Source: The Child Safeguarding Review Panel published on this website Tuesday 20 October 2026 by Jill Powell

The Child Safeguarding Review Panel’s persistent themes bring together national learning from child safeguarding reviews where children have died or suffered serious harm from abuse or neglect. They focus on recurring challenges that continue to feature across safeguarding practice and the wider safeguarding system. 

These themes are not new but their continued appearance in safeguarding reviews makes them impossible to ignore. Tackling them is a shared responsibility. Practitioners, managers, leaders, safeguarding partnerships and the wider safeguarding system, including the Panel, all have a role to play in understanding why these challenges persist and what needs to change. The themes reflect the complexity of family life, safeguarding practice and the organisational and multi-agency systems in which safeguarding takes place.

Designed for practitioners, managers, leaders and safeguarding partnerships, the themes provide an opportunity to reflect, challenge existing practice, consider how these themes are addressed strategically, and discuss what can be done differently. We want them to support conversations at every level about the changes we can make locally, alongside the action needed nationally to help tackle them together.

To find the details of the themes and how to use them click

Source:  UK Safer Internet Centre (UKSIC) published on this website Monday 19 October 2026 by Jill Powell

Online gaming remains one of the most popular activities for children and young people across the UK, offering opportunities for social connection. However, new findings from Ofcom’s Growing Up Gaming reporthighlight the importance of helping children navigate the social aspects of gaming safely and confidently.

The research found that 88% of children aged 3-17 play games on a device, while more than half (55%) of young gamers say they play online with people they have never met in person. One in five (20%) report doing this all or most of the time.

Alongside these findings, parents identified communication with strangers as their leading concern. Almost two-thirds (64%) said they worry about their child talking to unknown individuals through games or in-game chat features, placing it above concerns about bullying (60%), inappropriate content (59%) and spending pressures within games (51%).

Turning Concern into Action

While parents are clearly aware of the potential risks associated with online interaction, the research suggests many families are yet to put specific safeguards in place around who children can play with online.

Fewer than half of parents (43%) say they have rules about who their child can interact with while gaming. In contrast, families are more likely to set boundaries around screen time (56%), when gaming can take place (51%) and the types of content children can access (50%).
These findings highlight that online safety discussions should extend beyond managing time spent online. Understanding the social side of gaming is increasingly important as online play becomes a core part of young people’s lives.

Gaming Is About More Than Playing

For many children, online games provide valuable opportunities to communicate, build relationships and develop digital skills. However, these interactions can also expose young people to experiences they may not be prepared to manage on their own. Children may not always recognise when behaviour is inappropriate, when someone is attempting to manipulate, or when an online interaction has crossed a boundary.

This is why the role of parents, carers and trusted adults remains so important. Safety tools and platform protections can help reduce risk, but ongoing conversations help children develop the confidence and critical thinking skills needed to navigate online spaces safely.

Creating Space for Meaningful Conversations

At the UK Safer Internet Centre, we encourage parents and carers to take an active interest in children’s online lives, including the games they play and the communities they are part of.

Conversations about gaming work best when they focus on interest and engagement rather than interrogation. Showing curiosity about what children enjoy can help create an environment where they feel comfortable discussing both positive and negative experiences. Simple questions can help open up these discussions:

– What games have you been enjoying recently?
– Who do you usually play with?
– What do you like about that game?
– Have you ever seen or heard something online that made you feel uncomfortable?
– Do you know what to do if someone is being unpleasant or inappropriate?
– Would you know how to block, mute or report another player?

When gaming becomes a regular topic of conversation, children are often more willing to seek support if they experience something concerning.

Check, Chat, Change

To support this, Ofcom has launched a pilot campaign called Power Up, encouraging parents to adopt three simple actions: Check, Chat and Change.

Check the safety settings on games and devices, including privacy controls, communication settings and age-appropriate restrictions.
Chat regularly about gaming experiences, friendships and any concerns children may have.
Change settings or family agreements when needed, whether that’s limiting contact from unknown players, enabling additional safety tools or reviewing spending controls.

As part of Power Up there are challenges and family activities that young people can get involved with new resources launching later this month.
 

Source:  Sussex Police published on this website Monday 19 October 2026

A man from Hampshire has been sentenced for attempted false imprisonment, trespass with intent to commit a sexual offence, and actual bodily harm in Sussex and for child sex abuse in Hampshire.

Christopher Buxey, 43, broke into the home of a family known to him in Rogate in the early hours of Thursday 4 June.

Inside the home, a 13-year-old girl awoke to find a man in her bedroom, standing over her bed wearing all black clothing, balaclava to cover his face, and black latex gloves.

He was also holding pre-looped cable ties and had a further ten prepared ties attached to a carabiner on his belt.

Her parents were alerted to Buxey’s intrusion by the girl’s screams.

After rushing to her bedroom to find their daughter lying in bed kicking at the unidentified intruder, they immediately called the police.

Buxey attempted to escape the address assaulting the girl’s parents in the process, however they detained him until officers arrived shortly after, during this time he identified himself to the family.

Officers swiftly arrested Buxey and held him in police custody.

