Latest news with #Childline
South Wales Argus
3 days ago
- Health
- South Wales Argus
NSPCC Cymru Childline highlights night shift volunteers
In these quiet, dark hours, support is available thanks to the dedication of Childline volunteers like Naomi Lea and Isha Daboh, who give their time to help children and teenagers in need of someone to talk to. Childline, a free and confidential service for young people up to the age of 19, is staffed around the clock by trained counsellors, including volunteers who work through the night. Naomi Lea, who has volunteered at Childline since 2018, said: "Being able to be there for children and young people that need Childline at any time of day always feels like an immense privilege. "But it feels even more important at night, knowing this is when young people are feeling completely alone with nobody else to turn to or that this may be the first opportunity they have to reach out without anybody else knowing." Ms Lea has volunteered at the Cardiff and Prestatyn Childline bases and is part of the 'Twilight shift,' which runs from 11pm to 2.30am following a team briefing at 10.45pm. Isha Daboh, another Cardiff-based volunteer, said: "Since starting the Twilight shifts, it has been such a different yet rewarding experience of Childline. "I've had a lot more flexibility shift-wise given the late time, meaning it doesn't particularly interfere with my normal day and it continues to open up more time for me to dedicate to volunteering." Joanne Shipp, a Twilight Childline practitioner for NSPCC Cymru, said: "Twilight shifts can be varied with a lot of contacts, yet it is a rewarding time of day to support young people late at night when they need us the most and this is when we also need volunteers the most as well. "Our thanks go to Isha and Naomi for being champions and joining us on Twilight shifts, as well as all our volunteers who give up their time to help us to support children when they may have nowhere else to turn." NSPCC Cymru is currently recruiting Childline volunteers in Cardiff, Prestatyn, and across Wales through Childline's virtual base. To find out more about volunteering, visit the NSPCC website.
Time of India
3 days ago
- Time of India
Child marriage cases in Noida fall from 16 to 6 in a yr
Noida: Six child marriages were stopped in the city in the last fiscal year, compared to 16 cases in the one preceding it. Groups working for children's welfare see this as signs of change in society. The state's high school droput rate for girls (15%), however, shows teenaged girls remain vulnerable to being married off early under pressure from families. Childline teams, which stopped the six marriages, said three were almost at the stage of rituals being performed when they intervened. Among them was a 15-year-old from Tigri village in Greater Noida West, rescued last Nov after a local playschool teacher alerted volunteers. In Dec 2024, two more 17-year-olds were rescued in Greater Noida's Rabupura and Jarcha. Adnan Usmani, coordinator of Childline's Noida unit, said fewer child marriages were reported last year, which indicated that fewer families were marrying off their children young in the city. "Child marriage has different causes in different places, but there are often commonalities linked to poverty and limited opportunities for girls," he said. "Gender inequality, stereotypes, weak laws, the fear of pregnancy outside of marriage and misinformation also contribute." Childline, which works for children in distress, ran a month-long awareness drive at schools, temples and marriage halls in May where they shared information on the child helpline number—1098—and encouraged people to report child marriages. "Community leaders, schools and even teenagers can play a crucial role in reporting underage brides," volunteer Yuvraj said. According to social activists, ending child marriage was possible only with income and economic interventions. "Child marriage cases are largely seen among economically poorer families that have come to the city for work. Once these families are stopped, they take the children back to their native towns, like Bihar, Jharkhand or Chhattisgarh, and marry the girls off. So, while statistics may show a reduction in child marriage for Noida, it may not necessarily have been stopped," Satya Prakash, CEO of FXB India Suraksha, told TOI. The NGO has been working for child welfare for the last 15 years. To prevent child marriages, the Directorate of Women and Child Development mandates that every intercepted child marriage case must be followed up on for at least three months. According to activists, one of the real indicators of a dip in child marriages is school enrolment or dropout rate. "Govts should analyse the dropout rates to get a complete picture. Often, girls are pulled out of school