The Role of Parents / Carers

You may have seen in our parent and child specific safeguarding resources, along with our curriculum offer, that we work hard to ensure that each of our families have a strong understanding of what it means to be safe online. Every child has access to, and is consistently taught about e-safety in our age appropriate Oasis Online Safety Curriculum - covering all government requirements for 'Education in a Connected World'. 

Understanding the digital world, and the rapid transitions and developments that are made within it, can feel overwhelming at times; keeping up with changes and finding the right information for you can be confusing, particularly with a wealth of resources available. Whilst we work hard to keep children safe in school, we know we need to be in partnership with yourselves as parents and carers to educate and safeguard outside of the school environment. 

So what can you do? We've collated some information below with links to resources to help you keep up to date with digital changes, but also give you a good grounding for what you can share with and talk to your child about.

Please see our parental controls booklet with information on how to further protect your child on the internet.

Childline 

Childline can help you on with all sorts of problems you may be worried your child has, including mental health difficulties, any anxieties or issues you may have about your health, living situation or education. 

You can call them for free to speak to someone privately. You can contact a Childline counsellor about anything, no                                                          problem is too big or too small.

                                                    Call free on 0800 11 11 or visit www.childline.org.uk

YoungMinds & CAMHS

YoungMinds are a charitable organisation who work with the Children and Adolescents Mental Health Service (CAMHS) to provide support, advice and counselling to young people experiencing depression, anxiety, bullying and eating difficulties. They offer a parent helpline for parents and carers worried about their children's mental wellbeing. 

You can find a guide to support offered at https://youngminds.org.uk/find-help/your-guide-to-support/ 

Their parental helpline can be reached through 0808 802 5544.

Mind

Mind are a nationwide mental health charity who are able to offer information and support for a variety of mental health issues. Working closely with the NHS they have a wide range of resources and information on their website, including an A-Z of Mental Health, advice for helping someone else, guides to support and services and Elefriends - their online community. Everyone is affected by a mental health difficulty at some point in their lifetime and Mind are on hand to help. 

Visit their website on https://www.mind.org.uk/

Or call them today on 0300 123 3393 for their infoline.

ThisMayHelp

This May Help is a national initiative providing mental health advice to parents and carers.  The website gives easy-to-follow advice to help families support their child’s mental health and is being recommended for use by those who are working with children also. 

Advice covered includes: understanding mental health, building rapport and resilience, self-care tips, self-harm, gaming and online activity, teenagers safety, eating disorders, understanding teenagers and school avoidance.  Please share this fantastic resource with parents and colleagues.

Carers Direct 

Carers Direct is for anyone who is looking after a family member who is ill or disabled or needs special help. It is part of the NHS website and offers information and advice. 

There is a phone number you can call to talk to someone on 0808 802 0202

Or you can visit their website on https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/social-care-and-support/carers-assessment/#the-types-of-carer-support-available

Refuge

Refuge are an organisation that can help you if you are experiencing violence at home. They have information on their website about who you can talk to, how you can talk to them, and what to do if you are worried.

You can visit their website at www.refuge.org.uk

The NSPCC

The NSPCC are there to talk to you if you are worried about a child being hurt or abused by someone They are able to offer support and to take some details from about what is happening. They can also offer a counselling service to young people.

You can visit their website at https://www.nspcc.org.uk/

You can email them on help@nspcc.org.uk or you can call them on 0808 800 5000

Shelter

Shelter are able to offer housing advice to anyone who is experiencing or at risk of homelessness. You can find information on what to do about homelessness, private renting, tenancy deposits, repossession, eviction, repairs, housing benefits and council housing

You can visit their website at www.shelter.org.uk

Drink Aware

If you are worried about how much you are drinking or how much a loved one is drinking there is lots of helpful advice and support on the drinkaware website. They also have a helpful drink tracker and tools for managing what your alcohol intake is. On their website you will find a list of alcohol support services with helplines available. 

Visit their website at: https://www.drinkaware.co.uk/alcohol-support-services/

NSPCC

Every child has the right to not be touched by an adult when they do not want to. Female Genital Mutilation is illegal, and a form of abuse, therefore should be dealt with quickly and seriously. FGM comprises all procedures involving partial or total removal of the external female genitalia or other injury to the female genital organs for non-medical reasons.

The NSPCC have a special helpline for anyone concerned about FGM, or anyone who has been affected by FGM. You can call them on 0800 028 3550 or email them directly on fgmhelp@nspcc.org.uk 

If you are concerned that a child is at imminent risk of harm, or may leave the country for the purposes of FGM in the next 48 hours you can call the police on 999.
Where concerns are not imminent but are still serious, please call the Children's Helpdesk on 01452 426565

Forced Marriage Unit (FMU)

The FMU is a government initiative set up to support anyone who is worried about or is at risk of being forced into a marriage, or anyone who has already been forced to marry another person. A trained professional will give you free advice on what you can do next, and help you with finding a safe place to stay or stopping a visa if you have been forced to sponsor someone. You have the right to choose who you marry, when you marry or if you marry at all. 

Visit their website on https://www.gov.uk/stop-forced-marriage

Call their support line Monday to Friday (9-5) on 0207 008 0151 or during out of work hours on 0207 008 1500 and ask for the global response centre. 

The Freedom Charity

The Freedom Charity have been raising awareness and working hard to stop forced marriages from happening within the UK. On their website you will find resources, information and direction for how to get support if you are concerned about someone or yourself. 

Visit their website on www.freedomcharity.org.uk/resources

Or call their helpline on 0845 607 0133

Alternatively you can text them on 88802 and they will call you back. You need to send the message '4freedom' 

Brook

If you are worried about a young person who might be pregnant, have any questions about pregnancy or know they are already pregnant and looking for support, Brook are able to help. They are a national organisation dedicated to educating young people about pregnancy and sexual health, and have many links with other support services and helplines. They also have a forum available for users to post questions and communicate with each other in a safe and supportive environment. 

Visit their website at https://www.brook.org.uk/your-life/category/pregnancy

Family Lives

Family lives offer a listening and supportive, non-judgemental service for parents. They have a lot of information on their website, including parenting advice videos and forums to chat to other families. Thy offer online parenting courses too for those wanting to be prepared for parenthood. 

You can visit their website on www.familylives.org.uk/how-we-can-help/confidential-helpline 

Alternatively you can call their helpline on 0808 800 2222 for information, advice, guidance and support between 9am-9pm Monday to Friday or 10am-3pm at the weekend. 

PREVENT

PREVENT is about safeguarding people and communities from the threat of terrorism. It is one of 4 elements of CONTES, the Government's counter terrorism strategy, aiming to stop people from becoming involved in terrorism or supporting terrorism. The Home Office works with local authorities, Multi-Academy Trusts, and a wide range of government departments and community organisations to deliver the strategy. 

Please click here for a link to the official government document

Attached is a helpful guide for parents about Keeping Children and Young People Safe Against Radicalisation and Extremism

STOPTHETRAFFIK 

STOPTHETRAFFIK are part of the Oasis family, and are dedicated to the abolition of human traffiking, including sexual exploitation, somestic servitute, labour exploitation, force marriage, organ harvesting, forced criminality, drug trade and child soldiers. On their website are resources on spotting the signs of trafficking, ways to help or get involved in what they do and a safe place to share information on trafficking if you are worried about someone or at risk yourself. 

Visit their site on www.stopthetraffik.org