Schools: more than a drop-off point
Schools are so much more than a place to drop on the kids off at 8.30am and pick up in the afternoon. They are places to learn, socialise, escape from difficult situations. We sometimes take for granted their importance in protecting and strengthening the hopes of young people.
schools
Appreciating our teachers
When schools were shut down back in March 2020, you could hear a collective gasp from parents all over the country. How was this going to work? Would parents be called upon to dust off their GCSE Maths? Do they even teach Pythagoras theorem anymore?
More importantly, how will they feed their growing children. If they’re at home all the time, they're going to eat a lot. What about childcare? What about work?
Parents around the country were tuning in to the daily briefings with bated breath, praying for Boris to utter those three magic words, ‘schools are reopening’. Never again would we take our teachers and schools for granted.
Safe spaces
Schools not only save parents from the crippling costs of childcare, they also play a vital role in keeping young people safe. They are places where young people can spend time with friends under the supervision of trusted adults.
For those at risk of going missing or being exploited by criminal groups, this is crucial. Without schools, young people could be out and about, an easy target for criminals looking to manipulate them with promises of quick cash and a place to belong.
Our My Voice programme holds group workshops in schools, encouraging students to talk about issues important to them - diversity, bullying, respect, knife crime, county lines, grooming. They learn how to stay safe, be confident and deal with their feelings. Schools provide safe spaces for these conversations to happen.
I like how we can express our thoughts
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Support network
Teachers do an incredible job in not only educating our children, but also looking out for them. We work closely with schools so more professionals can spot the signs of abuse, neglect and exploitation. Without the eyes and ears in classrooms, cases of child abuse are more likely to go unseen and unreported.
For young carers, schools not only offer a break from looking after mum and dad, but they’re also a place to go and get support. Teachers who are aware of a carer's situation can give advice and recommend support programmes. Without these professionals to talk to, young carers have to cope with more on their own.
Break from being online
When schools were closed, many young people admitted they missed school. They missed their friends and the variety of their days. School closure meant staying inside, learning online, socialising online.
Spending more time online put these children at greater risk of being groomed and exploited. Criminals took advantage of these online platforms, hidden from the view of parents and teachers. When schools reopened, it brought young people back into a social space where friends and teachers can look out for them.
Spot the signs of exploitation
This week we launched our #LookCloser campaign, encouraging everyone to learn the signs of exploitation so we can spot and report it and keep children safe.
We often hear about boys being forced to commit crime and girls being sexually abused. But children of all genders are exploited sexually and criminally. Just because we don't hear about it, doesn't mean it doesn't happen.
We need to challenge our gender assumptions. Look beyond gender. Any child might need support.
