Useful guidance for parents and carers
Anti-Bullying
- https://www.youngminds.org.uk/parent/parents-a-z-mental-health-guide/bullying/
- https://anti-bullyingalliance.org.uk/anti-bullying-week-2023-make-noise-about-bullying/parents-and-carers
- Advice for parents on bullying and cyber bullying: https://www.nspcc.org.uk/what-is-child-abuse/types-of-abuse/bullying-and-cyberbullying/
Child Exploitation
- Advice on online Child Sexual Exploitation – Child Online Safety: A practical guide for parents and carers whose children are using social media
- Child Sexual Exploitation Awareness
- Keeping It Together – PACE – This booklet is written for parents whose children are being sexually exploited by an individual or group of adults outside of the family unit.
- Make a report to one of CEOP’s Child Protection Advisors – Are you worried about online sexual abuse or the way someone has been communicating with you online?
- Perceptions and Reality of Child Sexual Exploitation
- YMCA WiSE
- Parents Protect (a project of the Lucy Faithfull Foundation) – An online child sexual abuse and exploitation awareness learning programme for parents and carers
Child Exploitation – County Lines
- Child Criminal Exploitation and County Lines – What do parents need to know
- Childrens Society – Advice for parents and carers
- Crime Stoppers – Speak out. Tell us what you know
- Crime Stoppers – Know the signs to spot
- Safer East Sussex Team – Information and guidance for parents and carers
- Sussex Police Local Perspective To Support County Lines
- Worried About Your Child and Sexual Exploitation
Child Exploitation – Gangs
- Against Exploitation – Child Exploitation – Gangs
Data Protection
Eating Disorders
- Eating Disorders – Everyone has different eating habits. But if you’re worried about your child’s relationship with food or their body, it might be worth looking for some support.
Equality and Diversity
- Mulberry Academy Bexhill demonstrates a clear commitment to the promotion of diversity and equality as highlighted in its Friendship and Anti-Bullying Policy and other policies and related documents.
- Mulberry Academy Bexhill aims to create a fair and just school community that promotes social inclusion, community cohesion and equality that respects diversity and which challenges and acts upon all forms of discrimination and inequality, including bullying.
- Mulberry Academy Bexhill works actively to celebrate difference and challenge racism, sexism, homophobia and all other forms of prejudice through assemblies, the curriculum and special projects throughout the year. There is a continuous focus to ensure that all students have equal opportunities to achieve to the best of their ability regardless of their gender, ethnic or racial background,religion, ability or sexuality.
We actively promote the British Values of tolerance, fairness, respect for other faiths, and the rule of law and democracy. Our Bexhill Academy Values underpin our whole school behaviour and rewards system.
Extremism and PREVENT
Building the resilience of young people and the promotion of fundamental British values is at the heart of preventing radicalisation. Schools can do this by providing safe places in which children can discuss controversial issues, and be given the knowledge and confidence to challenge extremist beliefs and ideologies.
Schools play a vital role in keeping children safe from harm, including from the risks of extremism and radicalisation, and in promoting the welfare of children in their care.
For an introduction to the Prevent duty and an explanation of how it aims to safeguard vulnerable people from being radicalised, HM Government has created an e-learning module following consultation with a range of individuals and organisations. The module has been created withthe feedback of teachers, local authority officials, community-based groups, youth workers and many others.
www.elearning.prevent.homeoffice.gov.uk
- Channel Factsheet – Channel is a voluntary, confidential programme which operates throughout England and Wales to safeguard people identified as vulnerable to being drawn into terrorism.
- Extremism – As a parent you may be worried about how extremism and radicalisation might affect your child. We have put together this leaflet to help you understand more about extremism and radicalisation, and how you can deal with these issues.
- Information on Protecting Children from Extremism and Radicalisation
Forced Marriage, Honour Based Violence and Female Genital Mutilation
It has been estimated that over 20,000 girls under the age of 15 are at risk of FGM in the UK each year, and that 66,000 women in the UK are living with the consequences of FGM. Female genital mutilation (FGM) is a growing cause of concern in schools.
FGM is child abuse and a form of violence against women and girls, and therefore it is dealt with as part of existing child and adult safeguarding/protection structures, policies and procedures. It is illegal in the UK to subject a child to female genital mutilation (FGM) or to take a child abroad to undergo the procedure – Female Genital Mutilation Act 2003. Despite the harm it causes, FGM practising communities consider it normal to protect their cultural identity. The age at which girls are subject to FGM varies greatly from shortly after birth to any time up to adulthood. The average age is 10 to 12 years.