and forced into marriage once they cross the age of 15," Prakash said. The Annual Status of Education Report (ASER), 2024, showed that while only 3.9% of children aged 6-14 were out of school in 2024, it went up to 4.6% for the 7-16 age group and 13% for the 15-16 category. The dropout rate was especially high among girls, reaching 15%, compared to 10.7% for boys. In March 2024, another study to identify children at risk of child marriage, undertaken on the directions of National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPR), found UP has more than 5 lakh vulnerable children, mostly girls, who were school dropouts or had been irregular or absent from school for long without any intimation to authorities. Under the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006, marrying girls below 18 years and boys below 21 years is illegal. Those who perform, abet or promote such marriages can face up to two years of rigorous imprisonment and a fine of up to Rs 1 lakh, unless they can prove they believed the marriage did not involve minors.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Full chef line-up revealed for Cumbrian charity dinner
(Clockwise from Top L) Paul Leonard, head chef of the Forest Side; Ollie Bridgwater, chef at the Source at Gilpin; Ryan Blackburn, chef-owner of the The Old Stamp House; and Paul Heathcote MBE, chef-owner of Heathcote & Co (Image: Supplied) The four northern chefs taking part in the inaugural Great Cumbrian Chefs' Dinner, set to take place this autumn, have now been revealed. The event, scheduled for Saturday, September 20, will be held at Lowick Hall, near Ulverston, Cumbria, and aims to raise funds for Childline. The already sold-out evening will see 250 guests treated to a four-course menu, featuring dishes crafted by some of the UK's most celebrated chefs. Culinary maestros include Paul Heathcote MBE, chef-owner of Heathcote & Co; Ryan Blackburn, chef-owner of the Michelin-starred The Old Stamp House and Bib Gourmand-awarded The Schelly; Ollie Bridgwater, executive chef at the Michelin-starred Source at Gilpin; and Paul Leonard, head chef of the Michelin-starred Forest Side. ADVERTISEMENT Ryan Blackburn, chef-owner of the Michelin-starred The Old Stamp House and Bib Gourmand-awarded The Schelly (Image: Phil Rigby) The evening will be hosted by Darren Proctor, broadcaster and presenter, with John Townsend leading a live auction. Lots will include dining experiences, weekend breaks, and home-dining packages. All proceeds from the event will go towards funding the NSPCC's Childline service. Ollie Bridgwater, executive chef at the Michelin-starred Source at Gilpin (Image: Supplied) John Worth, former NSPCC trustee and honorary treasurer, said: "We are thrilled to host the inaugural Great Cumbrian Chefs' Dinner at Lowick Hall. "We hope this event will significantly contribute to the NSPCC's mission to protect children and prevent abuse. "We would like to thank each of the chefs who have graciously agreed to participate this year, as their generosity makes this event possible." ADVERTISEMENT Paul Leonard, head chef of the Michelin-starred Forest Side (Image: Supplied) Blackburn, The Old Stamp House's chef-owner, said: "I'm always proud to be involved with events like this. "Being able to support Childline and help raise funds to help them continue to deliver their free and confidential services, helping children and young people, is a fantastic thing to be involved with, and I'm thrilled to be able to help." Janette Drew, community fundraising manager at the NSPCC, said: "Volunteers and exceptional chefs have joined together to work tirelessly on this event. "It's going to be a spectacular night in aid of Childline, and I want to thank everyone involved for all their hard work and support." Paul Heathcote MBE, chef-owner of Heathcote & Co (Image: Supplied) In 2022/2023, Childline received more than 700,000 calls, emails, and online chat messages. ADVERTISEMENT From these contacts, Childline delivered nearly 200,000 counselling sessions to children and young people. According to the charity, mental and emotional health and wellbeing remain the top concern for child callers. (L to R) Great Cumbrian Chefs Dinner Committee members Greg Stephenson, Harriet MacArthur, Jaqueline Townsend, Janette Drew (NSPCC), Sarah Gillibrand, Deborah Sefton (NSPCC), Loretta Blackburn, Marilyn Hale, and Sally F (Image: Supplied) Childline was launched nearly 40 years ago in 1986. It became part of the NSPCC in 2006. According to the charity, £4 pays for a trained volunteer counsellor to answer a child's call. Those interested in supporting the event, or other fundraising and volunteering opportunities, are encouraged to contact Janette Drew, community fundraising manager for Cumbria and West Lancashire, by email at or on 07710 838169.
