Children’s charity NSPCC is bringing its friendly dinosaur ‘Pantosaurus’ to primary schools, libraries and early years settings as part of ‘Haringey PANTS Week’ from April 22 to 26.
The pants-wearing dinosaur represents the charity’s Talk PANTS campaign, which was launched in Haringey in 2022 in partnership with Haringey Council.
Talk PANTS was created specifically to support parents and carers of children aged 3-11, to have simple and age-appropriate conversations, that can help keep children safe from sexual abuse.
Last year the NSPCC revealed that 63 per cent of parents in London think it is very or fairly common for children to face problems in relation to sexual abuse.
Although it is not known exactly how many children in the UK experience sexual abuse, research suggests around 1 in 20 children in the UK have been sexually abused.
The PANTS acronym was created to give parents an easy way to approach the subject.
It stands for:
Privates are private
Always remember your body belongs to you
‘No’ means no
Talk about secrets that upset you
Speak up – someone can help
As part of Haringey PANTS Week, the NSPCC will be giving out Talk PANTS resource bags to schools, libraries and children’s centres in the borough. These bags were made possible by the generous donations in memory of NSPCC trustee Anita Green.
Talk PANTS workshops for professionals, parents, and out of school settings will also be taking place throughout the week
The campaign has seen professionals such as teachers and childminders in Haringey trained in delivering Talk PANTS to families, in the hope that it will become ingrained for many years in the borough’s community.
Hayley Garner, Local Campaigns Manager for the NSPCC in London and the South East, said: “Following the success of last year’s inaugural Haringey PANTS Week we are back!
“Last year’s event saw us train a whopping 250 Talk PANTS Champions, and we want to add to this this year through our fantastic workshops.
“While it is never the responsibility of a child to keep themselves safe from sexual abuse, talking PANTS with the assistance of Pantosaurus, can help children understand that their body belongs to them, and to recognise when something is not okay and how to tell someone.
“Talk PANTS has been created specifically, with the help of parents and professionals, to make sure these conversations are as easy and appropriate as possible for children.”
Hayley added: “We’re also incredibly excited to be distributing our new Talk PANTS resource bags! Anita Green was passionate about early years prevention work and these resources will help ensure that legacy.”
Director of Children’s Services at Haringey Council, Ann Graham, said: “The safety of our young people will always be our number one concern and it is vital that campaigns like this are implemented in Haringey, and beyond, to raise awareness of this serious issue. Keeping children safe from sexual abuse is a joint effort.
“It is important to recognise that some children may not be able to communicate or address this issue clearly, or even at all. Therefore, it is important to have a real understanding of this topic to engage with children in the right way.
“I applaud this campaign and we will do all we can to support it.”
To learn more about the NSPCC’s Talk PANTS campaign and the Underwear Rule, visit the charity’s website and search for ‘Talk PANTS.’
The NSPCC also operates Childline, a safe, confidential 24-hour service for children, on 0800 1111.
