Working with Children
Anti-Racist Practice
What is Anti-Racist Practice?
It involves proactively identifying, challenging, and changing the values, structures, policies, and behaviors that perpetuate racial inequities.
When working with children, this means:
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Recognising and valuing the diverse racial and cultural identities of every child.
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Addressing biases - both implicit and explicit - that may influence our expectations, language, or disciplinary actions.
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Creating inclusive learning and care environments that reflect and affirm the lives of children from all backgrounds.
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Listening to and amplifying the voices of children and families from communities experiencing racial inequality.
Adultification Bias
Adultification is a form of bias where children are viewed and treated as older than they are. It can happen to children of any age and shapes how they are protected and safeguarded. It can result in children’s rights being overlooked (Listen Up, 2025).
Children may be perceived as being more ‘streetwise’, more ‘grown up’, less innocent and less vulnerable than other children. Adultification can impact any child but it disproportionately affects Black children, who might be viewed primarily as a threat rather than as a child who needs support (Davis 2022; Davis and Marsh, 2020; Georgetown Law Center on Poverty and Inequality, 2019).
Adultification strips children of the right to be children. It exposes them to unfair treatment and can have long-term effects on their mental health, education, and self-worth.
Our colleagues at the Essex Safeguarding Children Board produced a really helpful podcast with a multi-agency group of professionals exploring the topic of adultification which includes an open and honest discussion about how adultification bias affects safeguarding professionals and impacting positive change within organisations. You can listen to the podcast below:
Further Resources and Reading Material:
Eastern Region Anti-Racist Pledge
Local Child Safeguarding Practice Review - Child Q (CHSCP)
Race, Racism and Safeguarding Children - Child Safegaurding Practice Review Panel Report (March 2025)
Adultification bias within Child Protection and Safeguarding report
Cultural Genograms
https://listenupresearch.org/
Brighter Futures
Brighter Futures Vision
The Brighter Futures vision is to promote the wellbeing and resilience of families with children from conception to 18. For children with additional needs, support continues until they are 25 as we work with adult services to ensure a smooth transition for help and support into adulthood.
This vision will be achieved by empowering and supporting children and families wherever possible to help themselves, using universal and community-based services in the first instance. When more specialist help is needed we will support families by offering the right service, at the right time, by professionals with a range of skills to prevent escalation of need.
In Thurrock, we are using a whole range of professionals who work with children, young people and their families to deliver the Brighter Futures Strategy, meaning that we will work together to ensure services are co-ordinated, accessible and where possible, local.
Full details of the Brighter Futures Strategy can be found by clicking the link below:
Brighter Futures Strategy 2021-2026
Child Death Reviews
Child Death Review Process
The Child Death Overview Panel is responsible for reviewing the deaths of any children normally resident in Southend, Essex and Thurrock local authority areas, whether from natural, unnatural, known or unknown causes, at home, in hospital or in the community.
The purpose of the review is to:
- Reduce the number of childhood deaths.
- Identify matters of concern affecting the safety and welfare of children.
- Identify wider public health or safety concerns arising from a particular death or from a pattern of deaths.
- Undertake a co-ordinated agency response to all unexpected deaths of children.
Further information can be found in the documents below:
Notification of a child death
Any agency becoming aware of:
- a child death occurring in Southend, Essex or Thurrock
- a death of a child normally resident in Southend, Essex or Thurrock occurring elsewhere
should make a notification to the SET Child Death Review Manager via their nominated Child Death Review lead.
To make the notification, please follow the link below to complete the Notification Form within 24 hours.
Notification Form link
If you have any problems with submitting a notification via the above link please contact the Child Death Review Team by email: tpa-tr.SET-CDR-RRT@nhs.net or by telephone: 01279 357996.
Further Information
Essex Fire and Essex Police Joint Education Team
Established in 2016, the Joint Education Team is a collaborative initiative by Essex Fire and Essex Police aimed at delivering impactful lessons and assemblies in schools across the county. The team also extends its reach through outreach sessions for individuals not engaged in formal education, ensuring that essential safety and community awareness messages are accessible to all.
The team is supported by six dedicated Education Officers who cover the regions of Essex, Southend, and Thurrock. Their expertise ensures that safety and community awareness messages are tailored effectively to diverse audiences throughout the county.
To find out about the sessions that they offer and how to book, please visit the Education Visit Booking Form provided in their current schools and outreach catalogue which you can find below:
ECFRS Education Programme Catalogue 2025
Essex Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC) - Oakwood Place
Oakwood Place SARC offers a comprehensive service for adults and children in Essex who have experienced sexual violence or sexual abuse. Clients can access Oakwood Place via the Police and other professionals, as well as via the self-referral pathway (booking an appointment at the SARC, without police involvement).
At the SARC, individuals will be offered support and guidance, a medical assessment/treatment, a forensic examination and the opportunity of aftercare referrals for support services. Clients will be offered these services based on their individual needs and can choose to use as much or as little of the service as they wish.
For more information regarding what services the SARC can offer visit their website, linked below:
Oakwood Place - Essex SARC
Firearms and Gun Licences - SET Advice for Practitioners
This advice has been developed as a direct result of a joint Domestic Homicide Review (DHR) and Safeguarding Adults Review (SAR) which highlighted the risk around the lawful possession of firearms and sharing of information. It covers guidance on what to do if there is a legally owned firearm in the household and there is an adult with deteriorating mental health or children.
You can access the guidance via the link below:
Firearms advice for practitioners PDF
Graded Care Profile 2
Neglect is the most common form of abuse and an adverse childhood experience. We know that children who experience Neglect may go onto experience long term negative effects on their health, well-being and life opportunities. We want to improve outcomes for children experiencing Neglect in Thurrock by intervening as early as possible.
As part of our approach to working with children and families, the NSPCC's Graded Care Profile 2 is being introduced across the wider Partnership.
What is the Graded Care Profile 2 tool?
Thurrock is using the NSPCC's Graded Care Profile 2 (GCP2) as a tool for assessing the ability of parents/carers to meet children's needs. The GCP2 is an evidence-based assessment tool that measures the quality of care provided to an individual child over a specific period of time. It is designed as an objective tool which focuses on measuring the quality of care received by the child. The tool is child-focused as it specifically addresses whether or not the child's developmental needs in each area are being met, to what extent and whether this is consistent.
How can it be used?
The tool can assist you to understand the willingness and ability of the parent/carer to meet the child’s developmental needs. Within the Graded Care Profile 2 there are five grades of care on a scale from positive to negative. The tool uses a scaling measurement of the level of care between 1 (best) or 5 (worst) and this scaling is based on direct observation of the extent to which the needs of a child are currently being met. The scoring applies to the areas of care that relate to particular developmental needs of children based on Maslow’s principles:-
- Physical care
- Care of safety
- Emotional care (love and belonging), and
- Developmental care (care of esteem)
It is widely recognised that the level of care provided by parents to children can fluctuate over time. Therefore, this tool is useful as it can measure parenting at a specific time and then can be reviewed to ascertain whether there has been any changes over time.
The GCP2 tool was intended to be a helpful tool when assessing neglect and helps to promote resilience within families by focusing on the 'instinctive parenting strength' within the social-environmental context, as well as seeking the family's own understanding of how the child's needs are being met.
Can you use this tool?
In order to carry out Graded Care Profile 2 assessments, you are required to attend a full day of training. There will be a number of sessions provided in Thurrock to train practitioners to use this assessment tool, to better understand and respond to children who are experiencing Neglect. GCP2 training sessions can be booked via this link: Graded Care Profile 2 - Training Dates
Useful Information
GCP2 - Information Sheet
We also have a video introducing GCP2 to agencies:-
Managing Allegations against Adults in a position of trust who work with children - LADO
Children can become victims of abuse and exploitation by those who work with them in any setting. They have been found to be vulnerable in all organisational settings including social care, education, health care, the leisure industry and in faith communities.
Section 7 of the SET procedures, for allegations against staff or volunteers who work with children, is based on the framework for dealing with allegations made against an adult who works with children and should be followed by all organisations providing services for children and young people.
Compliance with these procedures will help to ensure that allegations are dealt with consistently and in a timely manner; that a thorough, proportionate and fair process is followed and that processes are open to challenge.
Arrangements for managing concerns or allegations of this nature should be robust and effective in keeping children safe. All allegations should be taken seriously, approached with an open mind, and not be driven by preconceived opinions about whether a child has or has not been harmed.
Role of the Thurrock LADO
The LADO deals with cases where there is a concern or allegation against an adult who works with children. It may be that the person either:
- Behaved in a way that has harmed, or may have harmed, a child
- Possibly committed a criminal offence against, or related to, a child
- Behaved towards a child or children in a way that indicates they may pose a risk of harm to children
- Behaved, or may have behaved in a way that indicates they may not be suitable to work with children
By law, unitary local authorities like Thurrock have a Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) who is involved in the management and oversight of individual cases. The LADO does not investigate cases but they do:
- give advice and guidance to employers and voluntary organisations
- work closely with the police and other agencies
- monitor cases to make sure that they are dealt with as quickly, thoroughly and fairly as possible
Allegations against employees must be reported to:
- a senior manager in the organisation immediately
- the LADO within 1 working day
More information on the role of the LADO, the referral process and how to contact them can be found here: Thurrock LADO Information document - 2024
Making a LADO Referral
Make a referral to the Thurrock LADO (Local Authority Designated Officer) if there are concerns/allegations that an adult working or volunteering with children has or may have harmed a child, may have committed a criminal offence related to a child or has behaved towards a child or children in a way that indicates they may pose a risk of harm to children.