During a search of the address, it was identified that Buxey had forced open a downstairs door to enter the home.

Officers seized roll of duct tape, a torch which Buxey had left on the floor by the girl’s bed, and a multitool with a hammer left on her pillow.

A rucksack belonging to Buxey was also found in the room containing similar items.

Buxey was later charged with attempted kidnap (common law), knowingly or recklessly trespassing on a premises with intent to commit a relevant sexual offence, and actual bodily harm.

On 6 July, Buxey appeared at Portsmouth Crown Court and pleaded guilty to trespassing on a premises with intent to commit a relevant sexual offence, and actual bodily harm. He pleaded not guilty to attempted kidnap but instead admitted a charge of attempted false imprisonment, which was accepted by the court.

During the hearing, Buxey also pleaded guilty to two counts of sexual assault of a child under 13, two counts of sexual assault of a child under 13 by penetration, two counts of taking indecent photographs of a child, and three counts of making indecent photographs of a child in connection with a separate investigation in Hampshire.

He was remanded into custody an appeared at Portsmouth Crown Court on Thursday 15 October.

Christopher Buxey, 43, of Privett Place, Gosport was jailed for 18 years with a further five years on licence for a total sentence of 23 years.

Detective Superintendent Colin Garman said:

“Buxey perpetrated immensely distressing ordeals on the victims and their families.

“I’d like to thank all of the officers across both Sussex Police and Hampshire Police who have worked diligently and ceaselessly supporting the victims and their families, and carrying out complex investigations which ultimately held Buxey accountable for his crimes.

“I am pleased to see today’s sentencing reflect the severity of the offences committed, however the likely lasting impact on these children and their families due to the trauma inflicted by Buxey cannot be understated.”

Source: Ofsted published on this website Friday 16 October 2026 by Jill Powell

Under the pilot, state-funded schools that have complained about an inspection will be able to request a review of how Ofsted handled their complaint and – for the first time – whether the outcome was fair and reasonable, including where it related to the inspection process and findings.

Soon after taking up the post of His Majesty’s Chief Inspector (HMCI) in 2024, Sir Martyn Oliver introduced several changes to the complaints process, including a provider helpline to help resolve concerns as they arise, a national complaints hub, and new panels, including external sector and Trade Union representatives, to scrutinise a sample of recently closed complaints.

This new pilot aims to further increase trust and confidence in the inspection system by introducing another level of independence to Ofsted’s complaint arrangements. It comes in response to recommendations made by Dame Christine Gilbert’s ‘Independent learning review for Ofsted’, and Sinead McBrearty’s ‘Independent wellbeing impact assessment of the revised Ofsted framework’.

Currently, schools that are unhappy with how Ofsted has handled their complaint can appeal to the Independent Complaints Adjudication Service for Ofsted (ICASO). ICASO will determine whether their complaint was handled properly by Ofsted, but it cannot consider whether the outcome of the complaint was fair and reasonable.

Under the pilot, the ICR service will have access to the original complaint and Ofsted’s response. But, unlike current ICASO arrangements, the ICR will also be able to consider the original, unredacted inspection evidence to reach a view on whether Ofsted’s complaint response was fair and reasonable, including aspects related to the inspection process and grades awarded.

Schools will be able to contact the ICR following the conclusion of Ofsted’s internal complaints process, and after the publication of their inspection report card.

The ICR will report their findings and recommendations back to the complainant and HMCI. If they find mistakes have been made, or that Ofsted has not acted fairly and reasonably, the ICR will be able to recommend that Ofsted looks at the complaint again, including where it relates to the inspection process.

HMCI will personally consider and respond to every ICR recommendation.

If the ICR makes a recommendation around a grading decision, HMCI can set aside the published report card and arrange for a new inspection to be carried out as soon as possible. This could lead to the same, or different, grades being awarded. Under the law, only His Majesty’s Chief Inspector (delegated through Ofsted’s inspectors) can make grading decisions.

Sir Martyn Oliver said:

“I am confident that our current quality assurance and complaints processes are robust enough to put things right in the vast majority of cases when schools have concerns about an inspection.

“However, I am fully aware that this confidence is not shared by everyone in the education sector. I hope that by adding a new level of independent oversight to our complaints process we will further increase trust in the system.

“I am committed to openness and transparency in everything Ofsted does, so if the new ICR service finds cases where we have not acted reasonably and fairly, I will be open to the challenge and will take appropriate action.”

The new ICR service will be closely monitored and evaluated during the pilot, before a decision is taken on whether to officially implement and extend arrangements across the other remits Ofsted inspects. As part of the evaluation, Ofsted will seek feedback from complainants on how their ICR review was handled, as well as from trade unions and the Confederation of School Trusts on how they perceive the new process.

The pilot will begin shortly and will run through the 2026/27 academic year. It will apply to complaints about school inspections, including any ongoing complaints raised by schools about an inspection this term.

• The current complaints-handling process
• The reviewing organisation will be a full member of the Ombudsman Association and must operate strictly in compliance with their high standards for case handling and impartiality.
• Arrangements are subject to contract – the award of contract is being managed by the Department for Education.