Daily Safeguarding News - Safer Schools NI

Online Safety Bill becomes law

Following years of debate, the government’s controversial Online Safety Bill has become law.
The Bill’s aim is to make the internet safer for children by forcing tech firms to take more responsibility for the content on their platforms.
The new law puts the onus on firms to protect children from some legal but harmful material with Ofcom being its designated regulator.
Platforms will have to show that they are committed to removing illegal content including child sexual abuse material (CSAM), promoting self-harm, terrorism and more.
Some are of the belief that there have been changes to the Bill which means it does not go far enough in protecting the public.
For more, please visit the BBC News website.

Two teenagers who attacked a 15-year-old girl outside a school in a video that went viral have admitted to inflicting actual bodily harm.
Footage showed the pupil being punched, kicked and having her hair pulled while her attackers were encouraged by adult onlookers outside Thomas Knyvett College in Ashford, Surrey.
One defendant allegedly repeatedly called the girl a “monkey” and threatened to “rip a dreadlock” out of the girl’s head.
The defendant denies she was the one making the threats.
On Wednesday, both girls both pleaded guilty to one count of assault occasioning actual bodily harm.
One defendant also pleaded guilty to assaulting a second teenage girl by beating on the same day.
Both defendants are to be sentenced at later dates.
For more, please visit the ITV News website.

Isobel Murphy sexually abused a 13-year-old boy in her then east Belfast home has been sent to prison, and has been handed a 27-month sentence, divided between prison and licence.
Mrs Murphy pleaded guilty to a total of six charges committed in 2021.
The child told police that Murphy had engaged in sexual activity with him, both physically in person and via sexually explicit text messages.
He reported that she ensured he had Snapchat on the phone Murphy gave him and told him to keep it concealed.
There were 350 Snapchat messages exchanged and a video she sent to him of her performing a sex act. He revealed Murphy’s offending when his mother found the phone.
The child has had to move schools and it has been reported that his mental health is suffering.
The judge spoke of the “grooming and manipulative behaviour” displayed by Murphy and made her subject of a 10-year Sexual Offences Prevention Order and placed her on the Sex Offenders Register for 10 years.
For more, please visit the BBC News website.

The family of a teenage girl who died after taking an ecstasy tablet at a concert have warned other young people about the dangers of experimenting with drugs.
A mural has been done in her memory and will be unveiled on what would have been her 17th birthday.
Caitlin’s aunt Aileen said she wanted the message of her death to reach teenagers.
Aileen stated: “I am a parent myself. Teenagers will pass this mural every day in Galliagh – so they will know what happened to her, it’s reminding them every day.” .
She further reported: “I hope the mural opens people’s eyes to the danger of drugs and a young life gone too soon. She never even got to see her GCSE results.”
For more, please visit the BBC News website.