In order to deal with your request please complete the referral form in the initial instance (Referral Form link: /assets/1/managing_allegations_referral_form.docx) and return to LADO@thurrock.gov.uk.
The working hours for the LADO service are Monday to Thursday 09.00 – 17.30 and Friday 09.00 – 16.30. Any emails received in this time will be dealt with as soon as possible.
If your email is outside of these hours it will be dealt with at the earliest opportunity the following working day.
If the LADO is not in the office, your email will be read and dealt with by those covering the role.
During working hours, if you need to speak to someone urgently in relation to the LADO role (allegations regarding someone who works with children) please call the LADO Mobile 07762 406606 and leave a message if the phone is not answered immediately.
During working hours, for Child Protection concerns regarding a child please call Thurrock MASH on 01375 652802 or via email on thurrockmash@thurrock.gov.uk
For emergencies out of these hours, please contact the Emergency Duty Service on 01375 372468.
Neglect Toolkit
Thurrock LSCP were pleased to launch the Neglect Toolkit at our conference in April 2023.
A digital version of this is available below:
Introduction from Chair of Thurrock LSCP Neglect Group
Day in my Life
What a child needs
Neglect Prompts
Neglect Screening Tool
Safer Sleep for Professionals - SUDI Practice Tool
A thematic review of sudden unexpected deaths in infancy (SUDI) in Southend, Essex and Thurrock has led to the development of the SUDI Practice Tool. This tool is available for practitioners across all agencies to use.
The intention of the SUDI Practice Tool is to prompt curious conversations by all professionals in contact with families with young infants, to facilitate a non-judgemental discussion about their choice of sleeping environment, and to tailor advice and support to their individual circumstances.
The guidance is based on the Lullaby Trust recommendations for best practice and is intended to support current practice and risk assessment. You can access the guidance using the link below:
SUDI Practice Tool (2024 update)
Training
Thurrock LSCP offer an E-Learning course on Safer Sleeping for Babies - Reducing the Risk of SIDS - if you would like to learn more about the course, or to apply, please click here.
Should you have any additional questions about the advice, the research or anything else then please do contact the Lullaby Trust as detailed below:
Resources
The Lullaby Trust have a wide range of resources including safer sleep guides for professionals and parents and a safer sleep product checklist. You can find all their resources via the links below:
The Lullaby Trust - Resources for Professionals
The Lullaby Trust Baby Safety Resources
Signs of Safety
The Signs of Safety (SOS) Approach
Thurrock has adopted Signs of Safety as their way of working with families because it is helping to support them to achieve the type of service that children, young people, parents and carers have told them they want. Best practice is child-focused, solution-orientated, respectful and inclusive of families.
Signs of Safety was developed in child protection services, so this is the umbrella term that is used for the approach. When using Signs of Safety within different services it is adapted to those situations and it is known as:
- Signs of Wellbeing at prevention and early help (CAF)
- Signs of Safety at child in need and child protection
- Signs of Stability for work with cared for children and young people and care leavers
Signs of Safety Framework
- What's working well?
- What are we worried about?
- What needs to happen?
Safety/Wellbeing Scale – After completing what is working well, what we are worried about and what needs to happen, family members and agencies are asked on a scale of 0 to 10 where they rate the situation right now.
Danger/Worry Statements & Safety/Wellbeing Goals - These are compiled with agencies and families to clearly state what the current risks are and what it will look like for the children to be safe. They are used to help shift thinking from the future we worry about to the future we want to create.
Core Principles
Signs of Safety for Thurrock means:
- we listen to what the children say
- we place high value on the quality of relationships we have with families, carers and each other
- we think critically and never assume we have all the answers
- we work with families collaboratively to help them find their own solutions
- we use plain language that families can readily understand
- we balance optimism with curiosity so that we assess risk rigorously
Children and Young People
We use Signs of Safety to help children and young people talk about things that go well in their family as well as things that worry them. We try to use different methods to help children tell us how we can keep them safe.
Further Information and Resources
The Role of the Lead Professional
To support Partners in their role as Lead Professional, the LSCP Business Team has produced a guidance document. We hope you find the below information and document helpful.
Who is the best person to be a Lead Professional?
Depending on the needs of the family and the threshold for the intervention, the Lead Professional should ideally be someone who is already working with the child, young person or their parents and knows them well, or is about to get involved and play a major role in supporting them. The best person to take this role is usually agreed at the Team Around the Family (TAF) meeting.
Expectations of the Lead Professional
The Lead Professional role has four core functions:-
- Act as a single point of contact for the child, young person or family.
- Co-ordinate the delivery of the solution focused actions, and to ensure that progress is reviewed regularly.
- Reduce overlap and inconsistency in the services received.
- Supports improved outcomes for the child, young person or family.
A Lead Professional is accountable to their own agency for their delivery of the Lead Professional functions. They are not responsible or accountable for the actions of other practitioners or services.
For more information, please refer to the leaflet below.
Thurrock Common Assessment Framework (CAF)
Introduction
The majority of children and young people enjoy their lives and develop satisfactorily with the support of universal services (such as the usual health and education services). From time to time however they may require help from a single agency for a specific issue or from a range of agencies if the issues are more complex.
Within Thurrock the Multi-Agency Common Assessment Framework (CAF) is designed to support children and young people by focusing on early help for them and their families through the delivery of services and support to meet identified needs.
The Common Assessment Framework (CAF) is a method of assessment used across all children's services/agencies both locally and nationally. A CAF is used to assess what help and support a child or young person may need.
The CAF will help to ensure early identification of needs, reduce the need for multiple assessments and children and families repeatedly "telling their stories" to coordinate the delivery of services.
If at any stage, you are worried that a child or young person is suffering, or is at risk of suffering, significant harm then you should contact Thurrock Children's Social Care for advice.
Children with Additional Needs
The CAF is a tool to help identify those children with additional needs before these escalate into more serious concerns. This might include situations where there are issues with:
- Disruptive or anti-social behavior
- Involvement in, or risk from, offending
- Overt parental conflict or a lack of parental support/boundaries
- Disengagement from education or training
- Poor school attendance
- Repeated fixed term or permanent exclusion from school
- Special educational needs
- Disability
- Poor nutrition or ill health
- Substance misuse
- Poor emotional or mental health
- Housing
- Pregnancy and parenthood
- Domestic violence
Who will undertake the CAF?
The CAF will be used by a range or staff working with children. It is anticipated that most will be undertaken by those working in universal services; schools, nurseries, various health settings, community and voluntary agencies.
When is a CAF not appropriate?
In the majority of cases children and young people make satisfactory progress with the support of universal services. From time to time they may require help from a single agency for a specific issue. Referral to a single agency does not require a CAF to be completed.
All referrals to both Social Care and the Prevention and Support Service (PASS) go through the Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH) as a single front door.
CAF Training for Practitioners
If you would like to learn more about how to make a CAF referral Thurrock LSCP offer free training sessions facilitated by our MASH colleagues. Please visit the link below to book:
Working Together to Safeguard Children - statutory guidance
This guidance covers:
- The legislative requirements that apply to individuals, organisations and agencies.
- A framework for the three local safeguarding partners (the local authority, an ICB for an area, any part of which falls within the local authority area, and the Chief Constable for police for a police area, any part of which falls within the local authority area) to make arrangements to work together to safeguard and promote the welfare of local children, including identifying and responding to their needs.
- The framework for the two child death review partners (the local authority and any ICB for an area, any part of which falls within the local authority area) to make arrangements to review all deaths of children normally resident in the local area, and if they consider it appropriate, for those not normally resident in the area.
You can find a link to the most recent update below:
Working Together to Safeguard Children 2023
An illustrated guide to use with children and young people has also now been produced. You can access the document via the link below:
Working Together to Safeguard Children: An Illustrated Guide
Child Safeguarding Practice Reviews
Introduction to Child Safeguarding Practice Reviews
INTRODUCTION TO SAFEGUARDING REVIEWS
Thurrock LSCP are committed to supporting practitioners and organisations to improve practice and achieve the best possible outcomes for children and young people within the Borough.
Reviewing professional practice allows for identification of learning and best practice. Reviews can range from case audits through to Child Safeguarding Practice Reviews – formally known as Serious Case Reviews under the previous safeguarding arrangements. However, the purpose is the same, to identify how to achieve the best outcomes for children and young people.
Working Together 2018 has clarified revised statutory requirements and is explicit regarding the purpose of Child Safeguarding Practice Reviews:-
Whilst the responsibility for learning from Serious Child Safeguarding incidents lies at a national level with the Child Safeguarding Practice Review Panel (formerly The National Panel), at a local level, it is the local safeguarding partners who are responsible for making arrangements to identify and review serious child safeguarding cases and to ensure that the learning is shared appropriately.
Current Reviews
Published Reviews
It is the normal expectation that the review reports will be published on the Thurrock LSCP website. If there is a valid reason why it is considered inappropriate to publish, any information about the improvements that are made following the review, will still be shared.
