By understanding how to talk about sexual abuse, professionals can address concerns earlier, work effectively with children and families and bring words to the silence around child sexual abuse.
News from NSPCC Learning
News
Podcast: The work of the Child Safeguarding Practice Review Panel
Discover how learning from the work of the Panel, and the reports they publish, can lead to improvements in safeguarding practice. You'll hear two members of the Panel discuss two reports published at the end of 2024: a national review into child sexual abuse within the family environment and their annual report.
News
Mandatory reporting of child sexual abuse
What are the latest government plans for a mandatory duty in England to report known or suspected child sexual abuse?
Why language matters: in need of attention, not ‘attention seeking’
How reframing attention-seeking behaviour as attention needing can prompt professionals to consider children’s unmet needs.
Feb
24
2023
Why language matters: why we should never use ‘child pornography’ and always say child sexual abuse material
This blog post looks at the significant impact of using the term 'child sexual abuse material' instead of ‘child pornography’ which diminishes the seriousness of the crime. It is aimed at anyone working in the wider child protection sphere (in any capacity), anyone whose work involves children and young people, as well as those working directly with children and young people.
Jan
30
2023
Risk assessing online platforms
How do you make sure online platforms are safe for children and young people? In this blog, an expert from the NSPCC's child safety online solutions lab discusses what you need to consider.
Jan
09
2023
Why language matters: reframing responsibility for accessing services
How we label those who need our services can be a barrier to engagement. This blog post explores the issues around the phrase “hard to reach” and discusses how services can increase accessibility.
Dec
05
2022
Why language matters: ‘Sexting’ or ‘sharing nudes’?
This blog post explores the words professionals and children use when talking about taking, sending or receiving naked or semi-naked images or videos.
Oct
31
2022
Podcast: Together for Childhood — what we've learnt to help prevent abuse and neglect
Discover how the NSPCC's Together for Childhood (TfC) programme works alongside local communities to prevent child abuse and neglect. The discussion draws on practice examples of how TfC has made a difference for local communities.
Oct
24
2022
Why language matters: 'hidden' in plain sight
This 'why language matters' blog post explores how key men in a child’s life can be overlooked by professionals. It discusses how the phrase 'hidden men' is unhelpful and these men should rather be 'unseen'.
Sept
26
2022
Podcast: researching mental health support for adolescents who have experienced sexual abuse
Learn about new research from the Safer Young Lives Research Centre (SYLRC) covering how to best support adolescent mental health and wellbeing after sexual abuse.
Sept
05
2022
Harmful sexual behaviour: labelling actions, not children
The language we use when talking about harmful sexual behaviour can impact professionals' perceptions and how children see themselves. This "why language matters" blog discusses how changing words can help improve outcomes.
Aug
22
2022
Digging deeper than 'did not attend': the importance of considering why a child was not brought to an appointment
The first in a series of blogs on improving safeguarding practice with words, this article looks at how recording children’s missed health care appointments as "was not brought" instead of "did not attend" can have a significant impact on the wellbeing of children.
Jul
11
2022