Topics for this month:
Put security at the top of your festive list
The festive period is a busy one. There are more events, more mail and deliveries, and more crowded places. Ensure you have festive vigilance – we all have a role to play. We have attached a poster to our bulletin and we ask that you share this with family, friends, employers, learners and parents/carers, so that everyone knows how to keep themselves safe during the festive holidays. Click here for the ACT poster
Counter Terrorism Policing – security advice
With the enduring terrorist threat and the most recent London Bridge Terrorist attack that took place on Friday 29th November 2019, it is now more important than ever that everyone plays their part in tackling terrorism. Your actions could save lives. That’s why Action Counters Terrorism (ACT) is encouraging communities across the country to help the police tackle terrorism and save lives by reporting suspicious behaviour and activity.
Like other criminals, terrorists need to plan. If you see or hear something unusual or suspicious trust your instincts and ACT by reporting it in confidence at https://act.campaign.gov.uk/ or, in an emergency, dial 999.
Within Counter Terrorism Policing, they work around the clock to Prevent the threat of extremism and terrorism. They also work to Pursue active terrorist threats and stopping those who seek to do us harm.
Some examples of suspicious activity or behaviour could potentially include:
- Hiring large vehicles or similar for no obvious reasons
- Buying or storing a large amount of chemicals, fertilisers or gas cylinders for no obvious reasons
- Taking notes or photos of security arrangements, or inspecting CCTV cameras in an unusual way
- Looking at extremist material, including on the so-called Dark Web, or sharing and creating content that promotes or glorifies terrorism.
- Someone receiving deliveries for unusual items bought online.
- Embracing or actively promoting hateful ideas or an extremist ideology.
- Possessing firearms or other weapons or showing an interest in obtaining them
- Holding passports or other documents in different names, for no obvious reasons
- Anyone who goes away travelling for long periods of time but is vague about where
- Someone carrying out suspicious or unusual bank transactions
You are not wasting anyone’s time, and no call or click will be ignored. What you tell the Counter Terrorism Unit is treated in the strictest confidence and is thoroughly researched by experienced officers before, and if, any police action is taken. Any piece of information could be important, it is better to be safe and report it. Visit https://act.campaign.gov.uk/ and remember, trust your instincts and ACT.
Click here to access resources on advice and support following a terrorist attack
- Age appropriate support following a traumatic event
- Prevent safety advice
- Run, Hide, Tell leaflet
- Talking to children about scary world news
- Victims of terrorism leaflet
Tips on how to talk to children about terrorism (NSPCC)
As media coverage of the most recent London Bridge terrorist
attack once again demonstrates, the ongoing reporting following such incidents
pervades news and social media coverage. New NSPCC tips and advice are now
available if you are concerned about how a child is feeling following such
events. The charity also has a supporting video on how to talk to children
about terrorism, which may be useful to parents and carers.
Please visit the following links for support and guidance. We have also attached a leaflet from the Mental Health Foundation which includes 10 steps you can take when talking to children about scary world news.
Advice on how to cope with stress following a major incident (NHS)
If you have been involved in, or affected by, a traumatic incident, the guidance attached includes information on how you may expect to feel in the days and months ahead, and to help you understand and have more control over your experience.
Click here for the NHS Trauma Leaflet
7 Minute Briefings
We have attached five, 7 minute briefings to this months’ bulletin from Liverpool, Sefton and Knowsley Safeguarding Boards, which focus on:
- Young people carrying knives
- FGM
- Information sharing and questions to ask
- Neglect profile
- Escalation process
New law changes on safeguarding and drones
For anyone considering buying a drone or model aircraft as a Christmas present, there are some legal considerations to be made before doing so. From Saturday 30th November 2019, new laws came into force about the use of drones. Anyone responsible for a drone or unmanned aircraft (including model aircraft) weighing between 250g and 20kg will need to register as an operator. The cost for this will be £9 renewable annually.
