Fighting to keep children safer online
ACTOR Natalie Dormer, the NSPCC’s Ambassador for Childline, has supported the charity for many years, including helping to campaign for online safety laws and fundraising through running the London Marathon. Here the Game of Thrones star talks about why the work of the charity is so important.
I am extremely proud of my association with the NSPCC and specifically Childline. There are additional burdens, on top of the age-old ones, on families and children at the moment with the costof-living crisis and the ongoing ramifications of Covid.
The explosion and potentially all-consuming nature of social media has caused a technological revolution in the time since I began in my industry. The way those with ‘profile’ but indeed every young person interacts with their ‘public’ image and feels pressure to ‘achieve’ – however they perceive that – can be intense.
It’s good to know the NSPCC is fighting hard to keep children safer online and is more in tune with mental health issues than ever before. Knowing that Childline is there for all young people, and that the NSPCC Helpline is there to help families and any adult with concerns about a child, is of profound reassurance.
I cannot speak highly enough about the Childline service. I cannot talk of the stories I have witnessed, but I have been brought to tears more than once with sorrow but also with hope as Childline listens to a child in need.
Childline is there for any kind of problem, big or small. They are absolute heroes – both the Childline counsellors and the children themselves, finding the courage to make contact.
I was particularly happy to be able to promote the NSPCC’s Talk PANTS messaging by reading the Pantosaurus Talk PANTS book as an audio and video piece. It’s a brilliant way to encourage families to have the vital conversations about physical personal boundaries with younger kids without feeling embarrassed.
The charity recently updated its web pages on support for parents/guardians. It’s an invaluable resource considering the range of challenges and concerns families have to deal with.
The NSPCC continually fills the gaps, that absolutely should not be there but unfortunately are, in supporting children and families.
And, as the recent passing of The Online Safety Act proves, it is at the frontier, galvanising and leading other children’s charities and voices, to ensure that with every step into modernity every childhood is worth fighting for. That is why it is so great that Newsquest have chosen to support the NSPCC for 2024.