Highlights from Our Resource Library (Week 4)

Welcome to this week’s resource highlights - coming to you a little later than usual!

Each week, we share thought-provoking resources from our ever-expanding free Resource Library, which now contains more than 1,200 links on safeguarding, schools, and 20+ related topics.

To mark the fourth edition of our highlights blog, we’re including an extra recommendation this week.

1️⃣ Capture: Who’s Looking After the Children?

This powerful FT drama explores online harm, regulation, and responsibility. When their son goes missing, a mother and father’s desperate search leads them to a tech company - where they meet a digital gatekeeper who seems to have all the answers.

It’s hard to imagine life without the internet, yet the World Wide Web as we know it is barely 35 years old. I vividly remember my first experiences online in the early 2000s—playing Chess and Reversi and marvelling at the possibilities.

Fast-forward to today, and the internet is now an integral part of my life, influencing every aspect of it: work, communication, learning, shopping, entertainment, and more.

While my wife, three sons (now 19, 25, and 27), and I have navigated the digital world without serious harm, I worry about what the future holds for my grandchildren (and no, boys, that’s not a hint!).

This short film poses essential questions about online safety, parental responsibility, and digital exploitation—especially in an age where many parents leave children unsupervised in online spaces far riskier than any real-world environment we’d ever tolerate.

2️⃣ The Safest Swimwear Colours for Your Child – Swim England

I have fond memories of fishing with my dad and siblings on the River Thames in the early 1980s. We rarely caught much - roach, gudgeon, or the odd perch - but it was always exciting.

I also recall jumping from old fridges (yes, really!) and dodging submerged shopping trolleys. I may even have swum across the Thames before I turned 12!

Back then, I couldn’t have told you what colour swimwear I wore. But a recent section of the Wakefield Safeguarding Children’s Partnership E-Bulletin (July 2025) led me to an eye-opening Swim England article.

The article draws on research by ALIVE Solutions Inc., showing that swimwear colour can drastically affect a child’s visibility in the water.

🔴 Harder to spot: blue, white, red
🟢 Easier to spot: neon orange, green, pink, yellow (especially in swimming pools)

In a life-threatening situation, these few seconds of increased visibility could save a life. A simple choice of bright-coloured swimwear can make a huge difference.

3️⃣ Inventing Ourselves: The Secret Life of the Teenage Brain – Sarah-Jayne Blakemore (2019)

4️⃣ Blame My Brain: The Amazing Teenage Brain Revealed – Nicola Morgan (2022)

Our final two recommendations explore the fascinating science of the teenage brain.

I entered the care system at 12 and spent my teenage years as a Looked After Child. My grammar school education and small circle of male friends meant I didn’t interact much with girls until I went to university. Still, in other ways, I was a typical teenager -taking risks, ignoring consequences, and craving peer approval.

I could sleep for 14 hours straight, wanted independence at all costs, and often played the class clown just to get a laugh.

Parenting and working with teenagers has reinforced for me just how unique (and sometimes baffling!) this life stage can be. These two books provide brilliant insights into adolescent development, making them essential reading for parents, teachers, social workers—anyone who has the privilege (and challenge!) of supporting teenagers.

Explore More Resources
🔗 Visit our Resource Library to browse all recommendations, which can be found under the topics highlighted.

Capture: Who’s Looking After the Children? - Topic: Online Safety & ICT

The Safest Swimwear Colours for Your Child - Topic: Safeguarding Children

Inventing Ourselves and Blame My Brain - Topic: Lifespan Development

💡 Know a valuable resource? We’d love to hear from you! Contact us to suggest a resource for our library.

Looking for More Than Just Resources?

We deliver engaging, practical training sessions that bring these topics to life—helping you and your team gain the knowledge and confidence to put safeguarding into practice.

📞 Contact us today to discuss bespoke training options tailored to your needs.