This summer, getting around just got easier for families across the West of England. From 19 July to 5 September 2025, children aged 5–15 can travel for free on local buses—no ticket, ID, or pre-registration needed. This fantastic initiative not only supports families during the school holidays but also opens up opportunities for children to safely access activities, community spaces, and social experiences, helping us all support their wellbeing and development.
🛍️ Complete the survey for a chance to win one of three
£50 high street vouchers!
👉 https://bit.ly/BPCannualsurvey
This survey aims to gather the views of parents and carers of children and young people with SEND, school staff and those working in services for children and young people with SEND. Thank you for taking the time to complete this survey. Your feedback can contribute to improving services and education for children and young people with SEND in Bristol.
We’re pleased to share a free professional training opportunity from Ara Recovery 4 All, aimed at equipping staff with the tools and confidence to support young people affected by gambling and gaming-related harms.
Date: Friday, 20th June
Time: 10:30 AM – 12:00 PM
Cost: Free (fully funded)
Delivery: Online via Microsoft Teams
👉 To register your interest or enquire about tailored workshops (for staff, young people, or parents/carers), contact Emily Cox, Education and Prevention Lead at Ara:
🔗 www.AraEducate.co.uk
SWGfL's excited to be hosting a free webinar in partnership with Secure Schools on Wednesday, 11th June, focusing on cybersecurity in the education sector. This session will explore key risks facing schools today and practical steps to enhance resilience in an increasingly digital learning environment.
This is a valuable opportunity for school leaders, safeguarding leads, and IT professionals to hear from cybersecurity experts and gain up-to-date insights on protecting systems, data, and young people online.
The PSHE Association has released new guidance to help schools address the growing influence of misogyny, toxic masculinity, and harmful online content on young people. This resource offers practical strategies for educators to promote critical thinking, respectful relationships, and digital resilience through effective PSHE education.
A new report from the Child Safeguarding Practice Review Panel highlights the need for improved learning following serious incidents where children have been harmed or died due to abuse or neglect.
Key messages include:
Focus on systemic issues rather than blaming individuals.
Persistent problems like poor information sharing and risk assessment still need urgent attention.
Multi-agency collaboration is vital, with a need for safer spaces for professionals to reflect on practice.
Greater emphasis is needed on tackling inequality, diversity, and inclusion in safeguarding work.
The Children’s Commissioner for England has published a new report into mental health care for children.
Findings show:
- demand for mental health support has increased since the previous year;
- anxiety was the most common primary referral reason;
- and there was an increase in children referred for being in crisis in 2023-24, compared with the previous year.
The Commissioner is calling for:
- early access to mental health support for children through their schools and communities;
- greater investment in children’s mental health services to reduce waiting times;
- and legislative reform to offer better protection for those under 16-years-old.
For more detailed information, please refer to the full press notice on the Children's Commissioner's website: Children’s Commissioner Calls for Urgent Action
We echo the calls from Bristol’s community leaders and encourage all educational settings to continue:
Promoting respectful dialogue and understanding.
Creating safe spaces for children and young people to express their feelings.
Challenging all forms of prejudice or discrimination, including anti-South Asian hate.
Offering support to pupils and families who may be affected by events overseas.
We also invite all members of the education community – staff, students and families – to stand in solidarity with one another, and to join in reflection or prayer according to their own beliefs, for peace in the region and harmony here in our city.
Contents:
Training and CPD
The Safer Together project is a powerful educational initiative developed in response to rising concerns around knife violence in Bristol. Using creativity and film, young people from local schools have come together to explore the impact of knife crime on their lives and communities. This page highlights the project's development, shares details of the online film premiere, and provides information on how professionals can access and use the film as a preventative tool in schools and community settings.
Anti-Bullying Week 2025 runs from 17–21 November with the theme “The Power of Good.” This campaign highlights how small acts of kindness and speaking out can make a big difference. As a team, we’re supporting this initiative to promote inclusion, safety, and respect across all educational settings.
Read about it more here.
This Mental Health Awareness Week, Kooth is offering free webinars for professionals.
If you work with young people and would like to learn more about Kooth and how we support children and young people’s mental health, we’d love for you to join us on the 15th May. These sessions will provide a clear overview of our services and how we can help the young people you work with access free, safe, and anonymous support.
