Pastoral Perspectives
Welcome to the Spring edition of our parental newsletter, which will focus on pastoral matters. Each term we provide an update containing reminders of how we approach pastoral care and safeguarding at College, as well as useful links to help support and safeguard families out of school. If you have any questions about pastoral care and safeguarding, this newsletter will hopefully address some of your concerns, and if you have any further questions, you will know who to contact. Each issue will concentrate on certain features, and this issue will focus on giving you an update on the online safety bill. There is also a featured article on the rise of smartphones and the impact they potentially have on fuelling the increase in child abuse and sextortion. In the drugs update, there is a feature on HHC Vapes.
TheSafeguardingTeam
AnnaCutts DSL
MichelleLucasHalliwell DDSL
ChrisReid DDSL
AndrewHailes DDSL
DSL@cheltenhamcollege.org
PaulHayes DDSL
New statistics reveal that over half of the recorded child sexual abuse offences in 2022 were perpetrated by other children. Police attribute the surge in child-on-child abuse to increased access to violent pornography and the prevalence of smartphones
Data collected from 42 police forces in England and Wales highlights a significant rise in reported child sexual abuse offences, totalling 106,984 cases in 2022 This figure represents a 7 6% increase from the previous year and is more than five times the approximately 20,000 cases recorded in 2013.
The groundbreaking report emphasises that 52% of these offences involved a child between the ages of 10 and 17 as either a suspect or perpetrator, marking a substantial increase from one-third in 2013.
Researchers underscored the alarming case of a four-year-old child who used a smartphone to upload an indecent image of a sibling to the internet, serving as the youngest reported case to police.
The report also highlighted the worrying trend of sextortion where children are blackmailed with the threat of compromising images being sent to family or released on social media unless money is paid.
Discussing the dangers of pornography with your children can be a sensitive but crucial conversation Here are five tips to help navigate this topic effectively:
Start Early and Age-Appropriate:
Begin the conversation about online safety and appropriate content from a young age, tailoring your discussions to your child's level of understanding. As they grow older, you can gradually provide more detailed information. Starting early, establishes an open line of communication about digital boundaries
Use Age-Appropriate Language:
Frame your discussions using language that is appropriate for your child's age and maturity level. Avoid using overly technical terms or graphic descriptions Focus on the importance of respect, privacy, and healthy relationships, emphasising that not all online content is suitable for them.
Encourage Questions and Active Listening:
Create an environment where your child feels comfortable asking questions Be an active listener, allowing them to express their thoughts and concerns By fostering a non-judgmental and open dialogue, you ' re more likely to establish trust and ensure your child turns to you for guidance.
Teach Critical Thinking:
Equip your children with critical thinking skills to help them evaluate online content Discuss the unrealistic nature of pornography and its potential impact on relationships. Teach them to question what they see online and to recognise that it doesn't reflect the reality of healthy, consensual relationships
Promote Digital Literacy and Online Safety:
Empower your children with knowledge about online safety and responsible internet use. Discuss the importance of setting boundaries, respecting others' privacy, and using privacy settings on social media platforms. Teach them how to report inappropriate content and emphasise the significance of responsible online behavior
Fostering an ongoing conversation about digital safety and the potential dangers of explicit content is key By establishing trust, maintaining open communication, and providing guidance, you can help your children navigate the digital world more safely and reinforce and build on the work we do in college during our FLOREAT sessions.
If you would like to know more about how we cover such issues in college, please contact Michelle LucasHalliwell at m lucas-halliwell@cheltenhamcollege org
After years of debate, the government's contentious Online Safety Bill, designed to enhance internet safety for children, has been enacted into law. It aims to compel tech firms to assume greater responsibility for the content on their platforms
What is the Online Safety Bill?
This legislation places the responsibility on companies to safeguard children from certain legal but harmful materials, with the regulator Ofcom being granted additional enforcement powers It introduces fresh regulations, such as mandating pornography websites to prevent underage individuals from accessing content by verifying ages. Platforms will also be required to demonstrate their dedication to removing illicit content, including:
child sexual abuse
controlling or coercive behaviour
extreme sexual violence
illegal immigration and people smuggling
promoting or facilitating suicide promoting self-harm
animal cruelty
selling illegal drugs or weapons terrorism
Additional new offences have been established, including cyber-flashing - the unsolicited sending of sexual imagery online - and the dissemination of "deepfake" pornography, where artificial intelligence is employed to insert someone ' s likeness into pornographic material. The legislation also encompasses provisions to facilitate bereaved parents in accessing information about their children from technology firms.
The Equality and Human Rights Commission hailed the legislation, describing it as " a crucial initial step in tackling harmful content and conduct online,’, while the Chief Executive of the NSPCC, stated that the law "will result in children across the UK being significantly safer in their day-to-day lives " He credited this achievement in part to the remarkable advocacy of abuse survivors and young individuals. Among these campaigners is Ian Russell, whose 14-year-old daughter Molly tragically took her own life in 2017 after being exposed to suicide and self-harm content on platforms like Instagram and Pinterest.
Nevertheless, fact-checking organisation Full Fact, which backed the bill, expressed concerns about "regressive alterations" made to it, asserting that it fails to adequately address how platforms handle harmful misinformation and disinformation.
HHC (Hexahydrocannabinol) VAPES.
Hexahydrocannabinol, commonly known as HHC is a compound derived from hemp and is now being used in vape products
Those who vape HHC often describe the experience as calming and relaxing without the intense high and associated anxiety that some find with THC (the psychotic illegal stuff and is one of the active ingredients found in cannabis, the other being CBD (cannibidiol)
IS HHC LEGAL IN THE UK?
Although there's no specific legislation in the UK that directly addresses HHC, it is still deemed illegal to use or sell
This is due to the Psychoactive Substances Act of 2016, which categorises new psychoactive cannabinoids like HHC as Class B drugs
Is HHC safe?
HHC has many of the same side effects as THC such as anxiety, dry mouth, red eyes and paranoia. HHC may also have other long-term side effects which are currently unknown and could be dangerous; like other forms of vaping, it will be many years, if not decades, until HHC has been properly researched.
