Statutory and Good Practice Guidance

Northern Ireland

The Female Genital Mutilation Protection Order (Relevant Third Party) Order (Northern Ireland) 2021 published

Source: gov.uk published on this site Wednesday 10 November 2021 specifies a Health and Social Care trust as a relevant third party. From the 1 December 2021 a relevant third party can apply to the court for a Female Genital Mutilation Protection Order without the leave of the court. 

United Kingdom

Botulinum Toxin and Cosmetic Fillers (Children) Act 2021 published

Source: Department of Health and Social Carepublished on this site Friday 19 November 2021

Since  1 October 2021, it has been against the law, Botulinum Toxin and Cosmetic Fillers (Children) Act 2021, for anyone to inject botulinum toxin (commonly known as ‘Botox’) or fillers for ‘cosmetic purposes’ to a person who is under the age of 18 in England.

it is a criminal offence to administer botulinum toxin (commonly known as ‘Botox’) or a filler by way of injection for a cosmetic purpose to a person under 18 in England, even if they have the permission of someone over 18.

It is also an offence to make arrangements or book an appointment to provide these treatments to anyone under the age of 18 in England.

Guidance Botulinum Toxin and Cosmetic Fillers (Children) Act 2021has been published and give young people, parents and businesses the information on the new act. The guidance states

• “A parent or guardian cannot give permission for a person under the age of 18 to have the treatments. An offence would still be committed by the person or business providing or making arrangements for the treatment.”
• “It is not enough for the practitioner or business to decide that the young person looks to be over 18 – they must take careful steps and check documents to make sure they are certain the person is 18 or over to avoid breaking the law.”

1. Ofsted launches consultation for children’s homes and residential holiday schemes

Source: Ofsted published on this site Wednesday 3 November 2021

The consultation contains proposals on new inspection arrangements for children’s homes and residential holiday schemes. Anyone with an interest in children’s homes and/or RHSDCs – including professionals, providers, families, children, and volunteers are encouraged to give their views. The consultation runs from 2 November 2021 to 24 January 2022. Responses will inform new arrangements, which from 1 April 2022 for interim inspections of children’s homes. If you need an alternative format, please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

2. The Truth Project concludes after six years

Source:Independent Inquiry Child Sexual Abuse(IICSA) published on this site Monday 8 November 2021

.More than 6,000 victims and survivors of child sexual abuse have come forward to share their accounts.

For six years, the Truth Project has given victims and survivors a safe and supportive opportunity to share their experiences and put forward suggestions for change. It closed at the end of October so that all of the accounts shared could be used to inform the Inquiry’s Final Report, due to be published next year. This research has run alongside the regular Truth Project dashboard publications, which have provided a key overview of accounts shared. The most recent dashboard found that of the 5,440 accounts so far analysed:

• 88 percent described an impact on their mental health, with over a third reporting depression
• Just over two thirds did not tell anyone about the sexual abuse at the time it was happening
• 45 percent reported an illness or condition that affects their day-to-day life
• One in 10 were talking about an experience of child sexual abuse for the first time when they spoke to the Truth Project

 For help and support, you can access information on a range of organisations signposted on the Support Page

3. Independent inquiry announced into mortuary abuse

Source: BBC News published on this site Tuesday 9 November 2021

The inquiry  has been launched by the health secretary after a hospital electrician accessed mortuaries and sexually abused bodies.

David Fuller, 67, filmed himself abusing at least 100 bodies in two Kent hospital morgues over 12 years.

It comes after Fuller, of Heathfield, East Sussex, admitted murdering Wendy Knell and Caroline Pierce in 1987.

Sajid Javid told the Commons the inquiry would look at the offences and their "national implications".

He said: "It will help us understand how these offences took place without detection in the trust, identify any areas where early action by the trust was necessary, and then consider wider national issues, including for the NHS."

The inquiry will be split into two parts, an interim report to be published early in the new year and a second final report looking at the broader national picture and wider lessons for the NHS.

"I want to apologise to the friends and families of all the victims for the crimes that were perpetrated in the care of the NHS," Mr Javid added.

"Nothing that we can say will undo the damage that has been done, but we must act to make sure nothing like this can ever happen again."

Sir Jonathan Michael, a fellow at the Royal College of Physicians, will chair the inquiry. 

It will supersede an independent investigation commissioned by the Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust, Mr Javid told the Commons.

He also said penalties available for "appalling" sexual offences will be re-examined following the case to ensure they are "appropriate".

Fuller kept millions of images and videos of his mortuary crimes on discs and hard drives. 

They were were dated between 2008 and November 2020, and he labelled some of the folders with names of his victims.

Fuller had worked at hospitals since 1989 and was at the Kent and Sussex Hospital until it closed in September 2011. 

