insideKENT Magazine Issue 49 - April 2016 | Page 138

CHARITY nspcc cont. The programme has been carefully worked out, and is great for schools as it links directly to the curriculum, helping with schools’ responsibility to provide evidence that they are meeting their statutory requirements. East Stour Primary School received a visit from the charity’s volunteers last year. Their family liaison officer said: “The assemblies and workshops were really good, and delivered in a professional and caring manner. The children and staff all enjoyed them. I personally sat in on two sessions and was very impressed with how the volunteers and children worked together.” Seymour Primary School in West Sussex also had a visit from the charity. The school said: “The volunteers were superb and pitched it perfectly for the children. It can be tough to deliver such sensitive topics but they worked really hard to put all of the children at ease and to ensure that every child was involved in the workshops. “I would absolutely recommend the service to other schools and will be passing the details on. The message is so important, it is essential that the children know and understand not only how ChildLine can support them but how other trusted adults can too and this was reinforced by the service.” The Speak Out Stay Safe programme is just one segment of a whole range of resources and training available to teachers and school staff completely free of charge. The NSPCC also offers information on The Underwear Rule, which includes lesson plans and other resources to help teachers keep children safe from abuse, and The Share Aware campaign which is another resource available to teachers and practitioners to help provide children with specific online advice. The programme relies on dedicated volunteers to deliver the assemblies and workshops and is always on the lookout for people who can help. Volunteers will need to be available for: • 2 school visits a month (during term time) • an e-learning training module • a 2-day training workshop Volunteers will need to be the kind of person who: • believes in the empowerment and protection of all children • has the confidence to speak in front of a group of primary school children • can communicate and engage with children • has basic IT skills and regular access to email To find out more about how to volunteer, or to arrange for the Speak Out Stay Safe programme to visit your school, please go to www.nspcc.org.uk/schools. 138 In Kent, contact Sarah Walker, Kent and Medway area coordinator, on [email protected]. In Sussex, contact Amanda Rocca, Sussex area coordinator, on [email protected]. Useful numbers Adults worried about a child can contact the free NSPCC helpline on 0808 800 5000 or email [email protected]. Parents can also ask for parenting advice from trained practitioners. If you’re a child and need to speak to someone, call ChildLine free and in confidence on 0800 1111 or visit www.childline.org.uk for advice or to chat online with a trained counsellor. For advice on how to keep your child safe online, the NSPCC has teamed up with O2 and set up an online safety helpline. Call 0808 800 5002 for advice on anything from parental controls, privacy settings, and how to talk to children about staying safe and being careful about what they share on social media and apps. Data roaming from all O2 mobile devices to the ChildLine website is completely free and will not use up any allowance.