Advice for Children and Young People

If you are being hurt, treated in a way that makes you feel scared, uncomfortable or unsafe, or you feel very alone or unhappy, please tell someone about it so they can try to help you.

Talk to someone you can trust, like a teacher, teaching assistant or other adult your trust at your school.  They will listen to you, support you and talk through what can be done to help sort things out.  Often, an adult you know can help with anything you’re finding difficult. Asking for help early on can help stop things getting worse so if you are worried about yourself or someone you know tell someone, REPORT IT or talk to someone in confidence:

Childline - 0800 1111 You can call anytime for free, it's confidential and the call won't show on the phone bill.

For local counselling support contact Youthline or Kooth

MASH (Multi-agency Safeguarding Hub) by email mash@bracknell-forest.gov.uk or phone 01344 352005.  If it’s after 5pm or the weekend call 01344 351999

Police - call 999 if you or someone you know is at immediate risk or danger.  You can also contact the police in a non-emergency 24hrs a day, 7 days a week, by calling 101.

For more information on abuse, see Recognising and Reporting Abuse link to our page on this

What if someone else has reported concerns about me?

If a baby, child or young person has been harmed or there are worries that they might be harmed in the future, the law says that the local authority (Bracknell Forest Council) has to find out what has happened so that children can be kept safe.

A social worker, sometimes together with a police officer, may have come to talk with you to find out how you feel and what worries you.  They will normally talk to your parents and carers as well (unless you have explained that this may make things worse).

If there are a lot of concerns a meeting called a Child Protection Conference will be arranged.  You and your parents or carers will be invited to attend along with people who know your family, for example a teacher, doctor or a health visitor.  There is a leaflet: Information for children and young people about child protection conferences

Legal Information

LawStuff is a website that provides young people with lots of free legal information over the phone or online about many different things.  For example, it explains your rights as a child, a who's who of adult professionals you may come into contact with whilst growing up, the law, education and much more. 

Bullying can happen to anyone at any age. Being bullied at school, home or online might involve someone pushing you, hitting you, teasing you, talking about you or calling you names. Nobody has the right to hurt you or make you feel bad. If you are being bullied you don’t have to deal with it alone.

What is bullying?

Bullying can mean many different things and can come in several forms, including:

• being called names
• being put down or humiliated
• being teased
• being pushed or pulled about
• having money and other possessions taken or messed about with
• having rumours spread about you
• being ignored and left out
• being hit, kicked or physically hurt
• being threatened or intimidated

Who could you talk to?

If you are experiencing bullying, or are worried your friend is, you should talk to someone you trust who can help you tackle it.  It could be your parent or carer, an adult at school or a support worker.

If you want to talk to someone in confidence, there are other organisations that could help:

Bullying UK by contacting 0808 800 2222 and you can talk to one of their Family Support Workers, calls are confidential or click here to access online.

Childline by contacting 0800 1111 anytime, all calls are free of charge.

NSPCC by contacting 0808 800 5000, where you can speak to trained Counsellors at any time or visit their website by clicking here. 

Kooth can provide online support and counselling to those aged between 11-25 years. Click here to watch their video.

Cyberbullying
Cyberbullying is bullying that happens using phones, tablets, computers on social media - anything sent electronically.  Click here to access a campaign that has been designed by young people for young people, about what it is, how to stop it and provide support to other people that you might know it's happening to.

We all have access to the internet, wherever we go!  

Lots of us are all now using mobiles, tablets, laptops, computers at home or school/college, games consoles; all of which we use to get access online.  However you access it and use it, it is important to understand how to keep yourself safe online. Here are some useful tips:

• Don’t add people just for followers.
• Don’t post personal information online.
• Watch what you look at and post online, stay safe and report inappropriate content.
• Don’t send naked or semi-naked images or videos of yourself or anyone else, it’s a criminal offence.
• Be careful about what you post online.
• Don’t share your passwords with anyone.
• Set your social media profiles to private so that random people can’t message you.
• Go online for positive use only and be aware of negative behaviour such as bullying.
• Be careful which websites you go on.
• Be aware that there are possible dangers online such as fake accounts and people who lie about who they really are and their age.

Childline has lots of information on how to stay safe online.  You can also click on any of the links below to other websites, helping you to find out more about using the internet safely, whilst still having fun, just click on the one that matches your age.

