"We all get the same 365 days, the only difference is what we do with them”
Events this week:
January 1st- January 31st- National Mentoring Month 2025
January 11th- National Human Trafficking Awareness Day 2025
January 11th- Paget’s Awareness Day 2025
Legislation/Regulation of the week
Online Safety Act 2023
The Online Safety Act became law in October 2023 and contains a range of measures intended to improve online safety in the UK, including duties on internet platforms about having systems and processes in place to manage harmful content on their sites, including illegal content.
The Act also introduces new criminal offences and creates Ofcom as the regulator for online safety, granting it new powers including those required to enforce the framework.
(Reading this can be counted towards your 20% off the Job learning if it links to the knowledge, skills, and behaviours in your apprenticeship standard – Approx. 30 mins)
Please remember to review this in your policy/legislation review workbook)
Videos of the week
When Nudes are Stolen
When Jess Davies started glamour modelling at age 18, she had no idea that she would be opened up to online abuse, trolling and, bizarrely, having her images used by catfish who target men around the world. Now the lads mags have closed and Jess has decided not to do topless shoots anymore, but images of her are all over the internet. She has no control over how they are used or what for.
The film explores a broader online culture in which people have no concerns about sharing and trading peoples’ intimate photos, and give little consideration to whether the pictures were taken consensually.
Watching this can be counted towards your 20% off the Job learning if it links to the knowledge, skills, and behaviours in your apprenticeship standard – Approx. 50 mins)
Event of the week/month
National Mentoring Month 2025
National Mentoring Month is an annual campaign celebrated in January, dedicated to raising awareness about the power and impact of mentoring. It’s a time to recognize and honor the contributions of mentors while encouraging individuals to become mentors themselves. This month-long observance highlights the value of mentoring relationships in education, personal development, and community enrichment, showcasing how mentors can positively influence the lives of others.
National Mentoring Month is celebrated throughout January each year. It’s a time for communities to engage in various mentoring-related activities and for individuals to reflect on the importance of mentorship in personal and professional growth.
(Reading this can be counted towards your 20% off the Job learning if it links to the knowledge, skills, and behaviours in your apprenticeship standard – Approx. 40 mins)
Safeguarding & ED & I
Free Safeguarding Resource for your setting!
This professionally designed poster is ideal for your setting providing clear and essential steps to promote safe environments for all your children.
Download your copy today, print the first poster and display in your setting.
(Reading this can be counted towards your 20% off the Job learning if it links to the knowledge, skills, and behaviours in your apprenticeship standard – Approx. 50 mins)
How safe are children around dogs?
The bond between children and dogs can bring joy to family life, but it's crucial to recognise that any dog can bite if they feel threatened. Surprisingly, most bites occur at home from familiar dogs, with over 1,700 children hospitalised last year due to dog bites. However, the majority of these incidents can be prevented.
The Child Accident Prevention Trust has released two informative fact sheets aimed at aiding families in ensuring the safety of children and the happiness of dogs.
(Reading this can be counted towards your 20% off the Job learning if it links to the knowledge, skills, and behaviours in your apprenticeship standard – Approx. 20 mins)
Supporting children through bereavement
Experiencing the death of someone close is a challenging but necessary part of building resilience. For adults, it is often processed through coping mechanisms developed over time. For children, their first experience with loss, often involving a close family member like a grandparent or uncle, requires sensitive handling.
Since grieving is deeply personal, it can be difficult to know how to support a young person facing it for the first time. Place2Be offers guidance on supporting children and young people through this process.
(Reading this can be counted towards your 20% off the Job learning if it links to the knowledge, skills, and behaviours in your apprenticeship standard – Approx. 30 mins)
Was Christmas festive for everyone?
The Christmas and New Year holidays mean an abuser within the home is likely to be on holiday from work (if they have a job), the days are shorter and the opportunities for people to be away from home lessen. The pressure on the family is increased as although Christmas is generally associated as a ‘fun and festive’ time of year it can be the opposite. Additionally, there is likely to be more alcohol consumed and alcohol is often already used as an excuse for abusers for their violent and abusive behaviours.
In reality, Christmas can be a time of year that some do not look forward to. Instead of looking forward to spending time with family and exchanging gifts, they are often anxious about the threat of abuse looming over them. It is important that we look out for signs of domestic abuse as the children and families return to school. Here is some advice and guidance for those who may be affected or those who may be working with families affected.
(Reading this can be counted towards your 20% off the Job learning if it links to the knowledge, skills, and behaviours in your apprenticeship standard – Approx. 20 mins)
What are Local Safeguarding Children’s Partnerships (LSCP)?
LSCPs (formerly known as Local Safeguarding Children’s Boards) were established under the Children Act 2004, placing a statutory responsibility on each locality to implement safeguarding mechanisms.
These partnerships bring together local agencies across the country to agree on how they will collaborate to safeguard and promote the welfare of children.
The primary purpose of this partnership is to ensure accountability among agencies and to keep safeguarding children a priority within their region.
Each LSCP has a designated Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) or team responsible for providing support and guidance when dealing with allegations of serious harm involving staff or volunteers. They also publish safeguarding procedures online and provide training to support your setting.