He was transferred to the Tunbridge Wells Hospital at Pembury, where the offences continued until his arrest in 2020.

Investigators said Fuller would work late shifts and go into the morgue when other staff had left.

4. Child death review data release 2021 Source: The National Child Mortality Database (NCMD)published on this site Wednesday 17 November 2021

This data release covers child deaths notified and reviewed between 2020 and 2021, and gives readers an opportunity to explore the data for themselves.

The National Child Mortality Database (NCMD) was notified of 3,068 child deaths in England between April 2020 and March 2021. In the same period, 2,575 child deaths – which might have occurred during the period or before – were reviewed in detail by child death overview panels.

The data was collected as part of the child death review process, which applies to all children under the age of 18 and is mandatory in England. Child death overview panels have a statutory obligation to collect information from every agency that has had contact with the child and to share this with the NCMD, with the ultimate goal of understanding why children die and making changes to improve and save lives in the future.

Child death overview panels notify the NCMD of each child death within 48 hours, and provide basic information about the child’s characteristics and suspected cause of death. As the death is reviewed, this basic information is developed into a comprehensive record of the circumstances of the child’s death with input from all professionals who had contact with the child.

For the first time, this year’s data release covers deaths notified to NCMD in addition to those reviewed within the period. The data gives broad insights into when and where these deaths occurred; the characteristics of the children who died, including sex and age group; and where modifiable factors were identified. It also sets these statistics against those seen in previous years.

The data release also covers the first year of the Covid-19 pandemic, and shows that an estimated 25 children are likely to have died of Covid-19 infection between 1 March 2020 and 28 February 2021.

1. The Safety of Women at Night Fund will award up to £5 million to 22 organisations focused on improving the safety of women and girls at night.

Source: Home Officepublished on this site Thursday 11 November 2021

The bids include initiatives such as drink spiking detection kits, a transport safety campaign and trained staff to support safe taxi journeys.

The Home Secretary has today (Wednesday 10 November) announced the successful bids across England and Wales for projects from the Safety of Women at Night Fund.

The fund was launched in July with up to £5 million made available for projects and initiatives to improve the safety of women in public spaces at night.

Successful bids will build on the efforts already underway through the £25 million third round of Safer Streets funding which included a range of interventions including educational programmes to raise awareness and more streetlights and CCTV.

In July the government published a new and ambitious cross-government Tackling Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) Strategy to help ensure that women and girls are safe everywhere – at home, online, at work and on the streets. 

Home Secretary Priti Patel said:

Violence against women and girls in our country’s nightlife is still an awful reality for many, and horrific crimes such as sexual assault have devastating consequences.

Working with the police, local authorities and venues these innovative projects will identify and crack down on those who pose a risk and give women the practical support when they need it.

We must use every possible tool at our disposal to ensure people feel safe at night when walking home, using transport, or enjoying a night out with friends.

The government is also funding the first ever National Police Lead for Violence Against Women and Girls, DCC Maggie Blyth, focused entirely on tackling this abhorrent issue and coordinating police action across England and Wales.

2. Plans for sex offenders in The Republic of Ireland to face tougher laws. Source: BBC Newspublished on this site Tuesday 16 November 2021

Plans for new legislation to strengthen the management and monitoring of sex offenders in the Republic of Ireland have been announced.

Electronic tagging and a ban on convicted offenders having certain jobs would be introduced under the plans.

The bill was announced by the Republic of Ireland's Justice Minister Helen McEntee TD on Wednesday.

Ms McEntee said the legislation would help alleviate concerns in communities about sex offenders.

"It introduces stricter notification requirements - meaning offenders will have to inform the Gardaí (Irish police) of a change of address within three days instead of the current seven days," said the minister.

"The new law will also allow for electronic monitoring as well as fingerprinting and photographing of the offender, where necessary, to confirm their identity."

Ms McEntee said explicitly prohibiting convicted sex offenders from working with children or vulnerable people is "hugely important in protecting people and strengthening how we manage sex offenders".

"Tackling domestic, sexual and gender-based violence and supporting victims of crime are priorities for me and my department."

The Fine Gael TD said she wanted to reform the Republic of Ireland's criminal justice system to make it "more victim centred".

Ms McEntee intends to have the bill enacted in the coming months, according to a statement from her department.

3. The Met enhances its response to abuse linked to faith and belief. Source: Metropolitan Police published on this site Tuesday 23 September 2021

The Met is joining with partner agencies to launch The Amber Project to enhance its response to child abuse linked to faith and belief.

Officers from the Met have been collaborating with the London Borough of Redbridge, University of Chester, University of Cambridge and Barnardo’s National Female Genital Mutilation Centre to co-develop the project. 

Inspector Allen Davis, from Crime and Vulnerability, said: “The knowledge and awareness of these offences are not where they should be, and a wide range of professionals need to recognise the potential for abuse in certain situations.