All independent reviews have scrutinised the actions/learning points of all agencies and organisations that had involvement with the family, additionally the LSCP has been working with agencies to ensure that learning improvements are made.
Thematic Review into Serious Youth Violence and Gang Related Activity
Thurrock Local Safeguarding Children Partnership (LSCP) have undertaken a Thematic Review into Serious Youth Violence and Gang Related Activity. This published report focused on identifying any emerging issues in this area and what work is in place to support and protect children and young people at risk of serious youth violence and gang related activity.
Thematic Learning Report
Ashley and Shae Review - Learning for non-accidental injuries in babies under 1
Thurrock Local Safeguarding Children Partnership (LSCP) have undertaken a review into the circumstances surrounding “Ashley and Shae” cases. Both relate to children under 1 (one was aged 7 weeks and the other 9 months) who sustained non-accidental injuries in the end of 2019 and beginning of 2020. The Learning and Recommendations highlight learning for health professionals as well as multi-agency professionals.
LHR Ashley and Shae Learning
LPR Leo
Thurrock Local Safeguarding Children Partnership (LSCP) have been undertaking a Learning Practice Review into the circumstances surrounding the support and services provided to a young people, in this report known as Leo, and his family.
LPR Leo Report
SCR Frankie
Thurrock Local Safeguarding Children Partnership (LSCP) have been undertaking a Serious Case Review into the circumstances surrounding “Frankie” a 15-year old Thurrock teenager who was murdered in London in June 2018. The review highlights learning for professionals as well as acknowledges the efforts made by key practitioners.
SCR Frankie
SCR Sam and Kyle
Thurrock Local Safeguarding Children Partnership (LSCP) have been undertaking a Serious Case Review into the circumstances surrounding the support and service provision to two young children, to be called “Sam and Kyle”.
SCR Sam and Kyle
National Reviews
The National Child Safeguarding Practice Review Panel will undertake reviews were the following criteria has been met:-
- Highlights or may highlight improvements needed to safeguard and promote the welfare of children, including where those improvements have been previously identified,
- Raises or may raise issues requiring legislative change or changes to guidance under or further to any enactment,
- Highlights or may highlight themes in the safeguarding and promotion of the welfare of children.
Two reviews have been published and Thurrock LSCP are currently looking at both these reports to identify learning for Thurrock.
"It was hard to escape"
Safeguarding children at risk from sudden unexpected infant death
Policies and Procedures
Overview
As a statutory body, the LSCP has a requirement to meet certain procedural expectations. In order to achieve this there are a number of policies, procedures and protocols in place to ensure that it meets both national, regional and local expectations.
This section of the website is predominately for professionals and agencies that work within the safeguarding arena, so they are able to monitor the work of the LSCP. It also provides to the community the opportunity to see some of the inner workings of the LSCP and be a supportive observer.
Third Party Acknowledgement
Thurrock LSCP respect and acknowledge the rights of partner organisations for recognition of reports and documents either directly linked or forming a part of the content of this website. Where possible we will endorse or acknowledge individual organisations content in this section.
https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/2/
SET Procedures
Updated SET Safeguarding and Child Protection Procedures - 2025
We are currently in the process of moving to web enabled Safeguarding and Child Protection Procedures and anticipate they will go live in January 2026. In the interim we have updated the current procedures.
The SET (Southend, Essex and Thurrock) Safeguarding and Child Protection Procedures have been updated to reflect current practice and changes in legislation. The main changes to note are the following:
- Procedures updated in line with changes to Working Together 2023 (updated Dec 2023)
- References to Keeping Children Safe in Education updated to 2024
- Changing Clinical Commissioning groups to Integrated Care Boards (ICBs)
- Links and references have been updated
Please see the link below for the documents:
SET Safeguarding and Child Protection Procedures - 2025
SET Procedure Amendments & Update Summary - 2025
When do the updated procedures come into effect?
The new procedures come into effect from Tuesday 1 July 2025. Please disregard any previous versions you may have.
We encourage all professionals or volunteers working with children and young people to familiarise themselves with the updated content: it’s important to be comfortable with following the processes and understand what actions you need to take in various situations.
These procedures are a reference document, and we expect that you will refer to specific sections, rather than read it cover-to-cover.
SET Protocol for Management of Suspicious Unexplained Injuries or Bruising in Children
Please see the link below to the most recent update of this document:
SET Protocol Management of Suspicious Unexplained Injuries or Bruising in Children - 2025
SET Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) Flowcharts
Please see links below for the SET Multi-Agency and Health FGM Flowchart. It provides professionals working across SET the guidance to respond appropriately to concerns regarding FGM:
SET Health FGM Flowchart
SET Multi-Agency FGM Flowchart
SET Guidance - Presentation of Concealed, Denied and Late Booking of Pregnancies
Please see a link below to the most recent version of this guidance:
SET Concealed, Denied and Late Booking of Pregnancies policy (2024)
SET Police Protection Protocol
Please see a link below to the most recent version of this document:
SET Police Protection Protocol (2017)
Please be aware that this document is currently under review.
SET Child Exploitation Screening Framework
The SET Child Exploitation Screening Framework provides local pathway guidance for professionals to identify key child exploitation risk factors present for the child and what further support services are available. Please see a link below to the document:
SET Partnership Child Exploitation Pathway
Thurrock LSCP Learning and Improvement Framework
You can find our Learning & Improvement Framework below:
Thurrock LSCP Leaning and Improvement Framework
Thurrock LSCP Pathway to Service and Threshold Intervention
Working Together to Safeguard Children guidance asks partners to publish a threshold document setting out the local criteria for action in a way that is transparent, accessible and easily understood.
This document is for everyone who works with children and young people and their families in Thurrock. It is about the way we can work together, share information and put the child, young person and their family at the centre of our practice, providing effective support to help them solve problems and find solutions at an early stage to prevent problems escalating. It sets out how we approach the difficult task of keeping children and young people safe and protected from harm.
You will find a link to the document below, which has been written with multi-agency involvement and consultation.
Pathway to Service and Threshold Intervention - 2025-2027
Thurrock LSCP Escalation Policy
This policy aims to support positive resolution of professional difference between agencies working with children and families in Thurrock. The protocol offers a pathway to support practitioners using the Southend, Essex and Thurrock (SET) Procedures. You can access the policy by clicking on the link below:
Thurrock LSCP Escalation Policy (2020)
Eastern Region Anti-Racist Practice Pledge
The Eastern Region Anti-Racist Practice Pledge has been adopted by Thurrock LSCP. This is not intended to replace any pledges or statements that individual agencies already have, but to outline the expectation from Partnership level and enhance what is already being done. The document can be found here:
Eastern Region Anti-Racist Practice Pledge
Safeguarding Topics
Drugs and Alcohol
Drugs
Most young people will come into contact with some form or drugs at some point during their life. The majority of teenagers make the decision not to take them but if they do it can be for a number of reasons:-
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Rebellion;
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Peer pressure; or
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Curiosity
As a parent/carer it is a good idea to fully understand the facts around drugs. Talk openly with your child about drugs and the risks and different effects that they have, this could help them feel more comfortable and confident about making the right choices both now and in the future.
Legal Highs
What are these you may ask. Legal Highs are psychoactive drugs that contain various chemical ingredients, some of which are illegal while others are not. They produce similar effects to illegal drugs like cocaine, cannabis and ecstasy.
These are sold in a variety of forms:-
- powder;
- pills;
- liquids;
- capsules; to name just a few examples.
The main difference is that they are not controlled under the Misuse of Drugs Act. Although the mimic the effects of illegal drugs, they are chemically and structurally different enough to avoid being officially classed as illegal substances.
One of the biggest problems is that little research has gone into their effects, especially over the longer term. However, if they produce similar psychological effects as cocaine, ecstasy or cannabis, they are also likely to carry similar risks and may some will have new risks that are not known about yet.
Alcohol
Children can be drawn into alcohol even if their first experience of it is unpleasant. They may not like the taste or the feeling of being drunk but often they continue to drink.
It is important for them to understand the risks of underage drinking and evidence shows that meaningful conversations between parents and their children help the child develop a sensible relationship with alcohol.
For advice, tips and facts please look at the Parent Guide to talking to Children by clicking:-
Where can I go for support
Domestic Abuse
Every child deserves a safe and secure home, however around 1 in 5 children have been exposed to domestic abuse and witnessing this can have long-term effects on children and young people.
So what is domestic abuse?
Domestic abuse is any type of controlling, bullying, threatening or violent behavior between people in a relationship. This can seriously harm children and young people and witnessing domestic abuse is child abuse.
It is important to remember that domestic abuse:-
- can happen inside and outside the home
- can happen in any relationship and can continue even after the relationship has ended
- both men and women can be abused or abusers
- can happen over the phone, on the internet and on social networking sites.
For more information on the types, effects and signs of domestic abuse please visit:-
Where can I get help?
To make a disclosure of domestic abuse for either yourself or someone else, please contact:-
- Essex Police Domestic Abuse Central Referral Unit on 101 extension 180340
- Essex Police Domestic Abuse - non emergency number - 0800 358 0351
Or visit:-
Further information and support
For Female Victims of Domestic Abuse:-
For Male Victims of Domestic Abuse:-
For Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender (LGBT+) victims
Disability Support Groups
For perpetrators of domestic abuse
Tutoring
Are you thinking of employing a private tutor or coach?
