Arkwright
Staying Safe
Let’s Talk PANTS!
We want to help you, as parents and carers, talk to your children about staying safe from sexual abuse. That’s why we’re asking you to talk PANTS – it’s an easy way to have that very important conversation.
Simple conversations – like crossing the road safely, bullying and dealing with strangers – are subjects that you and your child might talk about. Rightly so. But what about staying safe from sexual abuse? It’s a conversation no parent wants to have but thankfully, with the help of our friendly dinosaur Pantosaurus, it doesn’t have to be scary.
By talking PANTS you have a simple way to help keep your child safe from sexual abuse – without ever using scary words or even mentioning sex.
With hundreds of thousands of parents having already talked PANTS with their child, we know these simple conversations really can help keep them safe. And that’s what – the links below we will help you do.
This link takes you to the NSPCC page with all the advice:
https://www.nspcc.org.uk/preventing-abuse/keeping-children-safe/underwear-rule/
- This link is specifically for parents of children with autism: underwear guidance for Parents
- This link is specifically for foster carers: underwear rule guidance foster carers
- This link is specifically for parents: the-nspcc-underwear-rule-a-brief-guide-for-parents
- Following this link takes you to YouTube and The Pants Rule : https://youtu.be/fn6AVSZk008
Let's talk E-Safety
At Arkwright Primary School, we acknowledge the importance of educating our pupils on how to stay safe when using technology.
Most children at Arkwright Primary School use computers, mobile phones, video games consoles etc. as part of their everyday lives. They often seem ‘expert’ compared to parents as they have been born into the ‘digital age’, but children still need your support. You can provide this by talking to your child about what they are doing online, who they are talking to and how to stay safe.
Please take a look at the documents below for useful information that helps to ensure our children are accessing the internet correctly and safely.
Child Exploration and Online Protection Command (CEOP)
Keeping your child safe – General Advice
To help keep your child safe online:
- talk to your child about the dangers posed by the internet
- tell them what they should do if they become worried or concerned
- explain that anything shared online or by mobile phone could end up being seen by anyone
- understand what your child does online and know which websites they visit
- put the computer where the whole family can see it, not out of sight in a bedroom
- use filtering software to block inappropriate sites
Where to find more advice:
Guide for parents on internet safety:
https://www.gov.uk/government/.../child-safety-online-a-practical-guide-for-parents-and-carers
Thinkuknow is the education programme from NCA-CEOP, a UK organisation which protects children both online and offline.
Click on their logo explore one of the six Thinkuknow websites for advice about staying safe when you're on a phone, tablet or computer.