Counter Pedophilia Investigate Unit

Leading education lawyers and charities are calling for a change in the law to protect vulnerable young people from extreme bullying in England and Wales.

Head teachers are not being held accountable for violent and abusive pupils and anti-bullying guidelines should be strengthened, they claim.

The Children’s Legal Centre said more parents had been seeking legal advice.

But the National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT) said “hyper-accountability” already existed.

England Schools Minister Vernon Coaker said the government’s measures were working, but recognised procedures for parents needed to be strengthened. He said a bill to address this was already in parliament.

The call comes after the Westminster government launched a campaign to help tackle bullying against children with special needs.

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The South African government is creating and enforcing various pieces of legislation to protect the interests of children (Photo: Films and Publication Board)

The Department of Home Affairs has announced that it is working with other government departments, the South African Police Service and the National Prosecuting Authority to develop a protocol on the protection of children against child pornography, with a focus on advocacy and law enforcement.

Increased access to technology

The decision was taken at a meeting between the Deputy Basic Education Minister Enver Surty, Deputy Social Development Minister Bathabile Dlamini and Deputy Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba during a presentation by the Film and Publication Board on their campaign against child pornography in Pretoria this week.

“The increase of access to technology and mobile internet, with all its benefits, poses risks such as creation and distribution of child pornography. We need to be proactive in protecting children against this heinous crime,” Gigaba said.

He said the lack of statistics about child pornography should not lead to complacency in protecting children.

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