Parents and carers may seek private tuition for their child for a variety of reasons:-
- to help with their school work and improve their grades;
- develop their language skills;
- to learn a musical instrument or be accompanied on a musical instrument; or
- other extracurricular activity (eg sports coaching, drama).
Most private tutors and tuition centers advertise in local papers and on the internet and it is the responsibility of the parent/carer to ensure the tutor is appropriately qualified and safe to work with children or the tuition center has undertaken the necessary safeguarding checks.
Some simple steps/checks that you can undertake are:-
- Always interview the tutor and be satisfied that they answer your questions fully
- Ask to see personal references and ensure you contact them to confirm the referees
- Ask to see their qualification certificates
- Ask to see their CV or employment record
- If the tutor is a qualified teacher ask to see a copy of the tutors Teaching Agency Registration and a copy of their DBS (Criminal Record Check)
Remember - Any tutor that is mindful and aware of current expectations towards safeguarding children should have no objection to any of these checks or arrangements. Do not feel that you are acting unreasonably to expect this and you should not accept arrangements you are not happy with.
Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE)
What is Child Sexual Exploitation?
CSE is when an abuser manipulates, coerces or forces a child or young person into performing sexual acts.
Abusers are usually older males, but they can sometimes be of a similar age or be female. They are very sophisticated in the way they operate, meaning what they do is well thought out and planned.
An abuser will know areas to target. They are skilled in approaching children or young people in person or may use a young girl or woman, or boy or girl to make the initial contact. Some use the internet or mobile phones to engage the child or young person.
To do this they may use threats, violence, introduce them to alcohol or drugs and create a dependancy, or make the child/young person feel special through attention or gifts or pretend to be their boyfriend or girlfriend.
They will aim to alienate them from their friends and family - this is referred to as the grooming process.
More information can be found in the CSE Parent Guide which can be downloaded by clicking here
Safer Sleep
Co-sleeping risks
While there is a decreasing trend nationally, there has been a marked rise in the number of Sudden Unexpected Infant Deaths in recent years in Southend, Essex and Thurrock.
No evidence has been identified to suggest a particular cause for the recent rise but there are certain co-sleeping risk factors, including:
co-sleeping with a regular smoker
co-sleeping on a sofa
co-sleeping after consuming alcohol or drugs
If the baby was born prematurely or had low birth weight
Quick Tips for Safer Sleep
Things you can do
- Always place your baby on their back to sleep
- Keep your baby smoke free during pregnancy and after birth
- Place your baby to sleep in a separate cot of Moses basket in the same room as you for the first six months
- Breastfeed your baby
- Use a firm, flat, waterproof mattress in good condition
Things to avoid
- Never sleep on a sofa or in an armchair with your baby
- Do not sleep in the same bed as your baby if you smoke, drink or take drugs or are extremely tired, if your baby was born prematurely or was of low birth-weight
- Avoid letting your baby get too hot
- Do not cover your baby's face or head while sleeping or use loose bedding.
Additional Advice and Support
If you are a parent or carer of a young child, or know someone that is, you can get support and advice from your midwife or health visitor, so please speak to them if you have any questions, whether this be about safer sleep or other things like getting help to give up smoking, advice on settling your baby and getting rest.
Click on the Unicef logo to find out about their baby-friendly initiative to promote and support breastfeeding and close, loving parent-infant relationships.
Call 0808 802 6869 or click the Lullaby trust logo for Safer Sleep advice, bereavement support and awareness raising.
Resources
Safer Sleep for Babies - a guide for parents
Baby Check booklet
Safer Sleep Advice for Premature Babies booklet
Safer Sleep Product Guide
Online Child Exploitation
This section is aimed at parents/carers. If you are a professional or someone working with children and families please click here. If you are a young person please click here
The 2 Johns Facebook Live - Sunday 16th October 2022 - 7pm
Online Child Exploitation is a growing issue, highlighted even more in recent months during the COVID-19 lockdown period. The internet and social media has become so integral to our daily lives, as we socialise and work online. For children, the internet has become the new classroom and playground. Sadly there are people out there that take advantage of this.
The resources and information on this page aim to help you understand the way your children view the digital work. A work that, to them, is being more and more their reality.
It is important to remember that the victim, the child, is NEVER to blame. Victims are always the victims. Online groomers can be very persuasive and children should never be made to feel they did anything to encourage their exploitation. The best response an adult can provide a child who has been a victim of online exploitation is to comfort them, be supportive and help them address the issues they have encountered.
And of course, it is not just about when things go wrong. You can help your child to stay safe by creating an environment in which they feel able to speak openly about concerns they may have. You can do this my making good internet habits a part of your daily lives by limiting screen time, no devices at dinnertime/bedtime and by taking an active interest in the games that they are playing.
Take a listen to this podcast by The 2 Johns - a general overview of the internet, how we view it, and how our young people are growing up in a world of social media influences.
With thanks to everyone involved in creating materials for this campaign:-
Parents of young children and pre-schoolers
You do not need to talk to your pre-schooler about online safety yet, right? Wrong. If you treat online safety just as you would treat road safety, then talking about safe internet use becomes the norm and not something that they feel needs to be hidden as they get older.
This podcast from The 2 Johns talks about how pre-schoolers and young people view the work through the lens of the internet. There are useful tops about how to develop a health curiosity in children about what they see and do on the internet.
Parents of pre-teens
Parents Did you Know ... the number of children exploited online doubles between the ages of 11 and 12 years old. This means those at the end of primary school, about to enter secondary school are particularly at risk, especially as it is a time when some children begin to enter the world of social media.
The brain development they are going through at this age makes it hard for them to make decisions or plan ahead. They lack the ability to fully understand consequences, or view, anything from someone else's perspective. They get an increased drive for risk taking and trying out new things. They are super sensitive to social status and so they start craving peer approval.
This podcast by Barnardos CARE talks about this in more detail and about the ways parents can help their child navigate their confusing time in their lives. Podcast Transcript
Online Gaming
Parents Did you Know .... the security settings of off game chats are often not as good as those built into the game. Discord is a chat forum used by a lot of gamers and it's important to be aware that strangers can contact your child especially on public or large servers and send inappropriate, mean or sexual content. Find out more about Discord and how to keep your child safe. This video by James Pearson, Violence and Vulnerability Unit is all about gaming. He discusses why parents need to be aware of their child's chat can filter out of the game and onto other platforms and what they need to be discussing with their children to keep their online gaming an enjoyable experience.
Perpetrators are increasingly targeting children and young people via online gaming sites, pretending to be someone who they are not. This can often lead to bullying, grooming and sexual exploitation. The Breck Foundation is a self-funding charity, raising awareness of playing safe whilst on the internet.
CEOP's Thinkuknow has launched Band Runner, an interactive game for 8-10 year olds to help build their knowledge, confidence and skills to stay safe from risks they might encounter online. The game is hosted on the area for 8-10 year olds on the Thinkuknow website.
Internet Matters Online Gaming - The Basics
Inappropriate images/sexting
There is no 'usual' stereotype, any young person could send a nude picture, even your child. Make sure they understand that it is illegal to send nudes, even of themselves. And if it happens, try to understand whether there is peer pressure or grooming involved.
Taking, making, sharing and possessing indecent images and pseudo-photographs (an image made by computer graphics, which appears to be a photograph) of people under 18 is illegal. It does not matter how old they look, looking at indecent images of under 18s is illegal.
The Home Office has published guidance to help young people understand the law on making and sharing indecent images of people under 18 years-old. There are also short films that demonstrate the serious harm that viewing indecent images of children can cause, including the Is She Legal? video.
This podcast by The 2 Johns looks at why and how young people are drawn into taking and sharing inappropriate images. They discuss how both parents and young people may be feeling and how to have an empathetic conversation with your child, as well as practical advice on getting photos removed.
Case Study: Sharing Sexual Imagery Online - A Carers Story
Say no to nudes!
Childline's Zipit App, uses humour to help teenagers deal with unwanted requests for sexual images of themselves. The free app offers young people a gallery of images and animations which they can send in response to requests for sexual pictures and to deal with difficult sexting situations.
Sexting advice for parents - how to have those important conversations with children.
Videos and livestreams
Houseparty exploded in popularity during lock-down, but did you know this is not automatically set to private? That means anyone could video call your child without them having to accept. Make sure your child knows to change their privacy settings. Find out more about Houseparty safety on NetAware.
Livestreaming is becoming a very popular way for young people to broadcast themselves on many different apps, to communicate with their friends or wider community. just as their favorite celebrities and Vloggers do. Make sure your children understand the risks of livestreaming:-
- They cannot be edited.
- You cannot erase what people have already seen
- Personal information might be given away by things said during the stream, things shown on camera or even in the background.
- Livestreams can be recorded by others, who can then keep a copy even after the stream has ended or expired.
Find out more about livestreaming and staying safe
Online Bullying
Parents, Did You Know ... just under half of those being investigated for exploiting others online are children and most are the same age as the victim. If you are worried your child might have been a victim there is more information on how to get help on our bullying page.
This online bullying podcast looks at the pressure from social media and the impact this has on young people. The 2 Johns talk about how parents can create a relationship with their child that encourages them to tell them about these issues and the support available.
