Safeguarding Children – useful sites and advice
Online Safety
https://www.getsafeonline.org/personal/article-category/safeguarding-children/
Get Safe Online have, amongst other things, some useful checklists to download which can be used for different age groups.
Think You KNow CEOP
https://www.thinkuknow.co.uk/parents/
Thinkuknow provide advice for parents regarding keeping children safe online. The website also has some specific advice for adoptive parents.
NSPCC
https://www.nspcc.org.uk/keeping-children-safe/online-safety/
The NSPCC have a free telephone helpline that parents can call (08088005002) if they want to talk to someone about online safety. The website also contains some helpful information about the latest apps, setting up parental controls and social networking behaviours.
Relationships and Sex Education – (Parents)
Link to this main page
https://www.solgrid.org.uk/clone/support-directory/parents/relationships-and-sex-education-support-directory-parents/
Umbrella provide sexual health services across Birmingham and Solihull.
Respect Yourself (Warwickshire) is aimed at young people – 13 years old and over. All of the content has been requested directly by young people. The site has been developed by Warwickshire County Council’s Respect Yourself Campaign Team in partnership with NHS Warwickshire, Coventry University and with input from young people themselves. The website is a resource that is safe and reliable, where young people can explore issues that are important to them. The site is monitored and supported by professionals who can actually provide the answers and encourage them to take control of their relationships and to move at a pace they are comfortable with.
The Sex Education Forum (PDF)provide a resource list for parents to support them in their role in providing relationships and sex education for thie children.
Parents are able to purchase a pack from the Family Planning Association to support them in talking to their children about relationships and sex including body changes.
Stonewall have produced a guide for parents/carers entitled So … You think your child is gay? The publication aims to provide answers to frequently asked questions.
Birmingham Parents’ Support Group is dedicated to helping families of lesbian, gay and bisexual people in providing support when a member of their family is gay.
Fflag (Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays)
FFLAG is a registered charity which offers helplines and regular meetings for parents and their gay, lesbian or bisexual sons and daughters. It provides a network of local parents’ self-help groups and telephone contacts for advice, information and a listening service. It also assists people who wish to tell their parents they are lesbian or gay.
Helpline: 0845 652 0311
www.fflag.org.uk
Mermaids is a support group for gender variant children and teenagers, and their families. Their goal is to relieve the mental and emotional stress of all persons aged 19 years and under who are in any manner affected by gender identity issues, and their families and to advance public education in the same.
Gendered Intelligence provide and signpost to a range of resources and organisations that support trans young people. They also aim to engage the wider community in understanding the diversity and complexity of gender.
The Kidshealth website provides information about health, behaviour, and development from before birth through the teen years. It has separate sections for parents, children and teenagers.
Easy Health collects together a leaflets produced by MENCAP and other organisations explaining issues relating to sex and bodies in easy to understand terms.
The Autism Sex Education website collects together a range of resources which can support parents (and professionals) talking to children and young people with Autistic Spectrum Disorders about relationships and sex education.
Parents Against Sexual Exploitation (PACE) have produced an online interactive package for parents on the signs of child sexual exploitation. This free tool is designed to equip parents with the information and knowledge to safeguard children from this abuse.
The NSPCC clip, ‘I saw your willy’ is aimed at parents, helping them to keep their children safe online.
The NSPCC PANTS campaign has been designed to help parents to talk simply with their children to protect them from sexual abuse. A key message in the ‘Underwear Rule’ is that body parts covered by underwear are private.
A series of four short films about ‘Nude selfies’ have been produced by Thinkuknow
Lucy Faithfull/Parent’s Protect leaflets for parents helping them to understand:
Emotional Wellbeing and Mental Health – (Parents)
Solar: Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust, Barnardo’s and Autism West Midlands work together to provide emotional wellbeing and mental health services for children and young people in Solihull.
The Read Me Well children’s books on prescription (PDF) service provides support to children on a range of issues including bullying, death, anger, shyness, divorce or illness in the family. There are books available for 2 year olds to teenagers. There are collections at Solihull Central Library and Chelmsley Wood Library.
Reading Well for young people recommends expert endorsed books about mental health, providing 13 to 18 year olds with advice and information about issues like anxiety, stress and OCD, and difficult experiences like bullying and exams. The books have all been recommended by young people and health professionals, and are available to borrow for free from public libraries. Further information about the scheme in Solihull librarys can be found under Reading Well Shelf Help.
Chelmsley Wood Reading Den is a space that has been created with the particular needs of fostered and adopted children and young people in mind. It provides free access to specialist books, stories and resources to help parents, carers and children think and talk about their thoughts, feelings and experiences.
