Safety Net Summer Newsletter 2014 Tel: 01273 411613 www.safety-net.org.uk www.safetynetkids.org.uk www.facebook.com/safetynetbrighton www.twitter.com/SafetyNetBTN
Working Together to Keep Children Safe What do our Children Worry about? We asked Year 6 children in Brighton and Hove what they worried about the most. Their top concerns were:
Staying safe online
Stranger danger
Seeing adults who have been drinking, taking drugs or smoking
Being bullied
This list shows that children are as concerned as adults about similar safety issues. At Safety Net, we believe that keeping children safe is everyone’s responsibility and that everyone who lives and works in Brighton & Hove has a part to play. We work across the city with organisations, parents and children to help to make real changes to the issues that affect both children and adults. We hope that this Newsletter will give you some tips and ideas for how YOU can help keep your child safer. Please also check out our web-sites. We really want to hear your views on our newsletter and what matters for children. “Like” us on Facebook and leave a comment - when we reach 500 likes we will pick a lucky winner at random to receive a £25 ASDA voucher! www.facebook.com/safetynetbrighton www.twitter.com/SafetyNetBTN
Moving up to secondary school Going up to secondary school can be an anxious time for parents and children. In fact, transition was a main concern brought up by Year 6 children we spoke to recently with common fears being: Will I be bullied? Will I get lost? How will I get to school on my own? Will I be able to do the work? Here are some ideas to help you and your children with the move; BUILD your child’s confidence – research shows if children feel good about themselves they are more likely to cope with change, make new friends and are less likely to be bullied. Tell them often how great they are and notice the good things they do. TALK openly about their worries and listen to the answers – this will allow you to identify the issues that are important to your child. LEARN to problem solve. Practice ‘what if?’ scenarios around specific worries to help identify what options there are, e.g. What if they got lost on their way to a lesson? Or, What if they missed the school bus? PLAN the journey to school over the summer holidays and find out who else your child could walk or get the bus with. Ensure that your child is practicing their road safety skills. ORGANISE your routine – with your child. Create a checklist of things that need remembering and stick it up on a wall so you don’t have to nag! REMIND them that change is exciting too – talking to new people can mean new friends and new opportunities. Remind them that we all need help sometimes and it’s ok to ask questions. REMEMBER everyone feels a bit scared with change – can you share with your child an example from your own life so they know they are not alone? DO check out your new school’s web-site and approach the school for support if you feel worried about anything in particular.
Summer Safety Child Safety Week: June 23rd - 28th Morning Mayhem!
Summer Safety Checklist In the light of upsetting revelations over the last year about how abusers target children, it is useful to remind ourselves of the steps we can all take to keep our children safer. The summer holiday means that your child is more likely to come into contact with new people and organisations. E.g. Crèches & nurseries; child minders; after-school clubs & activities; private teachers & tutors; hobby & sports clubs; churches and other places of worship
The Child Accident Prevention Trust (CAPT) runs Child Safety Week each year to highlight the need to reduce accidents in the home. www.childsafetyweek.org.uk The focus this year is on preventing the accidents that happen because we are busy and stressed in the morning – the Morning Mayhem! This is important because accidents are a leading source of death, serious injury and acquired disability for children in the UK, second only to cancer. Here are some practical tips: Reduce possibilities for burns and scalds by putting hot drinks down in places away from little hands; push the kettle to the back of the kitchen counter; turn off hair straighteners and keep them out of reach Reduce injuries from falls by fitting safety gates to stairs and windows; Get into the habit of strapping babies into their highchair and change your baby’s nappy on a changing mat on the floor Leave enough time for the drive or walk to school – we can all make decisions we wouldn’t normally make when we are rushed Remove common household poisons from easy reach e.g. dishwasher tablets, painkillers Establish morning routines that everyone knows and prepare what you can the night before We may be able to help! Talk to Safety Net if you are in receipt of benefits, as you may be eligible for free or low cost safety equipment and fitting. Contact us on 01273 675609