Links to other websites (to access click on the link)

4 - 7 years old - Thinkuknow

8 - 10 years old - Thinkuknow

4 - 11 years old - Childnet

11 - 18 years old - The internet, relationships and you - Thinkuknow

11 - 18 years old - Childnet

'Sexting'

A short film has been produced by students in Nuneaton to show the dangers of 'sexting'.

Feeling good on social media

Childline has put together ways to feel good on social media with advice to help.

They provide details on how to report posts on various platforms that you may have found upsetting or disturbing, particularly if it involves violence or abuse.

Need to talk to someone?

You can call Childline on 0800 1111 at any time or visit their website if you ever need to talk to someone in confidence.  You can also get support from other young people on their message boards.

If you are worried about the behaviour of someone else or another adult online, Childline will be able to offer you advice or perhaps you could speak to someone that you can talk to, maybe it's a friend, a parent, a teacher or another member of staff at school.

Sometimes, people might want to take advantage of you and ask you to do things and you might find yourself in dangerous situations without even realising it…  this is called child exploitation and it’s not okay for this to happen to a young person. It is abuse and young people have the right to be safe from it.  It includes sexual exploitation (CSE) and being forced to commit crimes.

How does it happen?

At first, a young person may like, respect, or even think they are falling in love with the person exploiting them. This is because they are ‘groomed’ over time. The young person may be approached and spoken to online. This process involves making them feel ‘special’, so they become attached. But later, the behaviour of the abuser starts to change, often slowly. By this point, the young person is likely to feel trapped, isolated and scared, and they may find it difficult to acknowledge that they are no longer comfortable in the relationship.

Here are some of the messages from young people who have been sexually exploited:

• Don’t hang around with people who you aren’t willing to take home.
• Keep safe online: don’t share personal information or meet up with anyone you’ve met online.
• Speak to teachers or someone you trust.
• If you feel someone is not safe, tell someone – you are almost certainly right.
• Look out for your friends – many young people who are being abused think they’re in a normal ‘loving’ relationship and will not ask for help.

Where to go for more information?

If you’re worried about you or a friend, talk to someone you trust (like a teacher or a youth worker) or the Police on 101 to talk things through. If you’re in immediate danger, dial 999 straight away.

Am I or my friend being exploited provides further details on what to look out for.

The NSPCC runs therapeutic services for children who have experienced, or are at risk of, sexual exploitation and abuse.  They also provide details of other organisations who can help you.

You can make a report to Child Exploitation and Online Protection (CEOP) command if you are worried about online abuse or the way someone has been communicating online. 

If you answer yes to these questions, then it’s likely you are a young carer.

1. Do you look after or support a relative with an illness, disability, addiction or mental health condition? This may include things like:
   • Practical tasks, like cooking, housework and shopping.
   • Physical care, such as helping someone out of bed.
   • Emotional support, including talking to someone who is distressed.
   • Personal care, such as helping someone dress.
   • Managing the family budget and collecting prescriptions.
   • Helping to give medicine.
   • Helping someone communicate.
   • Looking after brothers and sisters.
2. Are you under 18 (or under 25 if you have special educational needs or a disability)?

A ‘young carer’ is defined in section 96 of the Children and Families Act 2014 as:
“…a person under 18 who provides or intends to provide care for another person.”

This relates to care for any family member who is physically or mentally ill, frail elderly, disabled or misuses alcohol or substances.

As a young carer you are entitled to a free young carers assessment. This is regardless of who is being cared for, what type of care is provided or how often the care is provided. The assessment can:

• help identify your needs and potential solutions.
• reduce the caring responsibilities and any negative impacts this may have.

To get an assessment you can contact Bracknell Forest Council's young carers service directly by:

• emailing: carers@bracknell-forest.gov.uk
• talking to your school, social carer or early help professional and they can refer you to this service.

If you are an older carer then details of support for you can be found at Signal Carers Service

• Are you thinking of leaving home?
• Are you currently away from home?
• Have you come back after being away?

Missing People are there for you, day and night if you need any support.

If you are under 16 years of age (or under 18 if you are disabled) and you are looked after by someone else who is not a close relative, for more than 28 days, then you are being privately fostered. A close relative is your brother, sister, aunt, uncle, grandparent, legal guardian or step-parent.

There may be many reasons why you are not living at home, it may be just your parent has had to go into hospital for a long stay, or your parents may be working or living in another country.

If you think you are living with private foster carers and want to talk to someone for help and advice, please contact:

Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH) on 01344 352005 or email MASH@bracknell-forest.gov.uk

They will check that where you are living is suitable and safe.

For more information, watch this YouTube video: