Children’s charity the NSPCC has officially launched its London-wide Talk PANTS campaign in Hillingdon borough.
Talk PANTS, which features a friendly dinosaur called Pantosaurus, helps children understand in an age-appropriate way that their body belongs to them, they have the right to say no and they can speak out if anything does not feel right.
The NSPCC campaign, which celebrated its 10-year anniversary last autumn, has been run in Haringey since 2022, but for the first time will be run as a pan-London campaign across four boroughs, with the support of key partners across the capital.
As part of the campaign, the NSPCC will be giving out Talk PANTS resource bags to schools across participating boroughs. These bags were made possible by the generous donations in memory of NSPCC trustee Anita Green, and will include a lesson plan, Pantosaurus plushie, and storybook.
There will also be a Talk PANTS Week to celebrate the campaign held in October.
Tony Zaman, Chief Executive of Hillingdon Council, said: “Hillingdon Safeguarding Partnership will be working with the NSPCC to support the prevention of child sexual abuse through its Talk PANTS campaign, which aims to empower children across the borough to recognise the signs of abuse and understand their rights to safety.
“Professionals working with children and families in Hillingdon including school staff, social workers and health services will work together with parents to raise awareness of sexual abuse and support children to seek further support if needed.”
A professionals launch event took place on June 5, which included speakers with lived experience of child sexual abuse, mother and daughter Miranda and Poppy.
When Poppy was 11, she told her mum that she had been sexually abused by her grandfather from a young age. This shattering disclosure changed their lives forever. Miranda and her husband David did everything to support Poppy through a lengthy court process, and they now campaign for the rights of child sexual abuse survivors.
Poppy said: “Children and adults having a level of understanding of what it is children are sadly having to go through can save a world of confusion and self-hate.
“For myself, one of the biggest things I struggled with was not knowing what was happening to me and not having the words to say so. I’m not saying that children should be exposed directly to this issue but with the incredible work of PANTS, children have the ability to use emotions and simple descriptions to communicate with those they trust.
“That first leap of faith is one that is terrifying so thanks to PANTS for helping children make that process that little bit easier by having the basic but vital tools to be heard.”
Hayley Garner, Local Campaigns Manager for the NSPCC in London and the South East, said: “We are thrilled to have Hillingdon join our London PANTS campaign, and we hope that in the future we will see a Talk PANTS Champion in every school and early years setting in participating boroughs.
“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. 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.”