At Mulberry Academy Bexhill, our staff are trained in dealing with FGM and are alerted to the following key indicators:
- A child’s family comes from a community that is known to practise FGM.
- A chid may talk about a long holiday to a country where the practice is prevalent.
- A child may confide that she is to have a ‘special procedure’ or to attend a special occasion.
- A child may request help from a teacher or another adult.
Any female child born to a woman or has a sister who has been subjected to FGM will be considered to be at risk, as much as other female children in the extended family. Any information or concern that a child is at risk of FGM will result in a child protection referral to Children’s Social Care.
The mandatory reporting duty for FGM under the Serious Crime Act 2015, requires teachers in England and Wales to report known cases of FGM in under 18-year-olds to the police. Guidelines on mandatory reporting can be found here.
- Forced Marriage, Honour Based Violence and Female Genital Mutilation – Helpful information and advice. Information required in all cases and Support Agencies.
Harmful sexual behaviour
Harmful sexual behaviour (HSB) is developmentally inappropriate sexual behaviour displayed by children and young people which is harmful or abusive1.
Child-on-child sexual abuse is a form of HSB that takes place between children of any age or stage of development.
Problematic sexual behaviour (PSB) is developmentally inappropriate or socially unexpected sexualised behaviour which doesn’t have an overt element of victimisation or abuse.
Offensive Weapons
- Offensive Weapons – Information and Advice – Useful websites to get up to date information and advice if you have concerns regarding a young person
- The Law and Offensive Weapons – Frequently asked questions regarding the Law and Offensive Weapons
Road Safety
- Teaching Road Safety: A Guide for Parents
- Safety First – Safer cycling at night
Recruiting a Home Tutor for your child
Every year, private tutors help children catch up with missed work or address area they are struggling in, or with extra-curricular activities. Lockdown has led to major growth in this area, especially online, and this is expected to continue with further bubble and school closures. Please see the link which provides information and advice for parents/carers if they wish to recruit a tutor
Self Harm and Suicide
School Health Service
Parents seeking health support and advice for their student can contact the School Health Team on a dedicated line on Tuesdays and Thursdays between 10 and 3pm: 0300 123 4062
Talking to Children about Pornography
The Impact of Domestic Violence
Our Academy participates in an operation that runs jointly with Sussex Police called Operation Encompass.
Operation Encompass has been designed to provide early reporting to schools and colleges of any domestic abuse incidents that occur in which a child was present, ordinarily resides at the incident location or with an involved party. We know that children can be significantly affected through witnessing or being exposed to domestic abuse and this operation will allow us to better support our students and their families.
Nominated members of staff at the academy regularly liaise with the police, including our Safeguarding Team. They will be able to use information that has been shared with them, in confidence,to ensure that the right support is available should it be required by a child and/or their family.
We are keen to offer the best support available to our students and we believe this is going to be extremely beneficial for all those involved.
If you have any concerns or questions then please contact the Safeguarding Team and we will be happy to discuss this further
- Domestic Abuse – Contact information for families and individuals experiencing domestic abuse
- Domestic Abuse, Recovering Together (DART™)
- Domestic Violence – Children at Risk
- Freephone 24-Hour National Domestic Abuse Helpline: 0808 2000 247
- Operation Encompass
- Refuge provides specialist support to women, children and some men escaping domestic violence and other forms of violence
- The Hideout – An Information and Support page, run by Women’s Aid, for young people who have experienced Domestic Violence and Abuse
- The Impact of Domestic Violence on Children – Introduction: What do children need? We know the answer from our own childhoods. First and foremost, children need a safe and secure home, free of violence, and parents that love and protect them. They need to have a sense of routine and stability, so that when things go wrong in the outside world, home is a place of comfort, help and support.
- UK SAYS NO MORE – has developed a specific toolkit written by young people and designed to help parents speak to teenagers about healthy relationships and topics such as sex, consent and abuse.
Gypsy, Roma and Traveller (GRT) communities
Provides information, advice, guidance and training for both GRT families and professionals. The website offers resources and positively promotes an understanding of the GRT community with a focus on education.
Young Carers
- Counselling Support for Young Carers – Care for the Carers’ Teen Talk counselling service has expanded to provide support young carers living anywhere in East Sussex
- Young Carers – The East Sussex ‘Your Carers Team’ to provide support and advise for young carers