New Statesman
23-05-2025
- Health
- New Statesman
Rising mental health demand in children is outstripping capacity
Photo by Orawan Wongka / Shutterstock It's clear to see that our children and young people are talking about mental health more than ever before. At Childline, the number one reason young people contact us is to discuss their mental health. In 2023/24, over 50 per cent of our contacts were related to mental health, which amounts to nearly 100,000 conversations on the topic. In Childline counselling sessions, children are telling us that they feel lonely, sad and overwhelmed with everything going on in their lives. Many have expressed that they don't know how to talk about and handle their emotions. They're also finding anxiety and stress a daily part of their lives. We live in a society that encourages conversation about mental health, and the stigma is slowly being lifted, which might account for why so many children are contacting us about this topic. However, it could also be because children can't easily access mental health support services due to long waiting lists and high thresholds for treatment. The average wait time for a first appointment with Children and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) is five months. Last year's Darzi Report, an independent investigation into the state of NHS England, highlighted that rising mental health needs in children and young people are far outstripping service capacity. This leaves babies, children, young people and their families without the support they so desperately need. We urgently need action from the government to ensure that mental health support teams (MHSTs) are implemented in every school and college across England. These teams bring together parents, teachers and mental health professionals to prevent children's mental health issues from escalating. MHSTs reduce pressure on child and adolescent mental health services by providing early evidence-based support. This can avoid the need for more specialist services further down the line. However, MHSTs are currently only available in half of schools. Children and young people's mental health problems cannot be left to spiral. Without the right support, mental health problems can lead to social isolation and affect their chances of academic success, which in turn will hold them back at such a crucial stage in their young lives. Subscribe to The New Statesman today from only £8.99 per month Subscribe Schools serve as vital places for children to access mental health support and with the right training and resources, teachers – who encounter children daily – can help to identify when mental health is becoming an issue and make appropriate referrals. Parents and carers reading this will want to do what they can to support their children, even though the responsibility of supporting children's mental health cannot fall solely on them. At Childline, we believe it's important to create a safe environment for children and young people and reassure them that you are there to listen without judgement. If a child wishes to discuss a challenging topic, such as their mental health, it's best to choose an appropriate time to talk, for example, avoid early mornings if they're more of a night owl. We advise parents to remain calm, allowing the young person the space to share their thoughts when they feel comfortable. Often, they may approach you first to discuss these topics, so give them room to express themselves. Listen carefully to what your child is saying and resist the urge to respond immediately once they finish speaking. We want to remind children that Childline is always available for support, online or by phone. Our trained counsellors are here 24/7 to assist young people with any worries, concerns or questions. They can visit or call 0800 1111. This article first appeared in the 15 May Spotlight policy report on Healthcare. To read the full report click here. Related
Scottish Sun
18-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
Inside Roblox settings EVERY parent must activate if it's on your kid's phone – don't risk £1,000 bills & sicko groomers
There are three other apps all parents should check for too BLOX CLEVER Inside Roblox settings EVERY parent must activate if it's on your kid's phone – don't risk £1,000 bills & sicko groomers Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) IT'S the hit game loved by 380MILLION players - and there's a good chance that your child is one of them. But parents beware. Roblox may seem like a wonderful fantasy game, but it has a dark side that could turn your child's world into a virtual nightmare with racists, sex pests, and online predators trying to groom them. 12 Hundreds of millions of children play Roblox all around the world – letting them interact with strangers online Credit: Roblox 12 Some virtual Roblox experiences are more mature than others Credit: Roblox If that wasn't bad enough, you might even be hit with a shock £1,000 bill. The hit online game first launched back in 2006, and is now a global sensation available on Xbox and PlayStation consoles, iPhone and Android phones, computers and even virtual reality headsets. It's a feature-packed free download that lets creative kids invent magical worlds and hang out with their pals online. But over the years, The Sun has revealed how Roblox has been plagued by sicko predators threatening children with sexual violence, twisted racist roleplay, and kids being allowed to spend £1,000 on the game's virtual Robux currency. Now The Sun, child safety experts and security professionals are urging parents to make sure the safest Roblox settings are active on their child's gadgets – to protect them online, and to keep your bank account safe. TO DELETE OR NOT TO DELETE? Firstly, it's important to note that experts aren't saying that you must delete the game. It might be the safest option, but it also means your kid being left out from socialising with pals and expressing their creativity. It could even be a lucrative side-hustle for them one day too. "Games and apps are an excellent space for children to have fun and communicate with friends, yet they can come with dangers," NSPCC's Rani Govender tells the The Sun. "Unknown players asking to connect might not have good intentions - and there's a risk your kids might see difficult content. 