Safety
Bullying
At Outwood Academy City we aim to provide a safe environment for your children, an environment where children know where to go and who to ask for when they require support and one where bullying is dealt with effectively and efficiently.
Peer Mentors have attended the Diana Award training for anti-bullying. Please follow this link for further information.
E-Safety
Introduction
- ICT is an everyday part of people’s lives and schools are making increasing use of new technology.
- At Outwood Academy City we have systems in place to protect your children.
- We recognise that we encourage students to go online for work out of school where there is less supervision and they have more freedom.
Golden Rules To Safe Internet Browsing
- Children should ideally only add on social media sites people they know and trust in real life.
- Some predatory paedophiles can convincingly pose as another teenager and may spend months or years ‘grooming’ the victim until they meet face to face.
- Children must always be accompanied by an adult if meeting an online friend in person.
- Don’t ban children from these sites; they will just use them at friend’s houses or on their phone, personal media player or hand-held games console.
- Take an interest and suggest they add you as a friend so you can keep an eye on them when they first join.
- Have the main computer in a communal area of the home where there is passive supervision and be reasonable about time online. Talk if you feel it’s getting out of hand (but remember how many hours you spent watching TV when you were their age – the internet is at least active not passive and they can learn a lot from it.
- If they have a wireless laptop and you want to stop them going online after a quota of hours is up, unplug the ‘router’ where the phone line comes into the house.
What To Look For On A Website
- The CEOP report button is the online equivalent of dialling 999
- We need to train young people, just like we do with 999, to recognise it and know how to use it if they need to
- Look out for good websites that have the button built in
- Some websites refuse to add the button. Visit directly: www.ceop.police.uk
Sources Of Information & Support
Visit National Online Safety for up to date parental guides about the latest social media platforms, apps, games and trending issues. Click here to view the helpful and informative guides designed to inform parents/carers to be able to hold age appropriate conversations with their children.
Online Bullying/Cyber Bullying
Cyber bullying is the use of the Internet and related technologies to harm other people, in a deliberate, repeated, and hostile manner.
- Children can be unkind to each other online. Bullying is not new but the technology has changed making it is easier to track and prove who is responsible
- If you suspect your child is having a problem, the evidence will be on your computer. If you can print off copies of messages and screen shots of web postings (ctrl + prnt scrn) we can investigate.
Find Out More About Understanding & Stopping Cyber Bullying
County Lines
What Is Meant By The Term ‘County Lines’?
Criminal exploitation, also known as ‘county lines’, is when gangs and organised crime networks exploit children to distribute and sell illegal drugs. Often these children are made to travel across counties and use dedicated mobile phone ‘lines’ to supply drugs.
The gangs/organised crime networks sometimes use violence to threaten the children and young people when recruiting them. The gangs/organised crime networks may violently assault children and young people working for them if they find their drugs or money to be missing. Weapons such as firearms, knives, bats and acid are sometimes used to make violent threats.
The gangs/organised crime networks recruit and use children and young people to move drugs and money for them. Children as young as 11 years old may be recruited; often using social media. They are exploited and forced to carry drugs between locations, usually on trains or coaches. They are also forced to sell drugs to local users.
Commonly Used Terminology
- Cuckooing is when drug gangs take over the home of a vulnerable person through violence and intimidation; using it as their base for selling/manufacturing drugs. Signs of cuckooing include:
- An increase in people coming and going
- An increase in cars or bikes outside
- Litter outside
- Signs of drugs use
- You haven’t seen the person who lives there recently or when you have, they have been anxious or distracted.
- Going Country is the most popular term that describes county lines activity. It can also mean the act of travelling to another city/town to deliver drugs or money.
- Trapping can refer to the act of moving drugs from one town to another or the act of selling drugs.
- Trap House is a building used as a base from where drugs are sold (or sometimes manufactured). These houses are usually occupied by someone (usually adult drug users but sometimes young people are forced to stay in trap houses).
- Trap Line refers to when someone owns a mobile phone specifically for the purpose of running and selling drugs.
Signs To Look Out For
Below are some signs which may suggest that someone you know might be involved in county lines activity.
- Are they always going missing from school or their home?
- Are they travelling alone to places far away from home?
- Do they suddenly have lots of money/new clothes or new mobile phones?
- Are they receiving more calls or texts than usual?
- Are they carrying or selling drugs?
- Are they carrying weapons or know people that have access to weapons?
- Are they in a relationship with or hanging out with someone/people that are older and controlling?
- Do they have unexplained injuries?
- Do they seem very reserved or seem like they have something to hide?
- Do they seem scared?
- Are they self-harming?
Where To Report Concerns
If you are concerned a child or young person you know is engaging in county lines activity and may be in danger, call 999. Non-urgent information should be shared with the Police through Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
If you are concerned about a child or young person’s welfare, contact Sheffield Safeguarding Hub on 0114 273 4855.