Checking up on child safety can feel like a difficult conversation to have, especially if the person or organisation has already looked after your child for a while, but good quality providers should always be happy to answer any questions about how they keep children safe. Here’s a checklist of things to ask: Do they have a child protection policy that you can have a copy of? Are DBS checks (previously CRB) routinely carried out on staff and volunteers? Are there enough staff for the numbers of children? Are there good security measures to keep my child safe? Do the adults create a happy atmosphere and treat the children with respect? Can I visit to see for myself? Will my child’s specific needs be catered for? Remember to talk to your child about the activities and people, do they seem happy there? We can help! Safety Net can help organisations to update their DBS (formerly CRB) checks on staff and volunteers. Our friendly team also works with children and young people’s community groups to provide support with creating or updating policies and procedures
Children’s Page Safety in Action: Tell Someone If you are in Year 6 you might have met some of our workers at this year’s Safety in Action Week (June 9th – 13th) where children got to practice lots of different safety skills. Safety Net staff were there to talk to children about the importance of telling someone or reporting if you are being bullied online. This is because in our recent survey about online safety with 733 children aged 8 – 11, 28% of you said that you would not talk to someone if you were being bullied online. Children said this was often because they are worried about having their phones and computers taken away from them by worried parents. If you see something online that makes you feel worried or unsafe report it to someone you trust. If you are being bullied or feeling low, you can talk to a trained cyber mentor at www.beatbullying.org or speak to someone at Childline on 0800 1111 www.childline.org.uk
Learn a Cool Skill this Summer Why not learn a new skill this summer. Here’s a link to some YouTube videos: Just type in these headings: “Instructions for finger knitting by Courtney” “How to Juggle for Kids” “How to make a pompom on a fork”
You can visit Brighton Museum in Pavilion Gardens over the summer as there are lots of things to do and it’s FREE! Hove Museum on New Church Road also has a lot of free activities as well as a little cinema to visit.
SUMMER IS COMING! Stuck for things to do over the summer? Read on…… The Brighton & Hove Playbus brings exciting play opportunities to communities all across the city. The service is delivered by trained and dedicated play workers, is free and open to everyone. Find out where the Playbus will be via their Facebook Page www.facebook.com/BHCCPlaybus or on the Brighton& Hove website www.brighton-hove.gov.uk Get a copy of ‘Summer Fun 2014’ - this will be distributed free through schools on 3rd June and is also available on the Brighton and Hove web-site: www.brighton-hove.gov.uk The Nature Detectives website provides info on activities for rainy or sunny days! www.naturedetectives.org.uk For information about what is going on in the city for children and young people: www.childfriendlybrighton.co.uk
Managing Money Tips for summer months Summer can be an expensive and difficult time for some families –but there are a lot of free activities available for children and families and support to help if you get into difficulties with benefits and debt. MACS – Money Advice & Community Support has an advice line that is open Mon/Wed/Thurs 10 – 12 and Thursday/Friday 2-4 Telephone: 01273 664040 Citizens Advice Bureau can also help Tel: 223951 Mon/Wed/Thurs 9.30 – 12.00 1.00 – 3.00 and Tues/Fri 9.30 – 12.00 The Food Partnership can send helpful leaflets on a range of topics including eating on a budget: Call 431700 or visit their web-site http://www.bhfood.org.uk/food-poverty-advice One Church Brighton run a lunch club called Chomp during the school holidays where children and their families, who usually rely on free school meals, can enjoy a free healthy meal and fun activity. To Register Tel: 694746 or email : chomp@onechurchbrighton.org
Make a summer holiday activity planner so
that you know when things are happening and where there are gaps you need to fill.
Looking for affordable childcare this summer? Extra Time have a limited number of places in their summer play schemes (28th July to 22nd August 2014) for children aged 5 -11 years who are on Free School Meals who do not have any special educational needs/disabilities. Cost is an amazing £5 per day! (8.45am to 3.30pm).
Safety Net is proud to be Westow's Charity of the Year 2014! Come along to Westow's Summer Open Day on 25th July between 10 - 4 pm for taster sessions of dance, music, karate and football. Safety Net will be running short 10 minute slots for parenting support on any issue, as well as a chance to enter our children's summer drawing competition offering great family prizes. Check out www.westows.com for more information.
If you would like more information or to make a booking please contact the Extra Time office on 01273 420580
Please note that we cannot endorse or recommend any of the organisations or activities mentioned on this page
Safety Net needs YOU! As a registered charity, Safety Net depends on people just like you. Please donate what you can to help us keep children safe. Thank You! You can donate instantly and securely via our website at www.safety-net.org.uk/supportus/donateonline Or by Text message to 70070 saying, SNet41(space) followed by the amount Safety Net, Manor Offices, Emmaus, Drove Road, Portslade, BN41 2PA. 1108772
Tel: 01273 411613
e.g. SNet41 £10 Registered Charity No.