A new helpline to support potential victims of sexual harassment
and abuse in education settings has been announced today by
Education Secretary .
The dedicated number, run by the NSPCC, will go live tomorrow to
provide both children and adults who are victims of sexual abuse
in schools with the appropriate support and advice. This includes
how to contact the police and report crimes if they wish. The
helpline will also provide support to parents and professionals
too.
The government has also asked Ofsted to undertake an immediate
review of safeguarding policies in state and independent schools.
The review will look at the extent and the severity of the issue
and ensure schools have appropriate processes in place to allow
pupils to report concerns freely, knowing these will be taken
seriously and dealt with swiftly and appropriately.
It will make sure there is sufficient guidance on how schools
should deal with sexual harassment and violence allegations, and
whether the current inspection regimes in both state and private
schools are strong enough to address concerns and promote the
welfare of children.
Ofsted will work with representatives from social care, police,
victim support groups, school and college leaders and the
Independent Schools Council. The review will conclude by end of
May 2021 and will seek to establish where safeguarding
arrangements and processes are good and have worked well and
where improvements are needed.
Both the helpline and review come after numerous anonymous
testimonials of sexual harassment and abuse were submitted to the
website Everyone’s Invited.
Education Secretary
said:
“Sexual abuse in any form is abhorrent and it is vital that these
allegations are dealt with properly. While the majority of
schools take their safeguarding responsibilities extremely
seriously, I am determined to make sure the right resources and
processes are in place across the education system to support any
victims of abuse to come forward.
“This Government is committed to ensuring victims feel supported
to refer the most serious allegations to the police via the
helpline, safe in the knowledge that everything possible will be
done to bring offenders to justice.
“No child or young person should have to experience abuse. But if
something isn’t right, they should speak to someone they trust to
raise concerns, whether that’s family, a friend, teacher or
social worker, helpline or the police.”
Ofsted Chief Inspector Amanda Spielman said:
“Like everyone else, I have been deeply troubled by accounts of
the sexual abuse and harassment young people have suffered at
school and in the community. So I welcome the Secretary of
State’s announcement and the opportunity for Ofsted to lead this
review.
“Schools have a crucial role to play in teaching young people
about sexual consent and respect for women and girls. They must
also be places where all children feel safe, and where they are
able to report any incidents of abuse or harassment and be
confident that what they say will be acted upon.
“We will set out the terms of the review shortly.”
Today’s announcement follows the publication of the Government’s
Tackling Child Sexual Abuse Strategy in January. The Strategy
will galvanise a whole-system response that brings together
agencies, sectors and society to tackle child sexual abuse, as
well as a focus on prevention and early intervention, to help
protect children and empower professionals, parents and carers to
keep them safe.
It will also help victims and survivors of child sexual abuse to
rebuild their lives by boosting investment in specialist sexual
violence support services delivered by the voluntary sector, as
well as support victims and survivors through the court process
with the new and revised Victim’s Code and consultation on a
Victims’ Law.
Where schools are failing to meet strict safeguarding standards,
the Department for Education will not hesitate to take action.
Ofsted and the Independent Schools Inspectorate will inspect any
schools where there are concerns and ensure they either improve
their practices or are forced to close.
All schools are also now required to provide relationships and
sex and education to all secondary pupils and relationships
education to all primary age pupils. Important issues such as
personal privacy, respect and consent to ensure that more young
people have a better understanding of how to behave towards their
peers, are part of our guidance to ensure more young people have
a better understanding of how to behave towards their peers,
including online. Many schools do a great job day in and day out
of working within a complex modern society but the new
Relationship, Sex and Health Education curriculum will help them
navigate some of the more difficult issues.
The dedicated NSPCC helpline number is 0800 136 663, which will
be live from tomorrow (Thursday 1 April).