This Emotional Health and Wellbeing booklist (Word) provides titles of books for children, young people and adults linked to a wide range of topics including bereavement, mindfulness and more general information on the topic.
HeadMeds (weblink) (link opens in new tab or page) Website developed by the charity YoungMinds providing general information about common medications that may be prescribed for children and young people with diagnosed mental health conditions.
Royal College of Psychiatrists (RCPSYCH) Parents and Youth Info index (weblink) (link opens in new tab or page) PCPSYCH provides specifically tailored information for young people, parents, teachers and carers about mental health.
The Young Minds (weblink) (link opens in a new tab or page) helpline for parents offers free, confidential online and telephone support, including information and advice, to any adult worried about the emotional problems, behaviour or mental health of a child or young person up to the age of 25. Call Monday to Friday 9.30am-4pm on 0808 802 5544 (free for mobiles and landlines) or email parents@youngminds.org.uk .
HopeLineUK (0800 068 41 41) is a specialist telephone service staffed by trained professionals who give non-judgemental support, practical advice and information to:
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Anyone who is concerned about a young person;
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Children, teenagers and young people up to the age of 35 who are worried about how they are feeling.
Self Harm – guide for parents (PDF)Useful advice for parents on responding to self-harm.
Self-harm & Young People: A Guide for Parents and Carers A video by the Right Here Brighton and Hove Project to inform and reassure anyone concerned about a young person who is self-harming.
Revising for Exams: Tips for getting it right (PDF) is a downloadable guide for students.
Body Image: Dove have produced resources to support parents in developing self-esteem in their children. More information: https://www.dove.com/uk/dove-self-esteem-project/help-for-parents.html
Anti- bullying
Anti-Bullying Association sources of advice for parents and carers are available here. Young Minds also has advice for parents who are worried about bullying.
ChildLine provides information, help and support in addition to the helpline.
The NSPCC have produced an Online Abuse and Bullying Prevention Guide (PDF)to help children young people understand what constitutes abusive behaviour online, the consequences of that behaviour, and where they can get help.
Digital Awareness UK and the Girl’s Day School Trust have developed resources to help teachers develop their pupils’ understanding of online safety – both physical safety and emotional wellbeing . Live My Digital is a series of 6 films for parents and 6 films for students on the following topics: Cyberbullying; The digital footprint; Identity and self-esteem; Relationships and grooming; Security and privacy; and Sexting.
Other useful websites:
www.kidscape.org.uk
www.beatbullying.org
www.kidpower.org
Drugs and Alcohol – (Parents)
‘Talking with your children about New Psychoactive Substances and Club Drugs – A Handbook for Parents and Carers.’
The Parents’ Handbook has been produced by Mentor and Adfam as a free resource for parents and carers. This revised guide will be available as a free download and includes details on a range of substances as well as their effects, risk factors and the law. It also contains helpful advice on how to have effective conversations about drugs in order to keep your child safe from their harms.
Facts and information about drugs – Frank
Talking to Kids about Alcohol (PDF): An informative, reassuring guide with tips and guidance on how to approach the issue of drinking with children and teenagers.
Information about alcohol including useful suggestions for parents when talking to their children about the issue – Drinkaware.
Adfam is national organization working with and for families affected by drugs and alcohol. They provide direct support to families through publications, training, outreach work and sign posting to local support services
Al-anon support for families and friends of problem drinkers.
SIAS (Solihull Integrated Addiction Services) is a partnership of organisations – Welcome, The Bridge, the Drug Intervention Programme (DIP) and Aquarius – which work closely together to offer easy access to support and treatment for anyone whose drug or alcohol use has become problematic.
Welcome is a registered charity and the access point for drug and alcohol treatment and support services in Solihull. They are a member of SIAS and work with families and carers as well as users of drugs and/or alcohol to help them take control of their lives.
For support and advice on stopping smoking, contact Solihull’s smoking cessation service.
https://www.homegroup.org.uk/care-and-clinical-support/
Homegroup provides a range of high quality information, advice, one to one and group/peer support to carers of adults with mental health needs across the city of Birmingham.
Carers can be of any age including young carers (those aged 4 – 17 years old). The cared for individual will need to be registered with a Birmingham GP (NHS Birmingham West and Sandwell, NHS Birmingham Crosscity, NHS Birmingham South and Central).
The service provides person-centred support based on needs identified by the carer. These may include:
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health and wellbeing support
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advice and support to engage with clinicians and services
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support to access respite
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information about mental health issues
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support around social issues including employment, housing and finances
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supported access to opportunities for social engagement
