NSPCC assemblies' abuse prevention
Jo Parkes
Tuesday, February 16, 2016
A generation of children are being empowered to speak out against abuse, the NSPCC has claimed.
More than 1.5 million primary school pupils have made up audiences for the children's charity’s ‘Speak out. Stay safe’ assemblies at more than 20,000 schools countrywide.
The programme, which has been rolled out to children as young as four since 2011, is delivered by charity staff and volunteers who have been trained in areas including child protection, development and rights.
The assemblies are followed up with a 60-minute classroom workshop for older children.
Prime minister David Cameron attended one such assembly at Eynsham Community Primary School in Oxfordshire, which lies within his Witney constituency.
NSPCC chief executive Peter Wanless said, ‘Children who suffer abuse often don't recognise what is happening to them is wrong. In many cases abuse has been going on for some time before they find courage to speak out.
‘Our pioneering Schools Service aims to reach out and empower these younger children by working in every primary school in the UK every two years.
‘Specially trained NSPCC staff and volunteers help children to understand what is and isn't normal behavior, how to keep themselves safe, and ensure they identify someone to speak to if they are worried about anything.’
Mr Cameron said his government set up the ‘first ever’ Ministerial Child Protection Taskforce to overhaul the way police, schools and social services work together in tackling this abuse.
- Go to nspcc.org.uk/speakout for more information.
