“More than one in three of the children sexually abused by an adult kept their horrific secret to themselves.”* “ Four out of five children who experienced sexual contact from someone they knew were too terrified to tell.”* These are shocking statistics - Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE) and Criminal Exploitation (CCE) are real threats for young people today and education is much needed around these serious issues . National Child … [Read more...]
Missing (or not)?
Young people missing from care is an issue that all specialist support providers have to face and a risk that has to be carefully managed. The national police definition of a missing person is, “Anyone whose whereabouts cannot be established will be considered as missing until located and their wellbeing is otherwise confirmed.” However, there is a common misconception as to what constitutes ‘missing’ and incorrect reporting of missing young … [Read more...]
Covid testing in schools
AS COVID-19 continues to cause disruption right across the UK, more and more challenges are faced by schools across the country. Just one of those challenges came after it was announced over the festive break that schools would be required to carry out mass testing of staff and pupils. So, how does a group with 21 schools which support some of the most vulnerable children in the UK get ready to carry out this level of testing. We caught up with … [Read more...]
Tackling the dangers of smoking
While the numbers of people who smoke have reduced, figures released by the NHS this month show there are still worryingly high numbers of people admitted to hospital and sadly dying as a result of the habit. Keys’ National Specialist Advisor for Substance Misuse Fran Gracie explains how Keys Group tackles smoking in the children it supports. “Smoking is clearly not something anyone is encouraged to take up as a habit. With more than half a … [Read more...]
Alcohol Awareness
The mental health impacts of excess alcohol consumption were significantly impacting the quality of life and safety of a young person supported in a Keys home. Here, the manager of the home describes how the specialist support provided was able to reduce the risks to her mental and physical well-being. Dannii* had significant substance misuse issues. She drank excessive levels of alcohol – sometimes a whole bottle of spirits at a time - whilst … [Read more...]
Substance misuse
Substance misuse, including alcohol, is an issue experienced by a number of young people and can put them at higher risk of mental and physical health difficulties. How do care providers support children and young people who may be using drugs or alcohol – and subsequently putting themselves at risk? We spoke to Keys Group Substance Misuse Specialist Advisor Fran Gracie and asked her to share an example. “Dannii came to my attention in 2019 … [Read more...]
Exams and Destinations
For some young people, exam results and qualifications are the key focus, and measure people use of their success - or otherwise. But for many of the young people supported in a Keys Group school, while exam results are important, they're is not necessarily the only important aspect of their educational journey. Their destination – or where they go to next after school – is also key and shows how far they've come. In our schools, our … [Read more...]