“Cases are often missed or misdiagnosed. Practitioners may not recognise the risk of harm involved, chalking up these accusations to mental health problems or delusion."

“We need a concerted and coordinated response, where this issue is ‘championed’ locally so that it ceases to be viewed as a taboo issue and hidden harm. Despite its complexity and the cultural sensitivities involved, we need to mainstream our response and ensure professionals are confident to discuss beliefs in a careful but direct and professionally curious manner.”

4. Tougher penalties for child cruelty through ‘Tony’s Law’

Source: Ministry of Justice Published on this site Tuesday 30 November 2021

Child abusers will face more time behind bars after the Government confirmed plans to increase the maximum penalties for a range of cruelty offences.

Under the changes, anyone who causes or allows the death of a child or vulnerable adult in their care will face up to life imprisonment – rather than the current 14-year maximum. The offences of causing or allowing serious physical harm to a child, and cruelty to a person under 16, will also incur tougher maximum penalties – increasing from 10 to 14 years respectively.

It follows the tireless campaigning of the family of Tony Hudgell to see longer sentences for these crimes.  As a baby, Tony was left severely disabled after suffering abuse at the hands of his birth parents, who both received 10 years in prison.  Ministers are determined to ensure punishments fit the severity of these horrific crimes and today confirmed amendments to deliver ‘Tony’s Law’ would be tabled to the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill.

Deputy Prime Minister, Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice, Dominic Raab said:

The law must provide maximum protection to the most vulnerable and no-one is more vulnerable than a young child.

So, we are increasing the maximum penalty for child cruelty causing or allowing serious physical harm from 10 years to 14 years, and the maximum penalty for causing or allowing the death of a child from 14 years to life imprisonment.

I pay tribute to the courage of young Tony Hudgell and his adoptive parents Paula and Mark.

Meanwhile, following an announcement last week, Ministers have today confirmed that plans to extend mandatory life sentences to anyone who kills an emergency worker whilst committing a crime would also be made via an amendment to the PCSC Bill.  The move builds on recent government action to protect police, prison officers, firefighters and paramedics and ensure those who seek to harm them feel the full force of the law. This includes plans to double the maximum penalty for assaulting them to two years’ imprisonment.

1. Major telecom provider Globe becomes latest company to join IWF efforts to fight child sexual abuse on the internet.

Source: Internet Watch Foundationpublished on this site Thursday 5 November 2021

A new partnership between the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) and a major provider of telecommunications services in the Philippines, Globe Telecom Inc. (Globe), will help keep children safer online worldwide at a critical moment.

Globe has joined the IWF as a member, and will be able to use IWF services to keep their services clear, like the IWF’s URL List. 

The company operates the largest mobile network in the country and one of the largest fixed-line and broadband networks. The new partnership will offer an extra layer of protection to Globe’s over 85 million subscribers. 

TheURL listis a list of webpages confirmed as containing child sexual abuse images or videos. IWF Member companies can use this service to block or filter these sites for their users’ protection, and to prevent the repeat victimisation of the children in the images.

Advice given to the public when making a report:

• Do report images and videos of child sexual abuse to the IWF to be removed. Reports to the IWF are anonymous.
• Do provide the exact URL where child sexual abuse images are located.
• Don’t report other harmful content – you can find details of other agencies to report to on the IWF’s website.
• Do report to the police if you are concerned about a child’s welfare,
• Do report only once for each web address – or URL. Repeat reporting of the same URL isn’t needed and wastes analysts’ time.
• Do report non-photographic visual depictions of the sexual abuse of children, such as computer-generated images. Anything of this nature, which is also hosted in the UK, the IWF can get removed.

2. WhatsApp launches STOP. THINK. CALL campaign to stamp out message-based scams in partnership with the National Trading Standards’ Friends Against Scams campaign.

Source:National Trading Standards published on this site Friday 12 November 2021

WhatsApp enlists ‘Scambassador’ Joel Dommett to encourage the British public to Stop. Think. Call. before responding to a suspicious message that may be a scam 

Almost three fifths of Brits (59%) say they have received a message-based scam in the last year - or know someone who has. According to recent research, these types of scam messages have been sent both via SMS text message (46%), or WhatsApp (13%), and unfortunately appear to be increasingly common.

STOP. THINK. CALL. before you respond to a suspicious or unusual message. 

STOP: Take Five before you respond. Make sure your WhatsApp two-step verification is switched on to protect your account; that you're happy with your privacy settings, and your six-digit pin is secure. 

THINK: Does this request make sense? Are they asking you to share a PIN code which they have had sent to you? Are they asking for money? Remember that scammers prey on people’s kindness, trust and willingness to help. 