Fake Content
Deepfakes are swiftly proving the old adage that "seeing is believing" is no longer necessarily true. They can put inflammatory words into the mouths of politicians and transplant Hollywood A-listers into X-rated movies. But more recently, deepfakes are moving beyond the celebrity bubble and into the lives of ordinary members of the public - fueling offences such as revenge porn and extortion.
National Online Safety have some useful guidance for parents about Deepfakes and online safety in general.
All About Apps
With children spending more and more time online over the last few months, there has been an explosion in popularity of certain apps and games. TikTok has soared in popularity in recent months, with many celebrities getting involved with dances and challenges. If your child is using the app, make sure you know the risks involved and how to change privacy settings to private.
NSPCC's NetAware has lots of information on how to make your child's social media secure and a detailed description of the most popular apps, sites and games. This printable guide from the Children's Society also has a list of the most popular sites and apps.
Conversation Starters
"What's your favorite game? Can I play?"
"Can you show me your favorite TikTok dance/YouTube video?"
"Have you got online friends? How do you know who they are?"
"What do you think is ok for a child your age to be going?" (So they feel involved in the decision making)
Showing an interest in your child's online life will help them feel they are able to come to you with any concerns they may have.
NSPCC - Talking about online safety
Safer Internet - Talking about online safety
Parental Controls and security settings
Parents and carers should be ensuring the settings of apps and online games that their children use are set to private, with location settings turned off, to restrict the ways in which they could potentially be targeted by perpetrators. Many apps are public facing automatically, and have to be manually set to 'private'.
You can use parental controls to help you block or filter the content your child sees when searching online. Parental controls are also available to help you to:-
- plan what time of day your child can go online and how long for
- stop them from downloading apps they are too young for
- manage the content different members of the family can see
It is important to bear in mind that children and young people can potentially have access to the internet anywhere, not just at home. There are wifi hotspots, internet cafes, friends houses and of course mobile data available 24/7. So, whilst parental controls are useful, the most important thing you can do is have an open and inquisitive relationship with your child about their online interests.
Find out more about setting up Parental Controls
Criminal Exploitation
Criminal Exploitation
Criminal Exploitation included gang crime and county lines. A gang may claim control over territory in a community, and engaging either individually or collectively in violent behaviour or other types of criminal activity. County lines is when gangs and organised crime networks groom and exploit children to sell drugs. They may make them travel across counties, and they use dedicated mobile phone 'lines' to supply drugs. Young people who are being criminally exploited often use public transport (train, buses and taxis) to get around. Read more below about our campaign to raise awareness of safeguarding on public transport.
Safeguarding Vulnerable Young People on Public Transport (Operation Henderson Campaign)
Operation Henderson, is a joint initiative being run by the Thurrock Local Safeguarding Children Partnership, Essex Safeguarding Children Board, Southend Safeguarding Children Partnership, British Transport Police, Essex Police, the Violence and Vulnerability Unit, Rail Operators, local councils and The Children's Society. It aims to raise awareness of the vulnerability of young people to exploitation and abuse at stations and transport networks in parts of Essex.
Research and local data have shown transport networks are used by vulnerable young people who may be at risk of exploitation, criminal exploitation and trafficking. Young people often gravitate towards stations because they are traditionally busy, anonymous places that also provide some form of shelter and access to food and drinks. A young person may use a station or form of public transport in an attempt to disappear. Bus and rail networks can also be used by offenders to traffic young people for the purpose of sexual and criminal exploitation.
Despite local restrictions, research has shown that young people vulnerable to exploitation are just as likely to be using trains, buses and taxis as they were prior to COVID. A young person travelling on their own during a lockdown is in fact an indicator of potential abuse. They may be unable to stop, for fear of punishment from their exploiters, and during a lockdown less people travelling means young people and their exploiters can travel around unchecked.
Spot the signs of exploitation
- Children who are alone and look frightened and maybe have no tickets or money to pay the fare
- Children/adults who look frightened in the company of other children or adults
- Children travelling along at night
- Those who do not look comfortable with adults they are travelling with
- Allows others to speak for them when addressed directly
- Those under the influence of alcohol or drugs
- Children in school uniform during the school day
- Their physical appearance may show signs of injury, malnourishment and maybe unkempt
- They might seem unfamiliar with the local area, or not have a local accent
- They could be travelling during school hours or unusual hours (early in the morning, late at night)
- Are they travelling the same route on a regular basis (once or twice a week)?
- They could be receiving excessive texts or phone calls
- Are they deliberately avoiding authority figures such as police officers or railway staff?
- Some may be with older individuals who are purchasing tickets for them or giving them money for tickets.
Campaign Resources
Report Concerns
The Police - If you have intelligence or wish to report concerns please call 101. If you think a child or young person is in immediate danger always call 999.
British Transport Police can be contacted by phone on 0800 40 50 40 or members of the public can report a crime or an incident that occurred on your train via text on 61016.
Crimestoppers - You can report concerns anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or www.crimestoppers-uk.org
Further Resources
Look Closer Campaign - a joint initiative with The Children's Society and British Transport Police encouraging members of the public to learn the signs of child exploitation and understand how to report it if worried.
Bullying
Is your child being bullied?
Children who are being bullied often find it very difficult to tell anyone, because they believe things will get worse if the child doing the bullying finds out. They can feel ashamed and embarrassed about what is happening and this is what the bully relies on.
There are three widely acknowledged means of bullying:-
- Direct physical bullying - pushing, hitting, punching or kicking
- Direct verbal bullying - yelling abuse at another, name-calling, insulting someone or using verbal threats
- Indirect bullying - this can also be known as social bullying or relational bullying. This could be things like spreading rumors, social exclusion or disclosing another's secret to a third party.
Cyberbullying - this when a person or group or people uses the internet, mobile phones, online games or any other kind of digital technology to threaten, tease, upset or humiliate someone else. You can report any online abuse through the CEOP Website or by clicking on the icon below:-
Further Support and Information
Safe to Play - Safeguarding Children in Sport and Physical Activities
The Safe to Play national campaign is being piloted in Thurrock to focus attention on the vital importance of safeguarding in sports clubs and physical activity providers.
Sports and other physical activities offer great ways for children and young people to develop their skills and confidence as well as having fun, but it comes as quite a surprise to many parents and carers that some may not actually be regulated.
There have been a number of instances, nationally and locally, where inappropriate behaviour and abuse has been perpetrated by adults in a position of trust within the area of sport.
To take part in our parents and carers consultation survey, please click here
We know that there are many sports clubs and physical activity providers that do provide an excellent service to children and young people and adhere to safeguarding guidelines. We want to see all providers across the sporting spectrum making
safeguarding a priority, particularly with the increasing local and national media coverage of children being exploited and abused within this field. Thurrock Local Safeguarding Childrens Partnership (LSCP) is committed to protecting children and young people from abuse and exploitation in all its forms, especially through sport and physical activity. The LSCP is launching the ‘Safe to Play’ campaign in partnership with The National Working Group (NWG). There are three main aims of the campaign:
- To help and support parents and carers in taking a proactive role in researching the sports or physical activity that they consider for their child,
- To support children in raising their awareness of safeguarding, keeping themselves safe and who they can contact of they are concerned
- To focus on the responsibilities of the sports clubs or physical activity provider and promote the importance of safeguarding as a priority of all sports clubs and physical activity provider Keeping children’s safety and wellbeing needs at the forefront of everything they do.
What should parents ask providers:
- Can I stay to observe the sessions?
- Where can I access a copy of your Safeguarding Policy?
- Do coaches / sport trainers have an up to date Police Check?
- Where can I access a copy of your Health and Safety Policy?
- What emergency procedures do you have in place? Suggestion: A bit confusing as to what emergency procedures – perhaps make clearer.
- Where can I access a copy of your Code of Conduct for Staff, Volunteers and Children?
- Are all staff and volunteers trained in Safeguarding and First Aid?
- Who do I speak to if I have any Safeguarding concerns?
- Do you have a Safeguarding page on your website, leaflet, or information sheet that I can access?
For further guidance see the Safe After School - Parents Leaflet and the Parent Questions.
What should providers do?
Providers of sport and physical activity should have the relevant safeguarding procedures in place and be able to answer parent’s questions regarding their child's safety even if they are not regulated, to help protect themselves and their business. They should be transparent in sharing this information to parents and make the information readily available to view.
High quality clubs and organisations will always welcome questions about their activities, the safety of their environment and the care of children and young people.
We will be delivering a variety of training sessions to providers and raising awareness workshops with parents and carers. We will also be asking schools to raise awareness with parents and carers in the form of information leaflets for parents to refer to when considering sending their child or young person to an activity. For further guidance see the Safe After School - provider booklet under 'Downloads'.
We would like to thank Rochdale Council LADO for sharing their materials with us in support of raising safeguarding awareness to parents, children and improving practice within the sporting industry.
Information Leaflets
Being a parent, carer or working with children and young people is not always easy. There are many challenges and demands and having some useful advice and information can help. Alongside the information we provide under the safeguarding topics headings, we have also created some information leaflets on safeguarding topics relevant to our children and young people in Thurrock which you can access via the links below:
If you are concerned that a child or young person is being harmed, neglected or is at risk you should contact Thurrock Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub on 01375 652802. Out of hours (Monday to Thursday 17.00 to 09.00, Friday from 17.00 through to 09.00 Monday and public holidays) please call the Emergency Duty Team on 01375 372468. If you are worried that a child is at immediate risk please call 999.
