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Significant increases in the number of children being groomed online has led to the rise of self-styled ‘paedophile hunters’. Members of the public who take it upon themselves to act as child decoys online, arranging to meet and then publicly confronting the abuser. Many of these confrontations have ended in serious incidents. So, are paedophile hunters’ lawless vigilantes, or safeguarding angels?

Updated guidance and resources from the home office. Includes posters for different sectors

Catch up with the online safeguarding news stories for October, in easy to read bitesize news segments.

Advances in smart technology has proved a valuable tool in keeping vulnerable people safe. Where missing people are concerned, assistive technology aides a problem-solving approach in preventing a person from going missing in the first place, whist GPS tech provides police and search teams with an important means of locating a missing person quickly and safely.

For most people the end of British Summer Time signals the start of the long dark British winter. For many living with dementia, the clocks turning back an hour can affect routine, one of the possible causes of a pattern of behaviour known as ‘Sundowning’. This can potentially cause a person with dementia to wander and subsequently go missing.

Hotel and B&B rooms are often used to groom and abuse young people. Those that work in the hotel business have a responsibility to safeguard and prevent the sexual exploitation of children. MakeSafe is an initiative that equips hoteliers with the necessary skills to spot potential signs of exploitation and take preventative action.

Can the police search addresses for missing children? What powers do police have to return missing children safely home? Can they use force? What exactly is the law around missing children?

Street slang has evolved into an extensive vocabulary, a combination of slang words and phrases, supplemented by texting jargon, hashtags and emojis. We ask how safeguarding professionals can understand street slang.