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Monday News Issue 162- 3rd February

Matthew Paminter

When one door closes, sometimes we need to turn the knob to open another



Events this week:

January 29th- February 12th- Chinese New Year 2025

February 1st- February 29th- Boost Your Self-Esteem Month 2025  

February 3rd- February 9th- Children’s Mental Health Week 2025

February 4th- World Cancer Day 2025

February 5th- February 11th- Sexual Abuse & Sexual Violence Awareness Week

February 6th- Time to Talk Day 2025

 

Legislation/Regulation of the week

Worker Protection Act (WPA)

The Worker Protection Act came into force in October 2023 and with it a new legal requirement for ALL employers to take ‘reasonable steps’ to prevent employees experiencing sexual harassment or sexual misconduct in the workplace. Lots of providers in the sector naturally have already updated policies and procedures to support staff in response to this legal change, but in doing so it posed an interesting question about their learners…. Where does the duty of care apply for the training provider to ensure learners in their course workplace are safe from this harm as well?

No sector is exempt from the WPA and so with this, ALL employers across ALL sectors should be making adaptations to their systems and policies. Are training providers checking in with all their employers where their learners are on program to ensure this is being done?

(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

Idris Elba: Our Knife Crime Crisis

Knife crime is spreading across the UK, with an average of four people stabbed to death every week. 

For Idris Elba, this isn’t just a statistic - it’s personal. Growing up in east London, where violence was a constant threat, he understands the critical choices that shape futures. Aware of how easily his own path could have gone in a different direction, Idris - actor, campaigner and man determined to make a difference - embarks on a mission to confront this crisis. 

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. 30 mins)

 

Event of the week/month

Chinese New Year 2025

Lunar New Year (also known as Chinese New Year) marks the start of a new lunar year and falls in January / February. In 2025 Lunar New Year begins on 29 January and marks the change from the Year of the Dragon to the Year of the Snake. It is celebrated with gifts, fireworks and dragon and lion dances and culminates on the 15th day with a lantern festival. It is thought to be largest annual human migration as Chinese return home to spend time with their families. The festival is also celebrated in many other east Asian countries.

 (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)


Safeguarding & ED & I


Safer Internet Day 2025 - FREE webinar

Safer Internet Day 2025, the UK’s biggest celebration of Online Safety, will take place on the 11th of February 2025, with celebrations and learning based around the theme ‘Too good to be true? Protecting yourself and others from scams online‘

Join our free 20-minute webinar on Thursday 13th February exploring "Online Scams: Recognising risk and safeguarding with confidence, open to all professionals, including employers.

 (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)


Government crackdown on Deepfakes

Those who create sexually explicit ‘deepfakes’ could face prosecution as the Government bears down on online abuse as part of its mission to make our digital use safer.

The rapid increase of these hyper-realistic images has grown at an alarming rate, causing devastating harm to victims.

To address this, the government will introduce a new law making it a crime to create or share sexually explicit deepfakes without consent.

The Government will also create new offences for the taking of intimate images without consent and the installation of equipment with intent to commit these offences.

 (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)

 

Reacting safely when proactive safeguarding fails

Safeguarding is often defined as the preventative proactive approach to detecting and managing risk. Protection is reacting effectively to harm once suspected or known - both have a role to play in robust practice but their core functions vary.

Safeguarding is setting the culture or scene of practice including areas such as: staff training, policies and procedures and aspects which enable early detection of risk and need. As much as staff in settings working with children and adults at risk need training around the preventative and proactive aspects of safeguarding they also need support in knowing how to effectively respond and react to concerns as they arise.

Questions to consider around reacting and responding are: Is the space safe to invite comments from the child / adult? What are the risks and how to manage these? What are their views and do they consent to support? Do I know what to do if they don’t? and who ‘needs to know’ about this?

 (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)

 

What is ‘belief-based’ abuse?

Belief-based abuse refers to harm inflicted on individuals, often children or vulnerable adults, due to beliefs held by others about the victim. These beliefs may centre on the idea that the victim is possessed by spirits, cursed, or involved in witchcraft or other supernatural phenomena. Such abuse is often rooted in cultural, religious, or spiritual ideologies and can lead to significant physical, emotional, and psychological harm.


Belief-based abuse can manifest in various forms, including

Physical Abuse: Victims may be subjected to beatings, starvation, or other harmful practices under the guise of exorcisms or cleansing rituals.

Emotional Abuse: Individuals may be isolated, verbally demeaned, or made to feel ashamed or ostracised.

Neglect: Basic needs such as food, shelter, or medical care may be withheld as a form of punishment or to "purify" the victim

Exploitation: Victims may be used for financial gain, with perpetrators charging for "spiritual services" to remove supposed curses or spirits.

Certain factors may increase the likelihood of belief-based abuse:

Cultural or Religious Beliefs: Certain practices or doctrines may perpetuate harmful ideologies about possession or curses.

Vulnerability: Children, individuals with disabilities, or those experiencing mental health challenges are more likely to be targeted.

Isolation: Victims often lack social or community support, making them more susceptible to abuse.

Family Dynamics: A history of domestic abuse or dysfunction within families can exacerbate belief-based abuse

(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)

 

Screens in the Early Years

The early years of a child’s life are marked by remarkable growth and development. During this time, children absorb information from their surroundings at an extraordinary pace, building new knowledge and skills that lay the groundwork for the rest of their lives.

These foundational years have a lasting impact, shaping habits and behaviours that influence their future.

As both parents and professionals, it is crucial to thoughtfully consider the experiences children are exposed to, especially when it comes to the role of online activities.

The London Grid for Learning (LGfL) has published an article on this topic, exploring the implications of screen time in early childhood.

