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Childline to become part of NSPCC
Schools 'in denial' over bullying
Smacking's impact 'same globally'
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29 November 2005 - Childline to become part of NSPCC

Two of Britain's best loved charities today announced a move that is unique in its potential to help millions of children now and into the future. From early next year, ChildLine's free helpline is set to become part of the NSPCC.

The announcement follows months of talks after ChildLine approached the NSPCC to discuss how this vital service could best be secured and developed to support the thousands of vulnerable children and young people who already turn to it each day.

ChildLine has helped almost two million children since it was founded by Esther Rantzen in 1986, but the challenging and competitive fundraising environment has meant that the helpline has never been able to meet the enormous demand from children.

ChildLine's incorporation as a distinct service into the NSPCC will allow it to answer many more calls from children. The ChildLine name and memorable phone number, 0800 1111, will remain unchanged and it will remain as a free 24-hour service for any child or young person with a problem.

The NSPCC free 24-hour Child Protection Helpline 0808 800 5000 will continue to offer support and guidance to anyone with concerns about the welfare of a child.

NSPCC Chairman Sir Christopher Kelly says: "The NSPCC and ChildLine share the same vision for children and young people - we have always enjoyed a close working relationship. We are joining together now in the best interests of children. There is now an enormous opportunity to develop a more extensive service to help even more children. The two organisations are a natural fit. Esther and I are delighted to be in the position to reassure children and young people that ChildLine will be there for them today and tomorrow as it has been for nearly twenty years.

"ChildLine has achieved so much for vulnerable and abused children, saving lives and giving them hope when they had no-one else to turn to. We look forward to welcoming ChildLine staff and volunteers into the NSPCC and to continuing their good work here.

"The welfare and views of those children and young people both charities exist to help and protect, and the interests of staff and volunteers in both charities, will be crucial in reaching any decision about the future of the services.

"The success of our FULL STOP Campaign rests on a strong helpline for all children facing the daily terror of abuse - so this is a natural progression for us."

ChildLine Chair Esther Rantzen says: "This is wonderful news for children. The NSPCC is a remarkable charity and we see ourselves as natural partners. When this move goes ahead, ChildLine will continue to provide exactly the same service. When children call 0800 1111 they will speak to a ChildLine counsellor who will give them comfort and support, just as they have for nearly twenty years.

"The British public who have supported us so generously over the years can be assured that their money will continue to pay for children's phone calls and for the help they receive when they call. We are certain that our loyal supporters will stay with us as we take this momentous step for children.

Against the background of this tremendous support, joining with the NSPCC will offer ChildLine greater financial security to answer many more calls from distressed children. And its counsellors will be able to refer many children on to the NSPCC's other pioneering services."

A final decision to transfer the helpline to the NSPCC - along with ChildLine's other activities - was taken by ChildLine's board of trustees last night. The ChildLine proposal to the NSPCC was accepted in principle by NSPCC trustees last week.

While ChildLine across the whole of the UK will become part of the NSPCC, in Scotland both charities are seeking a way forward that would see the ChildLine service in Scotland being provided by CHILDREN 1st.

Both charities now enter into a period of consultation (which includes due diligence) to confirm the details of incorporation with a view to joining together in early 2006.

Source www.nspcc.org.uk

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14 November 2005 - Schools 'in denial' over bullying

Almost every child is affected by bullying and is growing up in a society that sees violence as "the norm", the children's commissioner has said. Professor Al Aynsley-Green argued that, despite good work in schools, there is still denial about the "existence, severity and effect" of bullying.

He told the Observer that violence had become the norm in the workplace, on television and in the home. His comments came ahead of the start of Anti-Bullying Week on 21 November.

Professor Aynsley-Green, who is the children's commissioner for England, told the newspaper: "I have no doubt that children are being brought up in a society where violence is the norm in many ways.

"I include in this the violence on television, in the workplace and in the home.

"I have had hundreds of in-depth conversations with children since accepting this post, and I can tell you that the one thing every child I have met has been affected by, with virtually no exceptions, is bullying."

He plans to use Anti-Bullying Week to ask the government to compel schools to give children a questionnaire on the issue every term.

He said: "I want to pay tribute to much of the extremely good work going on in schools but, from what children are telling me, there is still a lot of denial about the existence, severity and the effect of bullying in schools.

"It is not going too far to say many schools and teachers are still in a state of denial about this issue.

"There simply isn't enough genuine awareness of the problem in the minds of adults."

He also urged parents to "look in the mirror before castigating children for bullying behaviour".

He added: "Nobody will challenge an adult for bullying colleagues if they are successful in achieving their work targets, but the long-term pain for victims is incalculable.

"I want to see the treatment of bullying mainstreamed in schools so that by the time the children become adults they know how to cope with it and defeat it."

Professor Aynsley-Green's comments came just days after 15-year-old Natashia Jackman was stabbed in the head while at school in Camberley, Surrey.

And on Wednesday, 19-year-old Tommy Kimpton, of Penryn, Cornwall, was sentenced to two years in prison for killing a friend who had bullied him.

Appointed in July, the commissioner will report to Parliament every year on issues he believes need tackling.

Source bbc.co.uk

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14 November 2005 - Smacking's impact 'same globally'

Children who are smacked are more likely than those who are not to become aggressive and anxious, no matter what the cultural norm, a study says.

A global research team studied 336 families across six countries - some of which accepted smacking as legitimate discipline and some which did not. It found smacking resulted in more behavioural problems in all countries.

But in countries where smacking was the norm, the problems were less acute, the Child Development journal reported. Researchers from universities in Europe, Asia and the US carried out the study.

There are mixed opinions over whether smacking leads to behavioural problems and whether the society the child is being brought up in has an impact.

Various countries across Europe have outlawed smacking, but most countries in the developing world do not have regulations.

In England and Wales, smacking which leaves a mark was banned earlier this year, although "reasonable chastisement" is allowed.

Mothers and children from China, India, Italy, Kenya, the Philippines and Thailand were all interviewed. The mothers were asked how often they physically disciplined their children, and how often they thought parents in their country resorted to smacking.

Then they interviewed the mother and child about the child's emotional state and how often they got into fights. Mothers in Thailand were least likely to physically discipline their children, while those in India and Kenya were the most likely.

All the children who were disciplined showed higher levels of aggression, anxiety and other emotional problems than their contemporaries.

But researchers did find that in countries where physical discipline was more common and culturally accepted, the behavioural problems were not as bad as when it was carried out where it was more taboo.

Lead researcher Jennifer Lansford said the findings prompted the question of whether physical discipline was "acceptable, regardless of whether it occurs commonly within a cultural group".

But she added: "One implication of our findings is the need for caution in making recommendations about parenting practices across different cultural groups."

Paul Farmer, chairman of the Mental Health Alliance, which represents professionals and charities, said environmental factors such as physical discipline were likely to have an impact on behavioural problems no matter what the cultural norm.

But he added: "It is not just anxiety and aggression that can be caused by trauma. Other emotional problems, such as depression, can result."

Mary Marsh, director of child protection charity NSPCC, urged parents not to smack their children.

"A child's safety and respect for their human rights should be at the core of caring for children."

And she said parents needed support in finding out about positive parenting and alternatives to hitting.

Researchers from Duke University and the University of Oregon, both in the US, the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Goteborg University in Sweden, Naples University, the University of Rome, Chiang Mai University in Thailand, and Delhi University in India, took part in the study.

Source bbc.co.uk

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11 November 2005 - We are recruiting for Training Officers

Visit our downloads section for the advertisement. Closing date for receipt of completed application forms is 7th December 2005.

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