'Some parents decide that it's safer for their child not to play online, while others actively encourage the use of them. 'Whatever your position, it's important to have conversations with young people about your stance. If you are happy for them to play online games, then spend time together exploring the settings that will keep them safe. 'Children and young people should talk to a trusted adult if they have any questions or concerns when playing online, this could include a parent, carer or one of our trained counsellors at Childline.' Roblox rolls out huge update for parents to keep kids safe online If you do decide to let your kids keep the game, you'll want to make sure the game is set up for four things: content maturity, privacy, security, and protecting your own finances. FIRST STEP: LINK YOUR CHILD'S ROBLOX ACCOUNT Before you do anything else, you'll want to make your own Roblox account. That way, you can set it up as a parent to manage your child's profile. If you do nothing else, do this. 12 You'll find most of the features you need inside the Settings menu Credit: The Sun / Roblox It'll let you control their settings – and you can explore Roblox with them, if you want to. To create a parent account, you'll need to enter your birthday, verify your age with an ID or credit card, and then link your child's account. Here's what to do: Go to your child's Roblox account, click the gear icon, then choose Settings > Parental Controls > Add Parent Now type in your own email – the same one you yourself used to create a Roblox account Next, go to your email inbox and click the link in the email from Roblox Choose Use Existing Account and then log in Follow the steps to verify your age with a government-issued ID or credit card Wait for the page to automatically refresh, choose Agree to the account linking, and then you're good to go Once that's done, you can control your child's Roblox settings, see how much time they're spending on the game, and probe their online pals. SAFEST ROBLOX SETTINGS #1 – CONTENT SAFETY Why it's important: Roblox has a wide range of content – some totally safe, and some very disturbing. With the right settings, you can easily limit and even block dodgy experiences for your child. 12 Parental Controls is where you'll be able to manage your child's account Credit: The Sun / Roblox First, you'll want to limit the maturity of the content your child can access: Go to Settings > Parental Controls Choose Settings Your Manage > Content Maturiy Then choose Content Maturity > Concent Restrictions Slide the bar for where you're comfortable – and choose the lowest maturity level for the safest experience You can also invade your child's privacy by checking what they've been up to: Go to Settings Then choose Parental Controls Now go to Screen Time > Manage Finally, select Top Experiences This will show the top 20 Roblox experiences that they've played in the past week. WHAT DO ROBLOX CONTENT LABELS MEAN? Here's how Roblox experiences are labelled... Minimal: May contain occasional mild violence, light unrealistic blood, and/or occasional mild fear. Mild: May contain repeated mild violence, heavy unrealistic blood, mild crude humour, and/or repeated mild fear. Moderate: May contain moderate violence, light realistic blood, moderate crude humour, unplayable gambling content, and/or moderate fear. Restricted: May contain strong violence, heavy realistic blood, moderate crude humour, romantic themes, unplayable gambling content, the presence of alcohol, strong language, and/or moderate fear. We allow access to Restricted content only for users who are 17+ age-verified. Picture Credit: Roblox If you see one you don't like, you can block your child from accessing it ever again – regardless of how "mature" it's listed as. To do that: Go to Settings > Parental Controls Select Settings You Manage > Content Restrictions Choose Blocked Experiences then tap the plus icon Search the name of the experience you're trying to block Now choose Block and then hit confirm A word of warning: this won't kick your child out of an experience they're playing right now. The block will only activate the next time they try to get into it. 12 You can use a slider to choose a content maturity setting for any Roblox account Credit: The Sun / Roblox 12 There are plenty of safe experiences on Roblox – but your child might be exposed to very dangerous content without the right settings Credit: Roblox SAFEST ROBLOX SETTINGS #2 – PRIVACY Why it's important: Privacy settings keep strangers and online weirdos from getting too close to your child – or finding out info about them. The more private you set Roblox to be, the less chance a predator can contact them. Next, make sure they're not talking to anyone dodgy by limiting who they can interact with. For Experience chat: Go to Settings > Parental Controls > Settings You Manage > Communication > Communication Then choose Experience Chat For the safest option, choose No One for both Experience Chat and Experience Direct Chat – preventing them from talking to anyone in a Roblox Experience 12 Experience Chat is where you chat to other people inside an Experience or 'mini-game' Credit: The Sun / Roblox For Party chat: Go to Settings > Parental Controls > Settings You Manage > Communication > Communication Then choose Party This will be set to