 (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)


Adult to child ratios for working with children

Supervision requirements for children vary based on factors such as their age, gender, behaviour, and abilities. The number of adults needed depends on the nature and duration of activities, staff competence, location, accommodation, medical needs, and any required specialist equipment. Conducting a risk assessment helps determine appropriate supervision levels, ensuring sufficient adults with the necessary skills and experience are present to maintain safety.

Activities and events should be planned with a focus on safeguarding, accounting for these variables to protect children effectively.

Supervisors must be carefully selected through safer recruitment processes, including appropriate checks based on the nature of their work and level of supervision.

All adults working with children must understand and adhere to safeguarding policies and procedures. Staff and volunteers should know their responsibilities, follow clear procedures for reporting concerns, and ensure compliance with insurance and codes of practice. Parents should not supervise other children unless properly recruited, vetted, and trained. In specific areas like performing arts, additional safeguards, such as licensed chaperones, may be required.

 (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


Do you need more sleep in winter?

When the alarm rings in the morning, and it's still pitch dark and cold outside, many of us find it hard to get out of bed. The long winter months can make us feel weary, and staying energised might be more difficult. Factors such as temperature, and the amount of light we receive during the day in this season may play an important role.

 (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)

 

What is HMPV and should we be worried?

If you've noticed a virus called HMPV popping up in your news feeds lately, it's likely due to a recent rise in infections. These cases tend to increase during winter and early spring, making now the perfect time to stay informed. Here's a quick snapshot of HMPV, its symptoms, and whether you should be concerned.

(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)

 

10 Workplace Safety Tips Every Employee Should Know

When a company provides a safe work environment, it protects itself, its employees and its customers. Following guidelines and procedures is essential to remaining compliant with local and national occupational safety authorities.A safe workplace is a happy workplace, as it creates a more comfortable and conducive environment for employees to do their jobs effectively. However, providing a safe workplace is also important to client relations. If the office or work area is unsafe for employees, then it is definitely unsafe for your untrained clientele.

 (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)

 

Bank Scams and how to spot them.

Falling for scams could cost you your hard-earned money and compromise your personal information. Here’s how to spot the red flags and stay protected.

🔍 Check the Sender: Scammers often use email addresses or phone numbers that look legitimate but have small typos, extra characters, or strange domains.

📞 Verify Directly: Never click on suspicious links. If you’re unsure, contact your bank directly through their official website, app, or customer service hotline.

❌ Never Share Sensitive Info: Banks will never ask for your PIN, passwords, or account details via text, email, or phone calls. If someone does, it’s a scam.

💬 Be Wary of Urgent Requests: Messages claiming “your account will be locked” or asking you to act immediately are a major red flag. Scammers want to pressure you into making quick decisions.

🛡️ Look for Official Branding: Even though scammers can fake logos, misspellings, odd formatting, or generic greetings like “Dear Customer” can give them away.

 (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

 

Gamification and its link to gambling

In this modern age where a lot of recreation is online, there is an increasing concern that the line between gaming and gambling is becoming harder to detect. This is largely due to the rise in ‘Gamification’ techniques.

Gamification is a strategy that incorporates game-like elements to boost engagement and profitability for platforms. Lots of gambling companies are beginning to embed this approach to attract and retain users but concerns are being felt around how, for some users, there is the risk it can escalate into gambling behaviours and addiction.

(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)

 

Should parents be able to access their child’s SM account?

A petition to change the law and allow parents access to their children’s social media accounts was debated in Parliament in January 2025.

It was launched after the tragic death of 14-year-old Jools Sweeney, whose family believe his social media accounts could of held crucial answers about his untimely passing. Currently, parents have no legal right to access their child’s accounts without a costly court order, even after their death.

The proposed new Digital Information and Smart Data Bill would only grant coroners limited access, leaving grieving families like Jools’ without the ability to seek their own answers.

 (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)

 

Chinese lunar new year celebrations 2025 – in pictures

People joined in festivities around the world to mark the year of the snake – the sixth animal in the Chinese zodiac

 (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


Advancing Goal 7: Solutions for Catalyzing Clean Energy Worldwide

Clean energy plays a key role in reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and helping communities access reliable power sources. On the occasion of the International Day of Clean Energy 2025, celebrated on 26 January, we highlight some of the most innovative clean energy solutions across the globe.

(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)

 

Five steps towards a more sustainable Chinese New Year

The Lunar New Year is a cherished celebration embraced by communities and cultures spanning East and Southeast Asia. This celebration resonates deeply worldwide, where diaspora communities keep the traditions alive.

Today, we’re delving into the vibrant tapestry of Chinese New Year celebrated in the UK.

Also known as the Spring Festival, Chinese New Year customs centre around new beginnings. From spring cleaning to feasting with family, adorning homes with luminous lanterns, and exchanging promising red envelopes, its customs embody luck and prosperity in the coming 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. 20 mins)

 

An Idiot’s guide to change the world- How do we consume Better?

Today we need about 1.7 Earths to provide the natural resources for our consumption. If we continue to consume at the rate we have, we will need 2 earths by 2030. So how do we stay within the boundaries of what our planet can take? And how are young changemakers leading the way? In this episode, Gail Gallie and Loyiso Madinga look at Global Goal 12 and ask what it means to consume “responsibly”. They speak with Johan Rockström, one of the foremost experts on sustainable consumption and production systems and renowned for his groundbreaking ‘planetary boundaries’ framework. They are also joined by changemaker Melati Wijsen, who together with her sister at ages 12 and 10, successfully banned plastic bags in their home country Bali. Today, after a decade of campaigning, she aims to connect younger generations and provide them with the tools to make a lasting impact.



 (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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