(Reading this can be counted towards your 20% off the Job learning if it links to the knowledge, skills, and behaviours in your apprenticeship standard – Approx. 20 mins)
Health & Safety
New Year, New Me: Why reinventing yourself in 2025 might be bad for your mental health
Whether you decide to make New Year resolutions or not, January often feels like a good time to better yourself. You might set goals to exercise every day, be more productive or take up a new hobby - which you hope will turn you into a more successful, well-rounded people. But can trying to reinvent yourself at the start of a New Year actually harm your well-being?
(Reading this can be counted towards your 20% off the Job learning if it links to the knowledge, skills, and behaviours in your apprenticeship standard – Approx. 30 mins)
8 New Year’s health and safety resolutions employers should consider
With the start of a new year comes the opportunity to start afresh, and many of us are busy thinking about the positive changes we can make in the year ahead.
In the workplace, January is a perfect time to take stock and consider what’s working well, what needs updating and what new strategies can be put in place to ensure your employees, as well as your legal obligations, are being properly taken care of.
(Reading this can be counted towards your 20% off the Job learning if it links to the knowledge, skills, and behaviours in your apprenticeship standard – Approx. 20 mins)
Health and safety in 2025: 5 upcoming legislation changes and trends
As we approach 2025, the health and safety landscape in the UK is poised for significant change. Legislation is evolving to address new challenges, including shifts in workplace environments, advances in technology, and a heightened focus on sustainability and mental health. Staying informed is critical for organisations aiming to remain compliant and safeguard their workforce.
https://www.nfp.co.uk/media/insights/health-and-safety-in-2025-5-upcoming-legislation-changes-and-trends/
(Watching this can be counted towards your 20% off the Job learning if it links to the knowledge, skills, and behaviours in your apprenticeship standard – Approx. 20 mins)
25 Unexpected, Little Ways To Improve Your Mental Health In 2025
The new year can be filled with much anticipation and is often seen as a fresh start. But it may be accompanied by feelings of anxiety and depression due to so many expectations ― and simply because this time of the year can be extremely overwhelming and filled with a mix of emotions.
(Watching this can be counted towards your 20% off the Job learning if it links to the knowledge, skills, and behaviours in your apprenticeship standard – Approx. 20 mins)
Wider Curriculum
In Pictures: New Year 2025 celebrations from around the world
The world has been saying goodbye to 2024 and welcoming 2025 with fireworks, light shows and prayers. Here's how people in different countries celebrated the new year.
(Reading this can be counted towards your 20% off the Job learning if it links to the knowledge, skills, and behaviours in your apprenticeship standard – Approx. 30 mins)
Start date for apprenticeship UCAS points revealed
Apprenticeships will be allocated UCAS tariff points from next year, the university admissions body has confirmed.
Level 3 apprentices who want to apply for higher education courses will be awarded up to 112 points on the University and College Admissions Service applications system from May.
UCAS initially scheduled the rollout for September this year, but following a summer consultation pushed back the timetable again by eight months to give university admissions teams more time to adopt the new proposals.
(Watching this can be counted towards your 20% off the Job learning if it links to the knowledge, skills, and behaviours in your apprenticeship standard – Approx. 20 mins)
Seven steps for making your New Year’s resolutions stick
Maybe you plan to ring in 2025 with a new resolve to quit smoking, lose weight, exercise more, not sweat the small stuff. And maybe these resolutions sound familiar — maybe just like the ones you made a year ago!
So how can you ensure that your determination to get healthier in 2025 sticks around past Valentine's Day? By creating new habits.
Creating new habits takes time and energy. A new behavior won't become automatic overnight, but you may enjoy some of its benefits fairly quickly. Also, as you start to take walks regularly or engage in stress-soothing practices frequently, you'll find you won't feel quite right if you stop. That's a great incentive to continue. So, keep nudging yourself in the direction you'd like to go. And try the following seven tips to help you create long-lasting change.
https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/seven-steps-for-making-your-new-years-resolutions-stick
(Watching this can be counted towards your 20% off the Job learning if it links to the knowledge, skills, and behaviours in your apprenticeship standard – Approx. 20 mins)
Sustainability
Five predictions for a sustainable 2025
With 2025 now here and the need for climate action growing stronger, the University of Salford’s sustainability expert, Dr Silvia Tedesco, has predicted some expected trends we’re likely to see take shape next year.
(Reading this can be counted towards your 20% off the Job learning if it links to the knowledge, skills, and behaviours in your apprenticeship standard – Approx. 30 mins)
2024 in Focus: 10 Things That Shaped Our World
2024 has been a year of extraordinary contrasts for the Global Goals – from huge highs to devastating lows. As we reflect on the pivotal moments that defined this year, it becomes clear how deeply they will shape our collective future. Come with us to take a closer look at 10 defining moments from 2024, and consider what they mean for our path forward.
(Reading this can be counted towards your 20% off the Job learning if it links to the knowledge, skills, and behaviours in your apprenticeship standard – Approx. 20 mins)
An Idiot’s guide to change the world- Climate: We are heading towards a dead planet
Climate change is already here for many people around the world and tackling it is seen as the biggest challenge our species has ever faced. To reverse the worst impacts, climate activists around the world are calling for action now. But what does ‘action’ mean? What do activists do? And is it actually intimidating to become one? Plus: how to find hope. Gail and Loyiso go behind Goal 13 and travel from the Global South to the Global North to find out.
(Watching this can be counted towards your 20% off the Job learning if it links to the knowledge, skills, and behaviours in your apprenticeship standard – Approx. 60 mins)
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