Happy Christmas from all of us at Safer Schools!

Teacher and partner jailed after they filmed themselves abusing girl

(Please note this story contains graphic descriptions and sensitive material that readers may find upsetting)

  • A deputy headteacher and her partner have been jailed for child sexual abuse offences.
  • They filmed themselves abusing and raping a girl, who was under 13 years old.
  • She was also head of safeguarding at a primary school in Wigan.
  • She was sentenced to 13 years and four months in prison after she pleaded guilty to multiple charges including 18 child sexual abuse offences.
  • Her partner was sentenced to 6 years for 34 offences for various charges including seven counts of raping a child under 13 and possessing and distributing indecent photographs of a child.
  • Both were given indefinite sexual harm prevention orders and will sign the sex offender register for life.
  • Full story, here.

Social media may be forced to open to academics under a new openness bill

  • Senators in the US have introduced the Platform Accountability and Transparency Act (PATA).
  • This would require social media companies to disclose platform data with independent researchers working on National Science Foundation-approved projects (NSF).
  • Platforms would need to comply with data requests and any failure to disclose data would grant the loss of immunity under Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act.
  • Full story, here.

16,000 UK children could be exposed to domestic abuse at Christmas

  • The Early Intervention Foundation (EIF) estimates that almost 16,000 children across the UK could be exposed to domestic abuse this Christmas.
  • The charity is urging ministers to commit to funding specialist support services in the new year.
  • It is estimated that 3.2% of children under 11 and 2.5% of 11- to 17-years-old are exposed to domestic violence.
  • This equates approximately 15,948 over the two-week festive period, rising from 15,006 from last Christmas.
  • Full story, here.

200,000 UK children could be made homeless this winter

  • Homelessness charity, Shelter, estimates that 200,000 children are at risk of being left homeless this winter.
  • 55,000 children, along with their families are estimated to have already been evicted in the last three months.
  • A poll found that 71% of renting families would struggle to find a home during the winter and 104,000 families have received eviction notices or could lose their home.
  • 21% report their children know they are struggling with rent and 11% say their children are worried about becoming homeless.
  • Full story, here.