News

A Panorama investigation into Jimmy Savile is on BBC1 on 2 June at 20.30 pm. NSPCC research for this programme has found that there have been at least 500 reports of abuse by Savile and most of the alleged victims were between 13 and 15, but the youngest was two-years-old. Source: BBC Online

Barnardo’s has teamed up with Microsoft to launch a new app, Wud U?, to educate children and young people about the dangers of child sexual exploitation. Source: Barnardos 25 April 2014 Further information:    Download the Wud U? app

A pilot has started in three Crown Courts in England which will enable young witnesses under the age of 16 to give evidence before a trial begins. Source: BBC Online 28 April 2014

Perpetrator or victim? Amanda Spencer, 23, from Sheffield, has been found guilty of 16 counts relating to child sexual exploitation. She was just 16 when she began to befriend girls, some as young as 13, before forcing them to have sex for cash which she used to fund a drug and alcohol addiction. The jury […]

The Internet Watch Foundation has published its annual report including an assessment of 50000 reports to its hotline. Last year, reports increased by 31% compared to 2012. It identified 13,182 webpages containing child sexual abuse imagery of these: 51% showed the rape or sexual torture of a child or children; over 80% were of victims […]

The BBC reports that Dorset Police officers have said it would be unlawful to delete photos of a child sexual abuse victim from a convicted sex offender’s laptop because they are not legally classified as indecent or prohibited. The sex offender has formally requested that his laptop and mobile phone be returned to him. Source: […]

A High Court ruling made by Lord Justice Leveson means that children previously involved in court proceedings as defendant, witness or victim will lose their anonymity on their 18th birthday. Some fear this may deter children from giving evidence and harm the rehabilitation of young offenders. Source: Children& Young People Now 09 April 2014 Further […]

A Unicef poll on public perceptions of human trafficking has found that a majority of the British public do not see the country as a hotspot for child trafficking despite the fact that 10 children are trafficked every week in the UK. 75% of people polled agreed that giving trafficked children a legal guardian was […]

A survey carried out by anti-bullying charity Ditch the Label says 56% of bullied pupils felt that their education was suffering as a result of the bullying. The research showed that bullied students were more likely to achieve a grade D or below at GCSE level. Source: BBC Online 16 April 2014 Further information:    Ditch […]

The government is consulting on proposals which would enable local authorities to outsource most areas of children’s services. Deadline for responses is 30 May 2014. Source: Children & Young People Now 17 April 2014 Further information:    Delegating children’s social care functions