Friends by default, but you can change it to No One for an even safer experience You can limit who can join their private experience server too: Go to Settings > Parental Controls > Settings You Manage > Visibility & Private Servers > Private Servers Then choose either Friends, or switch it to Off for the safest experience 12 A Party is a private group where pals can chat – you can lock that down separately from Experience Chats Credit: The Sun / Roblox You can see and manage your child's Roblox friends list (and report people too) easily: Go to Settings > Parental Controls > Friends > Manage You'll see a list of your child's friends with all of their usernames and profile pictures – tap one to see their profile Then you can block or report them by choosing the three-dot menu next to that friend If you block someone, they won't be able to chat with your child or add them as a friend again without your permission. Report them if you're worried they might be sinister. 12 You can block users on your own account as well as on your child's profile too Credit: The Sun / Roblox SAFEST ROBLOX SETTINGS #3 – SECURITY Why it's important: Security settings are what keep your child's Roblox account safe from hackers. If someone breaks in, they could change their settings, steal private info, spend your money, and ruin their account. You'll want to make sure that you have two-step verification set up on your child's account. This means that even if your child gives away their password or someone guesses it, they still can't log in. Instead, they'll also need to enter a temporary code – which can come via email or an authenticator app (like the Google Authenticator). 12 Make sure you set up two-factor verification on your own account and your child's profile too Credit: The Sun / Roblox Here's what to do: Log into Roblox then go to Account Settings Choose Security Toggle on 2-Step Verification with a method of your choice Email is the easiest option Make sure you set it up for your own Roblox account too. Otherwise a hacker could break into your account to target your child. Expert's top safety tips Here's advice from cybersecurity expert Anne Cutler, of Keeper Security… 'The internet can present significant risks to children, particularly when they're using collaborative online gaming platforms,' Anna told The Sun. 'Sites like Roblox have the option to set up parental controls, which can limit chat features, block certain content and monitor usage. 'Children should be encouraged to report bullying, be sceptical about friends they meet online, limit exposure to content that is not age-appropriate and keep tabs on daily screen time. 'Educating children on cybersecurity may feel daunting for adults. 'Parents should familiarise themselves with their children's devices and online activities. 'Emphasising the use of strong and unique passwords, and the importance of never sharing them, as well as caution regarding online acquaintances are vital preventative measures.' Picture Credit: Anne Cutler / Keeper Security SAFEST ROBLOX SETTINGS #4 – FINANCES Why it's important: Roblox is a free game, but it has ways of spending money. Chances are that your child doesn't have their own store of cash – so they'll be using your bank account instead. You need to make sure they can't accidentally (or secretly) empty the coffers. Once you're set up as a parent on Roblox, you can also manage your child's spending. You can set specific monthly spending restrictions. And you can even get spending notifications beamed straight to your phone. 12 Kids can splash out on Robux with your card – so set up spending limits right now Credit: The Sun / Roblox That way, you can limited how much cash they're splashing on Robux as well as on experience subscriptions. Here's what to do: Go to Settings Now go to Parental Controls Next choose Settings You Manage Scroll down and choose Spending Restrictions Set a monthly spending limit (this won't roll over!) Enable spending notifications and choose how often you want to be notified. The safest option is for every transaction The only catch is that these settings won't stop your child from using your card outside of the game to buy gift cards for Roblox. That's on you to watch out for. Also, it's possible for children with an Xbox to spend money on Roblox even if you've set up limits through the game's parental controls. So in that case, you'd need to go into your own Microsoft account, choose Settings > Account > Family Settings > Manage Family Members > Privacy & Online Safety > Xbox Live Privacy > View Details & Customise > Buy & Download and then choose Ask A Parent. This will force the child to ask your permission before they can make a Roblox purchase on Xbox. BONUS SETTING – SCREEN TIME You might also feel like your child is spending way too much time on Roblox. You can restrict that too... This lets you limit how much time your child can spend on Roblox every day. Once they hit their limit, they'll get a message explaining what's happened – and they won't be able to play any more. Here's what to do: Go to Settings Choose Parental Controls Scroll to Screen time > Manage > Screen Time Limit Then just choose a time limit from the Daily Limit dropdown menu Picture Credit: Roblox "We take our responsibility for safety seriously, and have spent nearly two decades building strong safety systems as our platform and our community has grown," a Roblox spokesperson told The Sun. "In the past year, we've introduced more than 40 safety updates. "Including new parental control features to give parents and caregivers greater control and visibility over their child's experience on Roblox, alongside enhanced default protections for our youngest users. "We're not stopping there, and we'll continue to innovate to make Roblox a safe and civil space for play, learning and creativity."
