Childline Schools Service Programme

[PottyLotty]

We got a letter home last night saying on monday my DD's year are having the first of a 2 day programme provided by Childline Schools Service in collaboration with the NSPCC.

They have also asked us as parents to discuss the programme with our children and if we prefer we may remove our children from this programme but they need to know by this afternoon (stupidly short notice). We have a very hastily put together letter 'outlining' (very very brief) what the children will be taught about. Its barely 1 paragraph and not sufficient to explain what the programme is about or how it is presented. The only internet website we have been given is a feedback page for after the programme is finished.

Before I can make any sort of decision about whether my DD should attend this programme or not can anyone at all enlighten me as to what they will be doing ? We have been advised they will be exposed to true life stories about children who have been abused and how to spot it/report it etc but how do they put this across to the children ? Has anyones 'sensitive' child found it upsetting (my DD is very sensitive and emotionally immature).

My Y5 ds had it last week. He is massively oversensitive and he was quite quiet on that evening. He said they learned about different kinds of abuse and it was sad but he was glad that he understood things better now. He said he was glad that he did it (we discussed whether he should sit it out based on his tendency to cry and have nightmares)

It is not heavy handed or gratuitous at all.....there is a general assembly , followed a week later with workshops.
It's all about getting children to speak out if they are worried and explains in child friendly language, different types of abuse especially neglect and sexual abuse.
Eg parts of your body covered by underwear are private and belong to you.

www.nspcc.org.uk/what-we-do/the-work-we-do/childline-services/childline-schools-service/how-the-schools-service-works/how-the-service%20works_wda91986.html

It is all very child appropriate and the majority of children find it interesting and delivered in a way which makes them feel empowered. A few find it tricky or scary, but IMO a child feeling a little shocked for a day is not an issue if they are then well-informed about abuse which could happen to any child at any time and them knowing what is right or wrong will potentially protect them from abuse or empower them to get it stopped. I'd much rather my child knew about these things and hence was then protected, than was wrapped up, overprotected and hence was far more vulnerable.
Childline came to my school a few weeks ago and did a fantastic job.
You have nothing to worry about. It sounds like you have been given a shoddy letter from the school which doesn't inform you well.

two more videos for you to find out more

moldingsunbeams- I am a bit confused what you mean? Children aren't flagged in the workshop as being at risk? The aim isn't to make any child being abused immediately tell someone or be identified by their peers/teacher. It is about the wider topic.

The teachers are around and able to respond to children too. The types of discussion they have aren't addressing particular children's issues- just the wider issue of abuse and equipping children to understand what is wrong and right as currently a huge issue is that children often don't know when they are being abused that it is abuse.

The volunteers, from what I know, have a good amount of training.
They don't go into issues too deeply, just to the right level and in the right tone so children understand it is a very serious issue but exactly what is and isn't abuse and how to tell someone.

I can't understand why anyone would not want their child to know about these things. But maybe I am different because of my personal experiences in life, and general experiences of the issues as a Deputy Head.

I was a volunteer on this programme and I can't praise it enough. Here's an outline of the activities the children did when I volunteered, I finished this summer so I doubt it's changed much.

Assembly
Children are asked what sort of things a child might worry about. Tends to include homework, friends being mean etc. also can include 'someone hits them', and normally sexual abuse is introduce by the adult as 'touching them in private places'. That's the only way it's mentioned. Then they talk about people who a child could talk to of they had a worry, parents, teachers etc. then they watch a video about childline. The focus throughout is on talking to a trusted adult if we have any worries.

Then the workshops. Children begin by doing a thumbs up/thumbs down exercise and statements are put on the board which children have to decide if they agree with or not, things like it is okay for a child to say a mean thing to another. Then they are given statements on their tables and work in groups to talk about the statements and decide if they're okay or not okay. Statements include 'an adult gives a child a kiss good night' and 'an adult makes a child watch rude things that aren't appropriate for them' and 'an adult says what's going on is a secret'. They talk about how most are sometimes okay, sometimes not okay (the watching rude things is the only statement always not okay) eg. If a kiss is from our parents and makes is feel loved and aafe it is great, but if it's a stranger or the type of kiss can make it not okay.
Then they talk about a child and are read a story about a fake child's life, they know it is a made up story. He is being neglected and the children talk about ways they could help him, how he might be feeling, should be included in their class if he was there etc. They talk a bit about him being rich or poor (saying he could be either). And then they complete a Buddy Kit in which they write down all the trusted adults they could talk to if they felt worried or scared. The only time children are raised as a concern is if they don't have anyone to put down for this, we require at least two people eg mum and dad or mum and teacher.

It's a really good programme which focuses on talking to a trusted adult about any worries. I never had a child upset at all, and we actively avoided disclosures by never being alone with the children and ensuring a teacher is there at all times. If a child was upset the teacher would speak with them, and it's only raised as a concern if they explicitly say 'my mummy beats me up' or whatever. In that case, it is handed over to the school child protection officer to deal with.

I hope this helps, please feel free to message me if you have any other questions :)

Just watch out for your DS re-enacting some of the scenes the next time you have a minor household argument. My son watched something similar, and the next time I suggested he might clean his teeth a little better he dramatically flung himself into a head-in-hands pose in the corner of the kitchen and told me I was always telling him what to do and never listened to him. He got over it quickly enough, but I think the film made him a bit over-sensitive for a day or two.

It's probably better that they're introduced to the topic in this way than by Eastenders or the like.

Hiya molding yes I would definitely agree, the aim is to get NO disclosures to the volunteers, not seek them out at all. Any disclosure is dealt with by the school, the NSPCC is not involved. I hope that clears things up a little.