25/09/2020: ‘Vital ally’ joins fight against online child sexual abuse

“Over lockdown, children have been online even more and they are all on devices. It is important they know what is going on, and about the possible dangers.” A “vital ally” has joined the fight to . . . keep child sexual abuse material off the internet. The Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) has welcomed online learning provider Natterhub on board as a new member. Natterhub is “a safe, gated educational social media platform for primary schools, with weekly interactive lessons on all aspects of online safety for Years 1-6”. The partnership will help the IWF in its mission to find and remove videos and images of children suffering sexual abuse from the internet.
Internet Watch Foundation

24/09/2020: Have your say on impact of virtual family court hearings and child protection conferences on practice

Dramatically overhauling entire working practices in the family justice system was not on the agenda for 2020 and, if it had been, research and evaluations would have been a core part of the design . . . process. But Covid-19 turned the system on its head. Previously inconceivable practices – from remote courtrooms to socially-distanced contact between children and parents – became the new normal overnight. Professionals had to make rapid decisions about the support that could be provided to children and families and, initially at least, these decisions had to be made in the dark.
Community Care

17/09/2020: Children’s services referrals rise as lockdown measures ease

Most local authorities have reported a rise in referrals to children’s services since lockdown measures eased, latest government figures show. The Department for Education’s most recent vulnerable . . . children and young people survey found that referrals to children’s services over the two weeks between 10 – 23 August were up 12 per cent on the same period over the last three years. Some 60 per cent of local authorities reported an increase.
Children and Young People Now