Keeping in touch…We are fast approaching the end of term and no doubt plans will be afoot for some of you in terms of upcoming changes to your setting or role. We’d love to keep in touch and make sure you are still up to date and supported through receiving our bulletins, so do let us have your up-to-date contact details. You can let us know of any changes here.  If you are handing over to a new person, with their permission, please include their details. 

This week saw us launch our joint report in our webinar with NWG Network on the issue of Child Exploitation following a piece of work looking at the promising practice going on in settings tackling this topic through early intervention and prevention. Our Operations Director, Heather Fowler was joined by Steve Baguley, Education and Community Lead for NWG Network to talk through the five identified themes of promising practice with positive results as described by our survey responses. Don’t worry if you missed the webinar, you can still access the full report by clicking the button below.

We’ll be looking at ways to continue our collaboration with NWG Network in this area, more information available soon! 

Download the Child Exploitation report here

LIVE KCSiE Knowledge Check 2022 The statutory guidance Keeping Children Safe in Education 2022 has now been released and you’ll be busy making sure the necessary changes are being made to practice, policy and procedure for the start of the autumn term. The guidance will go live on 1st September 2022. The statutory requirement remains, with increasing emphasis, that all staff have read and understood at least part one of the guidance. All leaders in settings will need to ensure that staff are ready and able to implement the guidance within their practice.

To be able to evidence this key requirement, we have updated our Keeping Children Safe in Education Knowledge Check, now ready for members to book for only 99p +vat per person, invoices sent at the end of September 2022. Non-members can access the knowledge check for £27+vat per person with access given upon payment.  KCSiE Knowledge Check 2022 Become a Member- use code KCSIE22 at checkout for £20 off

In this bulletin…Inequalities in services supporting families (including schools)Understanding adultification and how to counteract it Children harmed by technology-assisted sexual abuse – resources Department for Education guidance updates/information:
Schools causing concern
Virtual School Heads
Support for Families

Inequalities in services supporting families (including schools) The Early Intervention Foundation (EIF) has produced a report which looks at the experiences of minority ethnic families in England when interacting with services that support them. Findings revealed experiences of discrimination and racism when trying to access support, as well as families feeling not heard, understood, validated or empowered, and feeling judged when seeking help. Recommendations include that all services working with children and families (including schools) must embed effective approaches to eradicate racist and discriminatory practices, and that workforce planning in relation to early help must include a focus on the skills needed to build trusting relationships with minority ethnic families.

Understanding adultification and how to counteract it…Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Probation has published a report that aims to raise awareness of adultification bias, a form of bias where children – in particular those from Black, Asian and minoritised ethnic communities – are perceived as being more ‘grown up’ and less vulnerable than other children. The report covers areas including defining and understanding adultification; the different contexts in which it often occurs; how it may be in breach of child welfare and equalities legislation and guidance; and how the PIA (professional inter-adultification) model can help to counteract it.

Children harmed by technology-assisted sexual abuse – resources The Marie Collins Foundation and the North Yorkshire Office of the Police, Fire and Crime commissioner have developed resources for when children have been harmed by technology-assisted sexual abuse including Information for Parents: Finding out, Conversations with your Child, Animation for Children: Don’t suffer in silence

Department for Education guidance updates: Schools causing concern As a result of their consultation on Supporting schools that are not making necessary improvements, the DfE is proposing to bring schools with two consecutive Ofsted judgments below ‘Good’ in scope for intervention. They have updated their statutory guidance on schools causing concern which is due to be implemented in September 2022. Virtual school HeadsThe DfE has updated their guidance supporting local authorities with the extension of the virtual school head’s role to champion children with a social worker and promote their education. Support for families with the continued rise in the cost of living, many families are finding it increasingly difficult to manage (especially with the summer holidays coming up). The DfE is promoting a number of measures for families that schools can assist with/signpost to Holiday Activities and Food programme national School Breakfast ProgrammeUniversal infant free school meals (government-funded schools, England)National tutoring Programme, summer tuition cost of school uniforms guidance, statutory requirements for schools to lower costs Childcare offers for parents