Violence Against Women and Girls - 16 Days of Activism
The 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence for 2025 takes place from November 25 to December 10. This year's UN Women-led theme is "UNiTE to End Digital Violence Against All Women and Girls," which highlights the growing threat of online harassment, image-based abuse, and digital coercive control. The campaign involves various global, national, and local efforts to raise awareness, challenge violence, and promote a safer environment for women and girls both online and offline.
Digital abuse is a form of domestic abuse that uses technology to control, harass, or intimidate.
It can include:
- Monitoring your phone or social media
- Restricting access to devices or accounts
- Sharing or threatening to share private images
- Using tracking apps or spyware without consent
If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic abuse, help is available. Whether you’re seeking help for yourself or someone else, COMPASS can guide you to the right support. Call 0330 333 7 444 or visit https://www.essexcompass.org.uk/
Southend, Essex and Thurrock Domestic Abuse Board (SETDAB) have useful information and resources linked to digital abuse which can be found by accessing the link below:
https://setdab.org/domestic-digital-stalking/
Campaign Podcasts and Videos
Campaign Podcasts and Videos
Please see below our podcasts and videos relating to Online Child Exploitation.
Podcasts
A general overview of the internet
Parents of pre-schoolers and young children
Parents of pre-teens
Podcast - taking and sharing inappropriate images
Podcast - Online bullying
Videos
Breck's Last Game
A bad romance: a live Snapchat Story
Spot the signs of an unhealthy relationship
Kayleigh's Love Story
A film about aspects of the last 13 days of the life of 15 year old Kayleigh Haywood. If shown in a cinema this would have a 15 certificate
Is she legal?
Reporting Concerns
You can report online abuse, below are a number of ways that this can be done - please click on the pictures
or
Alternatively, you can report anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.
If you are concerned about a child in Thurrock, call 01375 652802 or 01375 372468 (out of hours)
Water Safety
Water Safety - Be Prepared
Did you know?
- Around 85% of accidental drownings occur at open water sites
- Drowning is the second largest cause of injury related to death of children aged 0 to 14 years
- Nearly 1000 children due each year by drowning and they can drown in less than 2 inches (6 cm) of water
- Inflatable vests and arm devices are not effective, instead you should use life vests that are suitable for your children!
The basic principles of open water safety, combined with knowledge and understanding of the hazards, can increase the enjoyment of open water and significantly reduce the number of incidents that occur each year.
The benefits of swimming and dipping in open water are well documented. Not only does being in or on open water allow new adventures, it also has documented benefits for both physical and mental wellbeing. All of these hazards can be controlled through proper organisation and planning.
Useful Links
Below are some useful links
Children & Young People
Information and Advice for Young People in Thurrock
The content will include links to useful sites, information that can either be printed of or downloaded to your computer. In time we hope to be able to prive APPS that you can add to your mobile phones and devices.
We would welcome feedback from young people in Thurrock. So if you know of any information that you think would be helpful for young people to be aware of... Let us know and we will try and include on this page.
http://thisisabuse.direct.gov.uk/ A useful site with advice, guidance, how to spot the signs of abuse. Worth a look.
LSCB Blog - Have your say
Help us keep you safe
Feb 19, 2016
We really need your help. Us adults want to do the right thing, but are not always aware of what's happening out there and what's trending and what's "In" or "out". That's where you can help.
The BIG Question: What can be done to make you feel safer in Thurrock. Over to you...
What's the number one website being used?
What's your favourite App?
4-7 Years
The internet can be an exciting place to learn and have fun, but sometimes you may see something that makes you feel worried or sad. If that happens, tell an adult you trust and they can help. This could be:-
- Your mum, dad or carer
- Another family member
- Your teacher or another adult at your school
- Another grown up who looks after you
8-10 Years
Playing games, chatting, and sharing photos and videos can be fun.
If you ever feel worried, upset or scared about something that happens online, tell an adult you trust. They will be able to help you. Whatever happened, it's not your fault.
Click on each button below for advice about safe ways to game, chat and share online. – Coming Soon!
11-13 Years
Lets keep the internet fun? Get advice about keeping yourself and your friends safe.
Online Child Exploitation
ONLINE EXPLOITATION CAMPAIGN
STAYING SAFE ONLINE
As technology improves, there are lots of exciting opportunities, but of course risks too. Educating yourself, keeping up to date on security and staying aware of privacy issues can help you keep clear of online exploitation, abuse or bullying. Some of the risky things you may come across online are:
- Bullying by peers and people you might consider 'friends'
- Seeing inappropriate or harmful content (e.g. rude or extremely violent pictures)Involvement in illegal or inappropriate content (e.g. posting sexual pictures)
- Posting personal information that can identify and locate you offline
- Being persuaded to do illegal or inappropriate things through contact with strangers
- Seeing information and talking with others online who encourage self-harm
- Seeing racist or hate material
- Glorifying activities such as drug use or excessive drinking
- Physical harm to young people in making video content, such as doing stunts and other risky activities
- Being encouraged to leave or run away from home by someone you met online
I'm worried about exploitation
Exploitation is never your fault
Even if you went along with things at first. Abusers are very clever in the way they manipulate young people.
Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE)
Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE) is a type of sexual abuse, when you are made or tricked into doing something sexual sometimes receiving something in return like love, affection, money, drugs or alcohol.
Need help or more information:-
- Faceup2it - information and advice about CSE for young people, developed by young people.
- Disrespect Nobody - campaign about health relationships and respect.
- Barnardos - Real Love Rocks - raising awareness around Child Sexual Exploitation and what a health and safe relationship is.
Criminal Exploitation
Criminal Exploitation includes gang crime and county lines. A gang may claim control over territory in a community, and engaging either individually or collectively in violent behaviour or other types of criminal activity.
County lines is when gangs and organised crime networks groom and exploit children to sell drugs. They may make you travel across counties, and they use dedicated mobile phone 'lines' to supply drugs.
If you have become involved in a gang, are being pressurised to engage in county lines activity and want help to get out of that lifestyle, the website below can offer support. You can report exploitation (of yourself or a friend) to the Police on 101 or anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. If you are on a train or in a station you can text British Transport Police on 61016.
Need help or more information:-
Trafficking/Modern Slavery
Trafficking is where children and young people are tricked, forced or persuaded to leave their homes and are moved or transported and then exploited, forced to work or sold.
It can happen to anyone. You could only be taken next door or down the road - it's still classed as trafficking.
Need help or more information?
- Modern Slavery helpline - You can call the 24/7 Modern Slavery Helpline on 08000 121 700 for free support. They will offer you advice on your situation and on your options for getting out, if you want to.
- Advice for Young People - A leaflet produced by the NSPCC Child Trafficking Advice Centre (CTAC) Young People's Advisory Group
Online Exploitation
Being aware of the risk of technology, social media and the internet can play a massive part in helping you stay safe and avoid online exploitation, abuse or bullying. Check out our staying safe online page for information on privacy settings, what to do if you receive indecent images and how to game online safely.
Need help or more information?
Indecent Images - Know the Law
Taking, making, sharing and possessing indecent images and pseudo-photographs of people under 18 is illegal. It does not matter how old they look, looking at indecent images of under 18s is illegal. Remember, those images are of real children and young people, and viewing them causes further harm. The Home Office has published guidance to help young people understand the law on making and sharing indecent images of people under 18 years old.
Is she Legal? - Video
What should you do if you come across indecent images?
If you stumble across indecent images of children under 18 online, you can help by reporting it to the Internet Watch Foundation.
Consent
Consent means agreeing to do something. When it comes to sex, this means someone agreeing to take part in a sexual activity. Any sort of sexual contact without consent is illegal whatever the age of the people involved. If someone does not give consent and a person still engages in a sexual act with them, this is sexual assault or rape.
For more information on consent - click here
Say no to nudes
If you have ever been asked to send photos of yourself that you are not comfortable with, and you do not know how to respond, there is a greet new app to help. Zipit has a load of images and animations which you can send in response to deal with a situation before it gets out of hand, and it stops you being put in an awkward position. Check out Molly's video on how to handle the pressure of being asked for nudes.
Where can I get help?
Bullying
Bullying can have a massive impact on your mental health, both now and in the future. It does not matter if you are being bullied at school, at home, or online, bullying can mess with your head. But you are not alone and you deserve support.
Click on the links below for further help and support:-
14+ Years
I'm worried about exploitation
Exploitation is never your fault
Even if you went along with things at first. Abusers are very clever in the way they manipulate young people.
Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE)
Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE) is a type of sexual abuse, when you are made or tricked into doing something sexual sometimes receiving something in return like love, affection, money, drugs or alcohol.
Need help or more information:-
- Faceup2it - information and advice about CSE for young people, developed by young people.
- Disrespect Nobody - campaign about health relationships and respect.
- Barnardos - Real Love Rocks - raising awareness around Child Sexual Exploitation and what a health and safe relationship is.
Criminal Exploitation
Criminal Exploitation includes gang crime and county lines. A gang may claim control over territory in a community, and engaging either individually or collectively in violent behaviour or other types of criminal activity.
