Government news and campaigns

Roundtable to tackle online child sex abuse

Charities, law enforcement and technology companies were brought together in a roundtable to discuss the horrific effect of online child sexual exploitation and abuse (CSEA). The meeting, jointly chaired by the Home Secretary and the Tech Secretary was an opportunity for government, alongside key organisations including the NSPCC, the Internet Watch Foundation, Microsoft, Meta and TikTok to discuss the emerging trends, severity and prevalence of child sexual abuse online.

Child sex abusers have found new ways online to target and gain access to young children and the Home Secretary, together with the Tech Secretary called on social media platforms to demonstrate their commitment to tackling child sexual abuse on their sites and make sure there are no safe spaces online for abusers.

For more information, please see our press notice.

Police pledge to pursue any reasonable lead to solve more crime

Police forces across England and Wales have committed to pursuing all leads where there is a reasonable chance it could result in catching a perpetrator and solving a crime. The ‘back-to-basics’ approach will mean police forces are expected to take advantage of footage made available by CCTV, vehicle dashcams, phones and smart doorbells to help identify suspects and place them at the scene of the crime.
While the pledge applies to all crimes, the Home Secretary expects police and crime commissioners to hold forces to account for a drastic change in the way police approach crimes like phone theft, car theft, shoplifting and criminal damage to bring more offenders to justice and restore public confidence in local policing.

For more information, please see our press notice.

Machetes and zombie-style knives

The Government has announced that Machetes and zombie-style knives with no practical use will be banned in a bid to crack down on their use in devastating street violence. Under the measures, machetes and knives that are designed to look intimidating and threatening, known as zombie-style knives, will be made illegal.

For more information, please see our press notice.

This move will support the ongoing work done by organisations, such as Fighting Knife Crime London, to reduce and prevent the occurrence of knife crime.

Fighting Knife Crime London (FKCL) is a well-established and respected part of the work being done in Greater London to empower young Londoners and change their lives for the better. Their website offers a considerable range of solutions to knife crime, help for young people and all those that care for them.

FKCL also produces a magazine quarterly which provides more evidence-based articles from the most informed in the field. The magazine is available free to subscribers; please click here if you wish to become a subscriber.   

The best way to tackle knife crime is to prevent it from happening in the first place. FKCL has a number of free downloadable posters/flyers which contain a QR code to give access to all the resources mentioned above. They also provide regular updates on their social media which can be accessed here.

Ban on Nitrous Oxide

Possession of nitrous oxide, also known as ‘laughing gas’, will be illegal by the end of the year, with users facing up to two years in prison, under a zero-tolerance approach to antisocial behaviour.

The ban was promised as part of the government’s Anti-Social Behaviour Action Plan, with the Home Secretary urging police forces to get tougher on flagrant drug taking in the streets, which blights communities.

Secondary legislation has been brought forward by the Home Secretary today which will control nitrous oxide as a Class C substance under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971. The new measures are expected to come into force by the end of the year.

In case you missed it…

Local communities represent the best of British Hospitality by welcoming hundreds of refugee families

Over 1,000 vulnerable refugees fleeing regions of conflict and instability (including Syria, Iraq, Sudan, Eritrea, Iran, Somalia and Afghanistan) have been welcomed under one of the UK’s safe and legal routes by local communities across the UK.

Since 2015, the government has offered a range of safe and legal routes to the UK to over half a million men, women and children seeking safety, as well as family members of refugees. This includes the Community Sponsorship scheme which allows members of the public to support the most vulnerable refugees who have been assessed as in need of resettlement here.

The UK is one of ten countries operating a Community Sponsorship scheme through which the UNHCR refers vulnerable refugees. Thanks to the public’s generosity and good will, refugees have so far been supported with housing and integration support by over 200 community groups, including charities, faith-groups, sports clubs, schools and universities.

To become sponsors, communities will need to commit to providing integration support to a refugee family for their first year in the UK, including learning English, and accessing education, benefits, healthcare and employment so they can become self-sufficient and contribute to the community. Sponsors will also need to identify and secure suitable accommodation for at least two years.

Those interested in setting up a community group to support a refugee family can find out more information here.

Consultation to ban scam calls launched – deadline 27^th September

The government have launched an 8 week consultation setting out plans to ban cold calls for financial products such as sham cryptocurrency schemes, mortgages and insurance, marking the next step in delivering the government’s Fraud Strategy.

A special support service for victims of fraud has also been expanded to cover all 43 police forces in England and Wales.

There is more information here. You can respond to the consultation by contacting [email protected]. The deadline for responses is 9:30am, 27^th September.

Stakeholder news and campaigns

Salvation Army Roadshow

The Salvation Army is hosting free workshops in cities across England to help people spot the signs of modern slavery and encourage the public to volunteer to help people whose lives are devastated by this crime. The next workshop will take place in Birmingham on 23^rd September, 2023, from 11am to 2pm at The Salvation Army Birmingham Citadel 24 St Chads Queensway Birmingham B4 6HH.

People will hear from Salvation Army modern slavery experts who will explain exactly what modern slavery is and how they can spot the common signs that someone is a victim in their communities. There will also be opportunities to hear from a current volunteer who will explain what is involved in their role reinforcing The Salvation Army’s support services for survivors of modern slavery.

Please click here to find out more information.

Resolve’s National ASB Conference

Resolve are hosting their National ASB Conference in Central London (Woburn House) on the 15^th November.

The programme includes several high-profile keynote speakers. There will be ample networking opportunities (including a drinks reception), discussion sessions and the chance to have your views heard by industry leaders. You can find more information and sign up here.

Resolve has also created a video montage with key highlights from Anti-Social Behaviour Awareness week here.

Suzy Lamplugh Trust training course

Suzy Lamplugh Trust are running their Stalking Advocacy Caseworker Training course. The course is aimed at professionals working with victims of stalking to enhance their advocacy and safety planning skills. It provides attendees with information on stalking behaviours, the impact and support needs of victims, stalker typologies, navigating the criminal justice system, civil remedies and safety planning.
The course has been developed in conjunction with independent consultants, offering significant expertise and experience working in the Violence Against Women and Girls Sector. The course takes place across seven days with a mix of virtual and classroom-based delivery. The assessments will take place in person and will be supported by staff who have the relevant training and experience to make such assessments.

You can read more about the course here, or to book any of their training courses, complete the training enquiry form, email them at [email protected] or call them on 0207 091 0014.

Upcoming campaigns

If your organisation has any upcoming surveys or campaigns that you would like us to highlight in our newsletter, please get in touch with the External Affairs team at [email protected]

Campaign Materials

The government is running several campaigns for vulnerable audiences. We would be grateful if you could share campaign materials and messaging on your channels, and with your networks. 

• ENOUGH. aims to challenge perpetrators and raise awareness of what we can all do to safely call out abuse. Please find attached a partner pack which includes more information on the campaign, and materials which you can share on your channels.
• Stop Abuse Together aims to empower parents and carers to take steps to help keep the children in their life safe. All children have a right to be safe from sexual abuse, and we all have a role to play in keeping them safe. Let’s #StopAbuseTogether
• Parentwise is designed to build parents and carers’ understanding of the range of harms their child could be exposed to. It includes a partner pack to help them spot the signs that something could be wrong and empower them to act if they are worried.