Written evidence submitted by KidSafe (CYP0039)

We are KidSafe UK and provide primary, nursery & specialist schools with robust, age appropriate programmes to address all forms of child abuse including, bullying, cyber bullying, internet safety, sexual and domestic abuse.  Any of these issues if not dealt with, will have a  major impact on children’s mental health and emotional wellbeing. 

Prevention/early intervention is our aim, through delivery of KidSafe UK programmes directly to all children, this is achieved, children are thoroughly engaged and learn the key messages alongside having the KidSafe UK educator based in school as a member of staff.

We are practised in designing and delivering training to teachers and adults who work with children. KidSafe UK does not use explicit language or material, our work is supported by head teachers, school staff, parents and carers and most importantly children thoroughly enjoy KidSafe UK sessions, we are recommending to the committee implementing this inquiry that all children should be taught KidSafe. 

Whatever situation any child find themselves in, as adults we can do nothing if we do not know about it, empowering children to speak out about anything which makes them feel sad, scared or worried is at the heart of our programme, this undoubtedly leads to minimising the short/long term impact on children’s/adults mental health and emotional wellbeing.

We have been working in this field for over 20 years and have seen inquiries/recommendations come and go but it’s the implementation of findings that makes the real difference.  Current safeguarding, adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and children’s mental health training, educates adults about signs, symptoms and the impact on children, this raises awareness for adults but then what?  What is the point of adults knowing about harm and damage if nothing actually changes or is put in place to educate children as well.  We would like the committee to consider how much harm and damage could be prevented if children knew what to do if they were experiencing any form of abuse and/or ACE. 

Support services, in particular mental health and safeguarding, continue to be saturated with only high level cases being addressed, meaning the lower level cases will only ever escalate and the  impact on a child’s mental health and emotional wellbeing will be negatively impacted. 

Unless a radical approach is adopted for safeguarding that protects all children, children’s mental health and emotional wellbeing will continue to decline, which in turn puts additional pressure on mental health provision, which is clearly struggling to deal with the fall out of the original abuse/ACE, this could easily have been prevented or at least the impact minimised.

Educating children directly in an age appropriate way is the key, the KidSafe UK programme is life changing for children.

Val Webb & Jude Walker

Co Founders

February 2021