County lines is when gangs and organised crime networks groom and exploit children to sell drugs. They may make you travel across counties, and they use dedicated mobile phone 'lines' to supply drugs.
If you have become involved in a gang, are being pressurised to engage in county lines activity and want help to get out of that lifestyle, the website below can offer support. You can report exploitation (of yourself or a friend) to the Police on 101 or anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. If you are on a train or in a station you can text British Transport Police on 61016.
Need help or more information:-
Trafficking/Modern Slavery
Trafficking is where children and young people are tricked, forced or persuaded to leave their homes and are moved or transported and then exploited, forced to work or sold.
It can happen to anyone. You could only be taken next door or down the road - it's still classed as trafficking.
Need help or more information?
- Modern Slavery helpline - You can call the 24/7 Modern Slavery Helpline on 08000 121 700 for free support. They will offer you advice on your situation and on your options for getting out, if you want to.
- Advice for Young People - A leaflet produced by the NSPCC Child Trafficking Advice Centre (CTAC) Young People's Advisory Group
Online Exploitation
Being aware of the risk of technology, social media and the internet can play a massive part in helping you stay safe and avoid online exploitation, abuse or bullying. Check out our staying safe online page for information on privacy settings, what to do if you receive indecent images and how to game online safely.
Need help or more information?
Indecent Images - Know the Law
Taking, making, sharing and possessing indecent images and pseudo-photographs of people under 18 is illegal. It does not matter how old they look, looking at indecent images of under 18s is illegal. Remember, those images are of real children and young people, and viewing them causes further harm. The Home Office has published guidance to help young people understand the law on making and sharing indecent images of people under 18 years old.
Is she Legal? - Video
What should you do if you come across indecent images?
If you stumble across indecent images of children under 18 online, you can help by reporting it to the Internet Watch Foundation.
Consent
Consent means agreeing to do something. When it comes to sex, this means someone agreeing to take part in a sexual activity. Any sort of sexual contact without consent is illegal whatever the age of the people involved. If someone does not give consent and a person still engages in a sexual act with them, this is sexual assault or rape.
For more information on consent - click here
Say no to nudes
If you have ever been asked to send photos of yourself that you are not comfortable with, and you do not know how to respond, there is a greet new app to help. Zipit has a load of images and animations which you can send in response to deal with a situation before it gets out of hand, and it stops you being put in an awkward position. Check out Molly's video on how to handle the pressure of being asked for nudes.
Campaigns
Thurrock LSCP Campaigns
Thurrock LSCP will periodically run campaigns and information can be found in this area on the following:
Online Exploitation
Operation Henderson
Neglect Campaign - keeping your child safe, healthy and happy in Thurrock
Online Safety
Did you know a child could be recruited to a gang from hundreds of miles away? More and more often young people are being groomed remotely to carry out ‘jobs’ in their community, for their exploiters who live on the other side of the country.
How have exploitation methods changed/become more hidden?
- Girls report finding it easier to travel around the county as they are challenged less than boys.
- Possible increased use of taxis/private hire vehicles by children being exploited.
- More exploitation happening at private addresses and unused business premises.
- Social media has replaced face to face interaction. Young people are craving to connect with others and unfortunately, this can lead to grooming.
It is important to remember that the victim, the child, is NEVER to blame. Online groomers can be very persuasive and children should never be made to feel they did anything to encourage their exploitation. The best response an adult can provide a child who has been a victim of online exploitation is to comfort them, be supportive and help them address the issues they have encountered.
And of course, it's not just about when things go wrong. You can help your child to stay safe by creating an environment in which they feel able to speak openly about concerns they may have. You can do this by making good internet habits a part of your daily lives by limiting screen time, no devices at dinnertime/bedtime and by taking an active interest in the games they're playing and their social media influences.
Thanks to everyone involved in creating resources for this campaign.
Parents of young children and pre-schoolers
You do not need to talk to your pre-schooler about online safety yet, right? Wrong. If you treat online safety just as you would treat road safety, then talking about safe internet use becomes the norm and not something that they feel needs to be hidden as they get older. So if they are worried about something they have seen online they can feel confident in talking to an adult about their concerns.
Short animation for parents and childcare providers
Young people - how to help a friend
Podcast for parents and carers
Parents of pre-teens
Did You Know... the number of children exploited online doubles between the ages of 11 and 12 years old? This means that those at the end of primary school, about to enter secondary school, are particularly at risk, especially as it is a time when some children begin to enter the world of social media. The brain development they are going through at this age makes it hard for them to make decisions or plan ahead. They get an increased drive for risk taking and trying out new things. They are super sensitive to social status and so they start craving peer approval.
Podcast by Barnardos CARE
Online Gaming
Did You Know... the security settings of off game chats are often not as good as those built into the game. Discord is a chat forum used by a lot of gamers and it is important to be aware that strangers can contact your child especially on public or large servers and send inappropriate, mean or sexual content. Find out more about Discord and how to keep your child safe. This video by James Pearson, Violence and Vulnerability Unit is all about gaming. He discusses why parents need to be aware that their child's chat can filter out of the game and onto other platforms and what they need to be discussing with their children to keep their online gaming an enjoyable experience.
Perpetrators are increasingly targeting children and young people via online gaming sites, pretending to be someone who they are not. This can often lead to bullying, grooming and sexual exploitation. The Breck Foundation is a self-funding charity, raising awareness of playing safe whilst using the internet. CEOP's Thinkuknow has launched Band Runner, an interactive game for 8-10 year olds to help build their knowledge, confidence and skills to stay safe from risks they might encounter online. The game is hosted on the area for 8-10 year olds on the Thinkuknow website. Internet Matters - Online Gaming (The Basics)
Sending nudes
There is no 'usual' stereotype, any young person could send a nude pic - even your child. Make sure they understand that it is illegal to send nudes, even of themselves. And if it happens, try to understand whether there is peer pressure or grooming involved. Taking, making, sharing and possessing indecent images and pseudo-photographs (an image made by computer graphics, which appears to be a photograph) of people under 18 is illegal. It does not matter how old they look, looking at indecent images of under 18s is illegal.
This podcast by The 2 Johns looks at why and how young people are drawn into taking and sharing inappropriate images. They discuss how both parents and young people may be feeling and how to have an empathetic conversation with your child, as well as practical advice on getting photos removed.
Childline's Zipit app, uses humour to help teenagers deal with unwanted requests for sexual images of themselves. The free app offers young people a gallery of images and animations which they can send in response to requests for sexual pictures and to deal with difficult sexting situations.
Sexting advice for parents - how to have those important conversations with children.
Videos and livestreams
Houseparty exploded in popularity during lockdown, but did you know is not automatically set to private? That means anyone could video call your child without them having to accept. Make sure your child knows to change their privacy settings. Find out more about Houseparty safety on NetAware. Livestreaming is becoming a very popular way for young people to broadcast themselves on many different apps, to communicate with their friends or wider community, just as their favourite celebrities and Vloggers do. Make sure your children understand the risks of livestreaming:-
- They cannot be edited
- You cannot erase what people have already seen
- Personal information might be given away by things said during the stream, things shown on camera or even in the background
- Livestreams can be recorded by others, who can then keep a copy even after the stream has ended or expired.
Find out more about livestreaming and staying safe
Making new technology safe - Violence and Vulnerability Unit
Online Bullying
Did You Know... just under half of those being investigated for exploiting other online, are children and most are the same age as the victim. If you are worried your child might have been a victim there is more information on how to get help on our bullying page.
Our online bullying podcast looks at the pressure from social media and the impact on young people. The 2 Johns talk about how parents can create a relationship with their child that encourages them to tell them about these issues and the support available.
Fake content
Deepfakes are swiftly proving the old age adage that "seeing is believing" is no longer necessarily true. They can put inflammatory words into the mouths of politicians and transplant Hollywood A-listers into X-rated movies. But more recently, deepfakes are moving beyond the celebrity bubble into the lives of ordinary members of the public - fuelling offences such as revenge porn and extortion.
National Online Safety have some useful guidance for parents about Deepfakes and online safety in general.
All About Apps
With children spending more and more time online over the last few months, there has been an explosion in popularity of certain apps and games. TikTok has soared in popularity in recent months, with many celebrities getting involved with dances and challenges. If your child using the App, make sure you know the risks involved and how to change privacy settings to private. NSPCC's NetAware has lots of information on how to make your child's social media secure and a detailed description of the most popular apps, sites and games. This printable guide from The Children's Society also has a list of the most popular sites and apps.
Conversation Starters
- "What's your favorite game? Can I play?"
- "Can you show me your favourite TikTok dance/YouTube video?"
- "Have you got online friends? How do you know who they are?"
Showing an interest in your child's online life will help them feel they are able to come to you with any concerns them may have.
NSPCC - Talking about online safety
Safer Internet - Talking about online safety
Parental controls and security settings
Parents and carers should be ensuring the settings of the apps and online games that their children use are set to private, with location setting turned off, to restrict the ways in which they could potentially be targeted by perpetrators. Many apps are public facing automatically, and have to be manually set to 'private'. You can use parental controls to help you block or filter the content your child sees when searching online. Parental controls are also available to help you to:
- plan what time of day your child can go online and how for
- stop them from downloading apps they are too young for
- manage the content different members of the family can see
It is important to bear in mind that children and young people can potentially have access to the internet anywhere, not just at home. There are wifi hotspots, internet cafes, friends houses and of course mobile data is available 24/7. So whilst parental controls are useful, the most important thing you can do is have an open and inquisitive relationship with your child about their online interests.
