Your child has a right to be safe.
If they ever feel unsafe, it’s important they can tell an adult they trust, and equally important that the adult takes what they say seriously.
The information below explains more about your child’s right to be safe.
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UNCRC rights
Here are some of the rights your child has to keep them safe.
All children’s rights are written in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.
Article 2
All children should be treated equally
Article 3
Adults should always do what is best for children
Article 12
Children have the right to be listened to and taken seriously
Article 19
Children have the right to be protected from being hurt or badly treated
Article 34
Children have the right to be protected from sexual abuse and exploitation
Article 36
Children have the right to be kept safe from harm from things that could harm their development
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What can I do?
- Tell your child they have a right to be safe. Tell them that nothing bad will happen to them if they tell you that somebody else has made them feel unsafe, even if this is a family member or friend.
- Make sure your child knows that their body is their own. Take a look at the NSPCC’s PANTS rules – these can help you talk to your child about staying safe from sexual abuse.
- Tell them they have the right to say ‘no’ if somebody asks them to do something they’re not comfortable with.
What should others do?
- Your child’s school should tell your child about their right to be safe, and encourage them to speak to a trusted adult if they feel unsafe.
- Clubs in the community should have an up-to-date Safeguarding policy, sometimes called a Child Protection policy. These could be sports clubs, dance clubs, brownies and cubs, faith groups etc.
- If you’re concerned about a child, please get in touch with us, the NSPCC, or your local social services.
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What can I do?
- Make sure your child knows they have a right to be safe online, as well as offline. This will help give them the confidence to tell you if something makes them feel unsafe.
- Talk openly at home about all aspects of your child’s life. It will help your child discuss any worries with you; whether it’s related to their online or offline lives.
- Learn about the platforms they use and what they like doing on them, and talk about any worries you have. This NSPCC website might help.
- Involve your child in making any new rules related to internet use – they’re more likely to stick to them if they’ve played a part in making them.
- Cyberbullying is a big issue for children. In November 2019 the Welsh Government made new guidance on school bullying, which includes cyberbullying.
What should others do?
Social media companies should be doing a lot more to protect children’s rights online.
In February 2020, the UK Government said that the company Ofcom would be responsible for making sure that social media companies do more to protect children online.
We don’t know yet what Ofcom will do to social media companies who don’t keep children safe. The UK Government will decide this later this year.
- The Welsh Government has made new guidance for schools on dealing with bullying, including cyberbullying. It says schools should record every incident of reported bullying to help them see how well their anti-bullying strategies work.
- Your internet provider should help you to understand the parental controls that you could use to help keep your child safe.
- Organisations who work with children have made lots of resources to help parents and children stay safe online. We’ve put some useful links below.
Useful Links
Hwb’s Online Safety Zone
All children and young people registered at a school or college can have a Hwb account.
It is full of useful resources for parents, teachers, and children.
NSPCC – Online Safety
Advice and information for parents, including the risks of online games, supporting your child if you’re worried they’re watching porn, and setting up parental controls.
Safer internet day resources
A large collection of resources helping parents, teachers, and children to stay safe online.
And they’re available in lots of different languages.
Childnet
Tips for parents and carers, including a parent and carer toolkit.
Thinkuknow
Thinkuknow has useful resources for young people and parents about staying safe online.
They’re broken up in to different age groups and include games and videos.
Our cyberbullying resources
We also have our own resources for children and young people, specifically on cyberbullying.
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What can I do to help my child?
- Tell them that they have a right to feel safe in their community, and encourage them to discuss anything that makes them feel unsafe.
- Find out who your local Police Community Support Officer (PCSO) is. They can help you if you ever need advice with a worry you have about your local community’s safety. Go to your local police force’s website to find your PCSO.
- Get in touch with your local councillor if you’re worried about something that is the council’s responsibility. It is your council’s responsibility to maintain things like roads, streetlights, community cleanliness, and parks.
- We’ve recently made a toolkit to help young people make a difference in their communities. It helps them know who to turn to and how to have their say. It includes help with petitions, organising meetings, and raising awareness of issues so that other people can raise concerns about them too.
What should others do?
- There are many issues in your community that might cause you or your child concern. If you’re unsure about who to turn to, please get in touch with us.