Highlights from our Resource Library (5)
First, an apology. If you were looking forward to our fifth highlights blog last weekend, thank you for your patience. I took a short pause after receiving some exciting news — I was awarded Accreditation as an NSPCC Safeguarding and Child Protection Trainer. It was a milestone worth celebrating with my family.
With that happy news shared, let’s return to this week’s highlights from our Resource Library.
1️⃣ Online Safety – It’s Not About the Internet… – Jim Gamble
This week begins with a powerful TED Talk by Jim Gamble, a former senior police officer and highly respected expert in child protection.
His central message is simple but profound: technology and physical spaces are neutral. It is the behaviour, intentions, and character of the people who occupy these spaces that create either risk or safety.
To bring this to life, I often think of our local park.
In the early years: when our children were small, my wife would take them after nursery to play in the park with their friends. The parents, typically mothers, watched all of the children carefully. Falls were met with comfort, and disagreements with gentle guidance. It felt safe, supportive, and nurturing.
As they grew older: the same park had a very different atmosphere. Teenagers gathered without adult oversight. The skate park and zip wire lost their appeal, and conversations shifted towards more adult themes. The facilities hadn’t changed — but the people in the space, and their motivations, had.
In our rural community, we’ve been fortunate to avoid the direct impact of county lines and gangs. But I can understand how the same park, if dominated by gang members, drug dealers, or sexual predators, would become a space of risk rather than safety.
The internet mirrors this reality. It is not inherently safe or unsafe — it is shaped by the intentions of those who use it. That’s why conversations about online safety must focus not just on technology, but on behaviour, relationships, and human influence.
2️⃣ The Shame Lab
The Shame Lab is a collaboration between the University of Exeter and Duke University. It combines academic research with consultancy and training to develop “shame competence” across professional practice.
Shame is often misunderstood. Unlike guilt (“I did something wrong”), shame is about the self (“I am wrong”). It is a deeply powerful and painful feeling of being flawed or unworthy — and it has profound implications for safeguarding.
For children: repeated shaming through criticism, humiliation, or rejection can erode self-worth. It may manifest as low self-esteem, withdrawal, anxiety, depression, or silence when they most need to ask for help.
In adolescence: when identity is fragile and peer approval is powerful, shame can be amplified by bullying, exclusion, or family conflict. This can lead to unhealthy coping mechanisms such as self-harm, aggression, or substance misuse.
For families: shame can be transmitted across generations. Parents who feel inadequate or judged may pass on cycles of self-criticism and disconnection.
Recognising and addressing shame is essential for safeguarding. By fostering empathy, validation, and unconditional positive regard, professionals and families can interrupt shame cycles and support resilience.
3️⃣ Floss and the Boss - Catherine Lawler, Abigail Sterne, Nicky Armstrong (2020)
This beautifully illustrated storybook supports young children in understanding domestic abuse and coercive control.
Floss is a happy puppy who loves Doggy Daycare and playing with her best friend, Houdini. Life changes when her mum’s new friend, Boss, enters the picture. Through Floss’s story, children who have experienced trauma are gently helped to make sense of their feelings and learn that it is okay to seek help and stay safe.
👉 For safe and effective use, the book should be purchased alongside the professional guidebook, available as part of the set: Helping Children Learn About Domestic Abuse and Coercive Control: A Floss and the Boss Storybook and Professional Guide.
Explore More Resources
🔗 Visit our Resource Library to browse the full collection, organised by topic:
Online safety – it is not about the internet… → Topic: Online Safety & ICT
The Shame Lab → Topic: Mental Health and Wellbeing
Floss and the Boss → Topic: Domestic Abuse and VAWG
💡 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?
Our training goes beyond sharing information. We deliver engaging, practical sessions that bring safeguarding topics to life, equipping you and your team with the confidence to apply your knowledge in practice.
📞 Contact us today to discuss bespoke training tailored to your needs.