Find out more about setting up Parental Controls
Reporting Concerns
You can report online abuse through the Child Exploitation and Online Exploitation Protection Centre (CEOP) website or the Internet Watch Foundation. Or report anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.
If you are concerned about a child in Thurrock, call 01375 652802 or 01375 372468 (out of hours).
If you are concerned about a child in Essex, call Children & Families Hub (Social Care): 0345 603 7627 or 0345 606 1212 (out of hours).
If you are concerned about a child in Southend, call 01702 215007 or 0345 606 1212 (out of hours).
If a child is in immediate danger, dial 999 and ask to speak to Police.
Useful Links for Parents
Useful Links for Young People
Useful Links for Professionals
Free workshops in support of Child Exploitation Awareness Week - 17-21 March 2025
Spot the signs and help prevent child exploitation
Thurrock Council's exploitation team are hosting workshops, training and pop-up events across the borough in support of Child Exploitation Awareness Week.
They are hosting free training for practitioners across Thurrock to learn how to spot the signs of child exploitation and reduce the risks. You can join the workshops from 17 March until 21 March at the Civic Offices and via Microsoft Teams. Spaces are limited. Register for a place on our Child Exploitation training workshops from the list of links below.
Parents and carers can also attend a free virtual workshop which is taking place from 5.30pm until 6.30pm on Thursday 20 March, which will cover how criminals look to exploit children and give a better understanding of gangs. Register here:
https://www.thurrocklscp.org.uk/events/event/awareness-raising-session-for-parents-and-carers-to-increase-knowledge-of-gangs
Pop-ups will also be taking place across Thurrock to share more essential information on how to protect young people from exploitation.
Practitioners can find the full list of events they can register for below:
About Us
Welcome to the Thurrock Local Safeguarding Children Partnership
Thurrock Local Safeguarding Children Partnership (LSCP) was set up in May 2019, following changes in legislation which required a transition of arrangements from the previous Thurrock Local Safeguarding Children Board.
As a Statutory Partnership, the LSCP has a strong membership of key partner agencies who support each other working to safeguard and promote the welfare of children in Thurrock. Key areas include:
- Protecting children from maltreatment.
- Preventing impairment of children's health or development.
- Ensuring that children are growing up in circumstances consistent with the provision of safe and effective care.
- Support children to have the best life chances and enter adulthood succesfully.
- Promoting a safe environment free from violence.
The Partnership structure incorporates a number of groups looking at specific safeguarding areas through a joint delivery plan. LSCP groups meet regularly to agree and oversee the effectiveness of those agencies working to safeguarding and promote the welfare of children and young people in Thurrock.
Multi-agency safeguarding training and development events are provided to support partner agencies as well as providing safeguarding events and information for parents, carers, children and young people.
What do we do?
The LSCP has two main functions:
- To oversee the work that agencies workign with children are doing to ensure that children and young people are kept safe.
- To ensure that all those agencies that employ people to work with children have effective safeguarding policies in place to keep chidlren safe.
Some of the areas include how organisations recruit, train and oversee their staff in the work they do with children; how effective they are at using Child Protection proceedures and what more they can do to make Thurrock safer for children.
The LSCP also looks at the work of other Partnerships in Thurrock and nationally to ensure that keeping chlidren safe remains a priority for all who work with children and families. We also commission local child safeguarding practice reviews where necessary where agencies have the opportunity to learn lessons to improve the way in which they work both individually and collectively to safeguard and promote the welfare of children.
Who is involved?
Thurrock LSCP includes representatives from statutory, voluntary and community organisations and services. The three main agencies, known as the Safeguarding Partners, are:
- Essex Police
- Thurrock Council
- Mid and South Essex Integrated Care Board (ICB)
Other relevant agencies include education, North East London NHS Foundation Trust (NELFT), Basildon Hospital, Probation and other voluntary, charitable and independent agencies.
LSCP Structure
In order for the Safeguarding Partnership to meet its statutory and local requirements we have in place a number of groups where different members of organisations from all levels meet to discuss and agree the safeguarding needs of Thurrock.
This section provides a brief overview of some of the responsibilities and roles those groups perform.
Thurrock LSCP Strategic Group
The Strategic Group will take place six times during the transitional year and four times a year thereafter. The Group will comprise of the Strategic Safeguarding Partners and the Thurrock LSCP Business Manager. The Group will be responsible for the strategic direction of the Partnership and decisions regarding Local Child Safeguarding Practice Reviews, ensuring learning outcomes are embedded into practice.
The LSCP Business Manager will report to the Group on the effectiveness of the safeguarding and scrutiny arrangements.
Thurrock LSCP Management Executive Board (MEB)
The MEB meetings will be led by the three Safeguarding Partners and will be the decision making body overseeing the multi-agency plan. It will review progress and assess areas for development in local safeguarding processes. This will inform the priorities and strategic direction of the Partnership Strategic Group. It will take place four times a year and will be 2.5 hours in duration. The agenda for the meetings will be agreed by the Thurrock LSCP Strategic Group.
The MEB is responsible for:-
- Carrying out the strategic policy and priorities of the Thurrock LSCP, ensuring that the Thurrock LSCP meets its statutory functions receiving any reports from partner agencies as required.
- Responsible for evaluating the performance of all Partnership Sub-Groups and any Task and Finish Groups in carrying out their functions.
Standard areas for inclusion on agendas will comprise of:-
- Child Deaths (until the new arrangements come into effect).
- National and Local Learning Practice Reviews.
- Progress of the multi-agency plan/performance report.
- Updates from other Strategic Groups.
- Updates from Thurrock LSCP Sub Groups.
- Finance (October and March).
You can find the Terms of Reference for the board below:
Management Executive Board Terms of Reference 2025
2025-2026 scheduled meeting dates:
- 3 July 2025
- 25 September 2025
- 10 December 2025
- 11 March 2026
Thurrock LSCP Learning & Practice Review Group (LPR Group)
The LPR Group will examine front-line challenges and successes making suggestions and recommendations to improve multi-agency working. It will act on behalf of the Partnership in supporting the areas of Local Child Safeguarding Practice Reviews, Training and Development and the Audit process.
Thurrock LSCP Quality, Improvement & Performance Group (QIP)
The QIP Group role supports the Thurrock LSCP to monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of work done by all Partner agencies individually and collectively to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and advise them on ways to improve. It will audit and evaluate the effectiveness of inter-agency working within Thurrock and undertake key tasks as identified within the Thurrock LSCP Business Plan. The focus of this Group is to review cases in a multi-agency arena to evaluate effectiveness of inter-agency working and to review agencies safeguarding performance. It offers an opportunity to reflect on safeguarding practice and identify any lessons learnt to improve outcomes for children, young people and their families.
Thurrock LSCP MACE
MACE is a strategic partnership group led by Safeguarding Partner's representatives to ensure a tactical response to Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE) and other identified areas of exploitation including gangs and trafficking. It is responsible for developing the local multi-agency response to exploitation in Thurrock linking across with the activities undertaken by the Community Safety Partnership and other Strategic Groups to ensure that contextual safeguarding form a part of the understanding of the impact of exploitation and how to respond.
LSCP Annual Reports
Annual Reports
Each year a Thurrock LSCP Annual Report will be published and made available on this website.
It will include an evaluation of the effectiveness of the safeguarding arrangements by all agencies and outline key achievements and challenges to be addressed in the coming year.
The report will be presented to Children's Overview and Scrutiny, Chief Executive, Police Fire and Crime Commissioner (PFCC), Chief Constable and Health and Wellbeing Board to help to inform local planning.
LSCP Annual Report 2024-2025
LSCP Annual Report 2023-2024
LSCP Annual Report 2022-2023
LSCP Annual Report 2021-2022
LSCP Annual Report 2019-2021
LSCP Independent Scruitny
Under the new safeguarding arrangements, it is the responsibility of the three Safeguarding Partners to put in place an independent scrutiny process to provide assurance in judging the effectiveness of multi-agency arrangements to safeguard and promote the welfare of all children in Thurrock.
A multi systems approach will be taken to the independent scrutiny of the new arrangements. This will comprise of a number of functions which will include:-
- Peer Reviews
- Audits
- Individual Scrutineers
- Ensuring the voice of children, young people and families are heard.
Multi-Agency Safeguarding Arrangements (MASA)
In line with Working Together to Safeguard Children, Thurrock LSCP publish the Multi-Agency Safeguarding Arrangements (MASA) document. A 2025 review of the document is currently underway and will be added to the website when complete.
MASA - January 2023
Should you require any further information, please do not hesitate to contact one of the LSCP Business Team.
Thurrock LSCP Newsletters
Thurrock Local Safeguarding Children Partnership Newsletters
Thurrock Local Safeguarding Children Partnership publish a quarterly newsletter sharing updates on multi-agency work, events, learning and development opportunities, awareness campaigns and more.
To make sure you never miss an edition and always get our newsletters, please click here to subscribe.
Thurrock LSCP Summer 2025 Newsletter