15th May 10am - Sign up here.
We also have two webinars happening on the 2nd May 10:30am and the 12th May at 2:00pm.
If you’d like to sign up for these, complete this form: https://forms.gle/AU6qUtYTso9HW2ZT9
Barnardo’s Education Community is offering a free online CPD package to help school staff better understand and respond to Emotionally Based School Avoidance (EBSA). This layered learning programme includes a pre-recorded session on the national picture and trauma-informed approaches, followed by two live sessions focusing on reflective practice, practical resources, and staff wellbeing.
Ideal for pastoral teams, safeguarding leads, SENDCos, and senior leaders, this training supports a whole-school approach to improving attendance and emotional wellbeing.
📅 Upcoming sessions:
13 May, 15 May, and 13 June 2025.
The UK education charity SINCE 9/11 has launched a new series of free webinars aimed at supporting educators to navigate the complex and sensitive topics of extremism, radicalisation, and online influence. Developed in partnership with the UCL Institute of Education, this series forms part of the charity’s wider mission to empower schools with high-quality resources and training to help young people build resilience, understanding, and critical thinking in today’s world.
The webinars offer timely insights into current and emerging challenges, including the role of social media, gaming platforms, AI, and mixed-influence ideologies in the radicalisation of young people. Each session is led by leading researchers and practitioners in the field.
All Causes and None At All – Understanding Developments in Mixed-Influence Extremism (7 May 2025)
Work for Idle Thumbs? – Violent Extremism, AI, and 3D Printing (10 June 2025)
Game On – How Extremists and Terrorists Use Online Gaming for Radicalisation (9 July 2025)
Antisocial Behaviour – Violent Extremist Use of Social Media Platforms (25 September 2025)
These webinars are open to teachers, safeguarding leads, and all professionals working with young people. They provide a valuable opportunity to deepen your understanding, stay informed about new trends, and strengthen your school's safeguarding response.
👉 For more information and to register, visit:
https://since911.com/education-programme/since-9-11-webinar-series
A recent government report titled "The Role of Key Workers in Supporting Children and Young People with Experience of Serious Youth Violence" examines how key workers assist youths affected by serious violence. Key workers are identified as trusted professionals coordinating support across services like health, education, and youth justice.
The report concludes that effective key worker support can lead to reduced offending, improved emotional regulation, and better engagement with education and employment opportunities.
Read more about the report here.
This edition includes key updates from Bristol’s Reducing Parental Conflict (RPC) programme, including:
Closure of the Supporting Inter-Parental Communication Project to new referrals (ongoing support until August)
Continued RPC funding secured for 2025–26
Free training dates for professionals (May & October)
Online tools and resources for families, including digital courses, toolkits, and animations
Communication strategies like the Speaker Listener Technique
New resources for separated families and professionals supporting them
Strut Safe is a free, volunteer-led phone service providing reassurance and support to individuals walking alone at night. Operating across the UK, trained volunteers stay on the line with callers until they reach their destination safely. Founded to promote safer public spaces, Strut Safe offers a non-judgmental, confidential, and supportive service for anyone feeling vulnerable.
For more information or to access support, visit https://strutsafe.org.
Yuno is a newly commissioned sexual health service providing free, confidential, and easily accessible support for individuals across Bristol, North Somerset, and South Gloucestershire. Developed in partnership with the NHS and not-for-profit organisations, Yuno offers a streamlined approach to sexual health care, combining digital innovation with expert clinical support.
Through Yuno’s online platform and local clinics, individuals can access a range of services, including:
STI testing and treatment
Contraception, including emergency contraception for those under 25
Free condoms
Professional advice and support through telephone and in-person appointments
Health promotion and outreach for those most at risk of poor sexual health outcomes
By providing a clinically supported digital ‘front door’, Yuno ensures timely, trusted, and high-quality care for those who need it.
For more information or to access services, visit Yuno.
This is a training designed to have an increased understanding of what parental conflict is and the impact on children, and how we can work with parents to reduce this. Read more and book here.
The National Crime Agency has launched a campaign to combat the threat posed to teenage boys by financially motivated sexual extortion - a type of online blackmail widely known as 'sextortion'. The campaign has been launched today (20 March) and will feature on social media channels including Instagram, Reddit and Snapchat.