Welcome to the Devon and Cornwall and Dorset Police website for professionals working with children and young people

Latest news

4 in 5 Parents Concerned About Children’s Exposure to Pornography (17/04/2019)
Today we have released the third in our series of Young People, Internet Use and Wellbeing reports prepared by SWGfL research partner, Andy Phippen, Professor . . . of Social Responsibility in IT at the University of Plymouth. With a focus on families, this report explores the use of technology in the home to manage concerns around online safety and interactions around digital technology use.
South West Grid for Learning
Digital Ghost Stories; Impact, Risks and Reasons (17/04/2019)
In February this year the “Momo Suicide Challenge” caused worry in homes and schools across the UK. Fuelled by sensationalist headlines and misinformation on . . . social media, the hoax quickly escalated into a moral panic with parents fearing for the safety of their children. Every so often, in various forms, society experiences episodes of self-fuelled collective worry. These phenomena are not new, with well-known occurrences observed both before and after the advent of the internet.
South West Grid for Learning
‘I was put in a school isolation booth more than 240 times’ (15/04/2019)
A girl who tried to kill herself after spending months in an isolation booth at school has said she felt “alone, trapped and no-one seemed to care”. The . . . teenager, who has autism, had no direct teaching and ate her lunch in the room, away from friends. Her mother said for months she was unaware of what was happening to her daughter and called on the government to improve guidance for schools.
BBC


The ‘untold misery’ of special needs shortfalls (15/04/2019)
Large funding shortfalls for special educational needs in schools are causing “untold misery” for thousands of families, a teaching union says. National . . . Education Union analysis found spending was not keeping pace with rapidly increasing demand in nearly all (93%) of England’s local councils. It said between 2015 and 2018, the number of special needs care plans grew 33%, while funding rose only 6%.
BBC
Facebook urged to ditch ‘like’ feature in UK online child safety drive (15/04/2019)
Facebook and other social media firms should alert children if their parent or carer is monitoring their online activity, under proposed guidelines to improve . . . child internet safety in the UK. Turning off the “like” function, and limiting data collection and geolocation tools on popular platforms, such as Instagram and Facebook, are among a 16-point list of recommendations for age-appropriate design released by the Information Commissioner’s Office.
Guardian
Special-needs children lose out on £1.2bn of support, says union (15/04/2019)
Children in England with special educational needs and disabilities (Send) have lost out on £1.2bn worth of services because government funding has failed to . . . keep pace with soaring demand for additional support over the past four years, according to an analysis.
Guardian

Education

‘I was put in a school isolation booth more than 240 times’ (15/04/2019)
A girl who tried to kill herself after spending months in an isolation booth at school has said she felt “alone, trapped and no-one seemed to care”. The teenager, who has autism, had no direct . . . teaching and ate her lunch in the room, away from friends. Her mother said for months she was unaware of what was happening to her daughter and called on the government to improve guidance for schools.
BBC

15/04/2019: The ‘untold misery’ of special needs shortfalls
BBC
15/04/2019: Special-needs children lose out on £1.2bn of support, says union
Guardian

Safeguarding

New ADCS head: ‘If you pull back from early help, you’re stirring up trouble’ (11/04/2019)
Pushing for a robust government response to child poverty and reversing cuts to early help are top priorities for Rachel Dickinson, who becomes president of the Association of Directors of Children’s . . . Services today. From a young age, new Association of Directors of Children’s Services (ADCS) president Rachel Dickinson has been motivated by a strong sense of social justice.
Community Care

10/04/2019: Care applications hit three-year low
Children and Young People Now
08/04/2019: Social media firms to be penalised for not removing child abuse
Guardian

Technology

4 in 5 Parents Concerned About Children’s Exposure to Pornography (17/04/2019)
Today we have released the third in our series of Young People, Internet Use and Wellbeing reports prepared by SWGfL research partner, Andy Phippen, Professor of Social Responsibility in IT at the . . . University of Plymouth. With a focus on families, this report explores the use of technology in the home to manage concerns around online safety and interactions around digital technology use.
South West Grid for Learning

17/04/2019: Digital Ghost Stories; Impact, Risks and Reasons
South West Grid for Learning
15/04/2019: Facebook urged to ditch ‘like’ feature in UK online child safety drive
Guardian

All news

Online Safety

Digital Safety Newsletters

Download and read our latest online safety newsletters for professionals and parents. With the latest information and guidance from across the online world, you will find plenty to read. You can also sign up to our regular newsletters here.

Spring 2019

Professional’s newsletter
Parent’s newsletter

App/Game Database

Find information about the games being played and apps being used by children and young people.

FILTER: App/Game

Newsletter

Get the latest youth related news in your inbox by signing up to our weekly newsletter.

NEWSLETTER: Youth and Online Safety

Events

25/04/2019 : CEOP Ambassador Course
London |  From £249.00 | Details
09/05/2019 : How To Make your School Website Legal & ‘Outstanding’
Plymouth |  £119.99 | Details
23/05/2019 : CEOP Ambassador Course
Edinburgh |  From £249.00 | Details

All events

Publications

Language that cares – Changing the way professionals talk about Children in Care
Source: View document (PDF)
The Positives of Autism
Source: View document (PDF)
Police in the Classroom (NPCC|PSHE Association)
Source: View document (PDF)

All publications

Links

College of Policing – Authorised Professional Practice
https://www.app.college.police.uk/app-content/
Be internet Legends
https://parentzone.org.uk/legendshome
Parentzone parent guides
https://parentzone.org.uk/advice/parent-guides

All links
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