Dear Editor,

It’s not just children who have been making their way back to school over the last week or so after a long, hot summer off. NSPCC volunteers are also returning for another year of empowering youngsters to stay safe from abuse.

They will be visiting primary schools up and down Essex to deliver the charity’s landmark Speak Out Stay Safe service which teaches children as young as four about how to recognise and report abuse.

In a sensitive, age-appropriate way volunteers deliver assemblies to Key Stage One and Key Stage Two pupils, making them aware of different forms of abuse and neglect and the appropriate adults they can talk to if they have any worries or concerns.

The volunteers participate in more in-depth workshops with the older students whilst all pupils are taught the Childline number, which is free to call on 0800 1111 if a child feels they have no adult they can talk to or wants to talk to someone anonymously.

This simple yet absolutely vital service reached 50,501 children at 202 schools across Essex in the last school year and the charity aim to reach every child in the country twice before they reach secondary school age.

To do this we need more schools to sign up and more volunteers to get involved so please get in if you’d like to volunteer or, if a teacher, would like to request a visit to your school.

For more information visit www.nspcc.org.uk/schoolsservice or email me at [email protected]

Yours Sincerely
Kiren Chima, NSPCC Schools Service Organiser for Essex