Children’s charity tours Orkney schools

The children’s charity, NSPCC Scotland is visiting schools around Orkney at the moment, as part of a nation-wide effort to combat abuse and neglect.

During the visit staff from the charity have been delivering ‘Speak Out Stay Safe Assemblies’, which the charity says are focused on helping children, in an age-appropriate way, to understand abuse in all its forms and recognise the signs that it is happening, learn how to protect themselves from abuse and recognise how to get help — including from the NSPCC’s Childline service.

Eleven schools in Orkney are being visited between April 17 and April 27. The visit to Orkney means the charity has now delivered its ‘Speak Out Stay Safe Assemblies’ in all 32 of Scotland’s local authority areas, speaking with tens of thousands of schoolchildren.

On Wednesday, yesterday, NSPCC Scotland carried out Speak Out Stay Safe assemblies at Stromness Primary School.

According to NSPCC, research shows that, on average, at least two children in every primary school classroom will have suffered some form of abuse or neglect.

As well as specially-trained volunteers and staff, the charity’s mascot Buddy The Speech Bubble is also on hand during the assemblies to highlight to children the importance of speaking to a trusted adult or Childline about issues including abuse, neglect or bullying.

Interactive games and videos used during the assemblies gave the children help and tips on how to discuss and explore what constitutes harmful behaviour.

NSPCC Scotland Schools Service Manager Alan Stewart was delighted to see the charity make the landmark visit to the Orkney Islands.

He said: “The NSPCC’s Speak Out Stay Safe programme works with primary schools across P1 to P7 and helps pupils develop an understanding of abuse in all its forms, know how to get help and to help them think about which trusted adults they could talk to if they are ever worried about anything at all.

“We continue to break boundaries in Scotland and we look forward to meeting even more pupils in the future.

“Our visit to the Orkney Islands now means that NSPCC Schools Service has delivered our messages to primary schools across every local authority in Scotland, including two recent trips to the Western Isles and Shetland Islands. We greatly appreciate the support of Orkney Council and look forward to that partnership continuing long into the future.”

Andrew Lowe, Independent Chair of Orkney Child Protection Committee, said: “The NSPCC is a staunch ally of all who work in Scotland to ensure children grow up free from harm.

“I am delighted they have delivered their highly regarded Speak Out Stay Safe assemblies at primary schools in Orkney.

“These have been well received wherever they have been delivered and are well-timed following upon our successful conference ‘Growing Up in Orkney’ last February.”

The school’s headmaster, Neil McIntosh, said: “It’s really important that the Speak Out Stay Safe message goes out to every child in Scotland and we are very grateful that NSPCC Scotland have taken the time and effort to come up to Orkney to deliver the service.

“It’s special for us that Orkney is the final Local Authority in Scotland to have these assemblies meaning all 32 Local Authorities in Scotland have now received the service.”