Source: Lucy Faithfull Foundation 

Date: 22 November 2023

The Lucy FaithFull Foundation has released a new film about online grooming as part of the Stop It Now! campaign, which offers support to adults worried about their own or someone else’s sexual thoughts about or behaviours towards children. The film discusses adults illegally engaging in sexual conversations with under-16s. It provides information about the law and consequences associated with online grooming.

Find out more: Conversations with strangers: launching our new film spotlight to deter online grooming

See also on NSPCC Learning 
> Protecting children from online abuse

Source: UK Government
Date: 26 October 2023

The UK Government has announced that the Online Safety Act has now received Royal Assent putting rules to make the internet safer in the UK into law. The Act initiates Ofcom’s new powers and places legal responsibility on tech companies to prevent and remove illegal content and stop children seeing harmful content.

Read the press release: UK children and adults to be safer online as world-leading bill becomes law

Source: NSPCC Learning 

Date: 16 October 2023

NSPCC Learning has published a report on the Together for Childhood place-based approach to help prevent child abuse. The report evaluates the impact of the approach through work with community members and local partners across all four sites. Themes identified include: the collective impact of activities; centering the voices of children; and building strong community relationships.

Read the report: Together for Childhood: building stronger communities and preventing abuse

Source: NSPCC Learning
Date: 16 October 2023

NSPCC Learning has updated its CASPAR briefing on the Department for Education’s (DfE) guidance for safeguarding children in out-of-school settings. The briefing has been updated to reflect the changes to the guidance that were published in September 2023. This includes information on new legislation such as positions of trust, and changes to statutory guidance, including Keeping children safe in education.

Read the CASPAR briefing: A summary of After-school clubs, community activities and tuition: safeguarding guidance for providers
Read the DfE guidance: After-school clubs, community activities and tuition: safeguarding guidance for providers

Source: ICO
Date: 14 September 2023

The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has published new guidance on data protection when sharing information to safeguard children. The guidance is aimed at professionals involved in child safeguarding and sets out steps around: being clear about data protection; identifying objectives for sharing information; and following the data protection principles. 

Read the news story: Share information to protect children and young people at risk, urges UK Information Commissioner 
Read the guidance: A 10 step guide to sharing information to safeguard children