts like consent and privacy.
- Do Not Minimise: Take the concerns seriously and avoid dismissing the account or the impact on others.
Where You Can Go For Help
Because HSB can encompass Child-on-Child abuse, sexting, or exposure to pornography, seeking external support is crucial:
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School Support: Please speak to a member of the Safeguarding Team Mrs. Speller, Mr. Mackay or Mr. Tomene immediately via the school office 020 8514 4666 or email lsst@loxford.net
- Helpline: Call the Stop It Now! free and confidential helpline for immediate advice from experienced advisors.
- Guidance: Review the NSPCC Harmful Sexual Behaviour Guide to better understand sexualised behaviour in children.
- Resources: Use the Barnardo's Harmful Sexual Behaviour Guide for comprehensive steps on how to support your child.
- Specialist Services: Speak to your local children's social care services if the behaviour is putting others at risk.
- For Your Teen: If your teenager is worried about their own sexual thoughts or behaviour, point them to the anonymous Shore Space support platform.
What is Child Criminal Exploitation?
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Parents CCE |
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What is Child Criminal Exploitation?
Child criminal exploitation is a form of child abuse where you or another young person is forced or coerced to engage in criminal activity or commit any type of crime.
Children who experience criminal exploitation can be exposed to many types of harms.
For expert guidance and support regarding child criminal exploitation read the NSPCC Child Criminal Exploitation Guide or check resources like the Catch22 Parents' Pack.
Signs of Criminal Exploitation to Watch For
Who to Contact for Immediate Help
Where to Go for Local and Specialist Support
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