Momo Challenge – 2019 Media Frenzy
2019-03-12
February 2019 – Momo fever gripped the UK. A few days later it was declared Fake News by several leading charities. Was it real or an elaborate hoax? Read More →
Missing Children – the controversial issue of restraint
2019-03-02
Is it lawful to prevent a child from leaving a care or foster home? Can anything be done if you believe that they might come to harm? Read More →
Not all emojis are cute
2019-02-04
Emojis are now part of everyday life, but used in the wrong way and by someone with malicious or exploitative intentions, they can be become threatening, coercive and harmful.Read More →
Barnahus UK – where did it go?
2018-11-17
Imagine a place where children who have been sexually abused can receive the response that they need, under the one roof. A place where all the safeguarding agencies work together, not only to ensure the welfare of the child, but also secure evidence the best evidence to bring perpetrators to justice. That is ‘Barnahus’, the Icelandic model being introduced into the UK. Read More →
Paedophile Hunters – Lawless vigilantes or safeguarding angels?
2018-11-13
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? Read More →
Gone cunch – what does it all mean?
2018-10-11
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. Read More →
Momo – real or fake?
2018-08-15
An examination of the WhatsApp associated suicide game – Momo. Is it real and how big a threat does it pose to vulnerable people?
Dementia -The Herbert Protocol
2018-06-14
We take a look at The Herbert Protocol, a simple risk reduction tool to be used in the event that an adult with care and support is reported missing. It is widely associated with people living with dementia who go missing, providing police with vital information to enhance the chances of locating a person quickly and safely. Read More →
Forced Marriage – Why is the conviction rate so poor?
2018-06-13
Following two separate rare convictions for force marriage in May 2018 , we explore why there haven’t been other convictions since the introduction of forced marriage legislation in 2014.Read More →
Stalking – Do we need a Stalkers Register?
2018-04-15
At the start of National Awareness Week, we take a look at calls for a stalkers register, and why the government appear resistant to its introduction. Read More →
Independent Return Home Interviews for Missing Children – a broken system.
2018-03-28
We put forward and argument as to why the guidance that requires local authorities to offer and conduct Independent Return Home Interviews, is not fit for purpose and needs to be reviewed.Read More →
The NRM – can the system cope with UK criminally & sexually exploited children?
2018-03-24
We take a look at the changes to the National Referral Mechanism (NRM) process and ask whether they go far enough to safeguard children who are trafficked internally in the UK through sexual and criminal exploitation. Plus, we include a practical guide for safeguarding professionals on the NRM process. Read More →
Safeguarding Students Mental Health – A postcode lottery?
2018-02-24
In the period 2015/16, 15,395 UK-domiciled first-year students disclosed a mental health condition. Tragically, 134 students took their own lives, a record number. Suicide among students in England and Wales has risen by over 50% in the last decade. How are universities responding to this crisis and are they doing enough? Read More →
The trouble with YouTube
2018-02-06
Paul Maslin takes a good look at Youtube over the last year. It is safe to say that 2017 wasn’t a good year for its reputation. It was dogged by accusations that it’s policies around child exploitation just didn’t cut the mustard.Read More →