Anyone flying a drone or unmanned aircraft (including model aircraft) weighing between 250g and 20kg will need to take and pass an online education package. This is free and renewable every three years. Drones must also be clearly marked with its registration number, which should be large enough to be seen from the ground.
Although there is no legal limit, safe flying is regarded as under 400ft. Drone users should not fly where there are dangers (for example, airfields), hazards (e.g. motorways) or areas where there may be privacy risks (for example, schools). The drone code of conduct says that pilots should stay at least 150m from built-up and busy areas, including schools. They should also be in sight of their drone at all times, so it may be possible to identify who is flying it.
As
a general rule, unless the drone pilot has permission from the Civil Aviation
Authority (CAA), they should not be flying a camera-equipped unmanned aircraft
(drone) within 150m of a ‘congested area’, which includes schools and
nurseries. The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) recommends that
drones with cameras should be operated in a responsible way that respects the
privacy of others, as their use may be covered by the Data Protection Act.
The ICO website has tips on responsible use of drones:
- Let people know before you start recording
- Consider your surroundings
- Get to know your camera first
- Plan your flight
- Keep you and your drone in view
- Think before sharing
- Keep the images safe
More ICO guidance can be found here: https://ico.org.uk/your-data-matters/drones/
Information about the drone test can be found here: https://register-drones.caa.co.uk/individual/prepare-for-the-drone-theory-test and the ‘Drone Code’ poster can be viewed here: https://dronesafe.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Drone-Code_October2019.pdf
Film and photography at the school Christmas play
At this time of year, many schools and nurseries will be hosting nativity plays. The perennial question of whether filming and photography be allowed during the play or performance is one that always comes up, and is one posed for both school/nursery staff and parents to consider. Education law barrister Robin Jacobs, from Sinclairs Law, gives his advice for developing a lawful approach to filming and photography at school plays.
Key areas to consider are:
- Challenge legal myths
- Lay down the rules
- Manage the event
- Identify vulnerable pupils
- Consider filming it yourself
- Identify non-safeguarding issues
Read the full article here: https://ie-today.co.uk/Blog/film-and-photography-at-the-school-christmas-play
WhatsApp privacy – Group messages
One of the big complaints that comes from users of WhatsApp, is being added to a new group chat and then being inundated with hundreds of messages; in more vulnerable people, this may lead to anxiety as a result of unwanted messages being received. WhatsApp has just been updated with a number of new features, one of which is a privacy upgrade which will stop you being pulled into group chats you don’t want to be part of.
This is accessed via Settings>Account>Privacy>Groups, and you can then select whether anyone can add you to a new group, just contacts or even just certain contacts.
YouTube set to overhaul children’s content – January 2020
This coming January, YouTube is set to make changes that will overhaul how children experience content on the platform. The move comes after YouTube and Google were fined $170 million this year after YouTube channels were found to be collecting children’s personal data without parental consent, which was then used to target personalised advertisements.
The changes set to take effect mean that:
- Creators will have to tell YouTube if content is made for children.
- The platform will stop using targeted ads on content made for children (but they will still see ‘non-personalised’ ads).
- The comments feature will be removed from children’s content.
- Creators who are found to avoid categorising their content correctly may face consequences.
Creators on the platform use personalised ads to monetise their content, where they can earn money by collecting revenue from ads. YouTube will use ‘machine learning’ to identify videos that target children and young people, which include those that feature:
- Children and or characters known to or targeted at children.
- Popular Children’s shows or animations.
- Play acting, or stories that use or include children’s toys.
- Children’s music, songs, stories and or poems.
This move by YouTube is a positive step in improving the digital environment where young people play, learn and socialise. In any case, enabling Safe Search filters on YouTube is an extra step that parents and carers can take to help keep children and young people safer on the platform.
Kindness Calendar – December 2019
Action for Happiness have produced a ‘Kindness Calendar’ for December 2019 as they are encouraging individuals to spread a bit more kindness in the world. We have attached it to our bulletin if you would like to take part. Click here for the Kindness Calendar
We hope you all have a wonderful and safe Christmas.
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