CALL: Verify that it really is your friend or family member by calling them directly, or asking them to share a voice note. Only when you’re 100% sure the request is from someone you know and trust, should you consider it. If it turns out to be untrue, report It to Action Fraud.

Citizens Advice Scams Actionis encouraging anyone who is worried about being targeted to visit their site to get help with online scams.

In Scotland – please contact Advice Direct Scotland on 0808 164 6000 or Police Scotland on 101 or 999 in an emergency.

Friends Against Scams runs free online training sessions to empower people to take a stand against scams, helping identify different types of scams and providing directions on how to report them. The campaign also recruits ‘SCAMbassadors’, who are MPs, senior officials or someone who will use their influence to raise the profile of scams at a national level.

3. Boost for children’s online safety as Welsh Government becomes first Government to join IWF. Source:Internet Watch Foundation(IWF) published on this site Monday 22 November 2021

Children and young people in Wales will receive additional support to protect them from a rise in online threats, as the Welsh Government – through the Hwb digital learning programme - becomes the first Government body in the world to join child protection charity the Internet Watch Foundation as Members.

The IWF will work alongside partners in the Welsh Government to ensure their Hwb platform, which hosts the Curriculum for Wales and provides bilingual, digital tools and resources for teaching and learning to all maintained schools in Wales, is as safe as possible.

The platform will also aim to empower children and young people in Wales to spot the signs of online grooming and exploitation with dedicated support pages, including bilingual materials from the IWF’s Gurls Out Loud and Home Truths campaigns.

The campaigns were launched in response to rising numbers of reports of child sexual abuse material online, where children had been groomed, deceived or extorted into producing and sharing a sexual image or video of themselves.

It is hoped the bilingual materials and articles from experts in ‘Keeping safe online’ on Hwb will have a huge impact in helping spread the warning about the growing online threats and help more children and young people stay safe.

 The public is given this advice when making a report:

• Do report images and videos of child sexual abuse to the IWF to be removed. Reports to the IWF are anonymous.
• Do provide the exact URL where child sexual abuse images are located.
• Don’t report other harmful content – you can find details of other agencies to report to on the IWF’s website.
• Do report to the police if you are concerned about a child’s welfare,
• Do report only once for each web address – or URL. Repeat reporting of the same URL isn’t needed and wastes analysts’ time.
• Do report non-photographic visual depictions of the sexual abuse of children, such as computer-generated images. Anything of this nature, which is also hosted in the UK, the IWF can get removed.

4. New cyber laws to protect people’s personal tech from hackers. Source:Digital Culture Media and Sport and Julia Lopez MP published on this site Thursday 25 November 2021

Consumers will be better protected from attacks by hackers on their phones, tablets, smart TVs, fitness trackers and other internet-connectable devices thanks to a new world-leading law introduced today by the government.

This Bill will:

• better protect people’s smartphones, TVs, speakers, toys and other digital devices from hackers
• prevent the sale of consumer connectable products in the UK that do not meet baseline security requirements
• comes as research shows four in five manufacturers of connectable products do not implement appropriate security measures
• includes plans for fines up to £10 million or up to 4 per cent of global revenue for firms failing to comply

A new law will require manufacturers, importers and distributors of digital tech which connects to the internet or other products to make sure they meet tough new cyber security standards - with heavy fines for those who fail to comply.

The Product Security and Telecommunications Infrastructure Bill (PSTI)will allow the government to ban universal default passwords, force firms to be transparent to customers about what they are doing to fix security flaws in connectable products, and create a better public reporting system for vulnerabilities found in those products.

The Bill will also speed up the roll out of faster and more reliable broadband and mobile networks by making it easier for operators to upgrade and share infrastructure. The reforms will encourage quicker and more collaborative negotiations with landowners hosting the equipment, to reduce instances of lengthy court action which are holding up improvements in digital connectivity.

Minister for Media, Data and Digital Infrastructure Julia Lopez said:

Every day hackers attempt to break into people’s smart devices. Most of us assume if a product is for sale, it’s safe and secure. Yet many are not, putting too many of us at risk of fraud and theft.

Our Bill will put a firewall around everyday tech from phones and thermostats to dishwashers, baby monitors and doorbells, and see huge fines for those who fall foul of tough new security standards.

The ownership and use of connected tech products has increased dramatically in recent years. On average there are nine in every UK household, with forecasts suggesting there could be up to 50 billion worldwide by 2030. People overwhelmingly assume these products are secure, but only one in five manufacturers have appropriate security measures in place for their connectable products.

Cyber criminals are increasingly targeting these products. A recent investigationby Which? found a home filled with smart devices could be exposed to more than 12,000 hacking or unknown scanning attacks from across the world in a single week.

And, in the first half of 2021, there were 1.5 billion attempted compromises of Internet of Things (IoT) devices, double the 2020 figure. The UK’s National Cyber Security Centre last week revealed it had dealt with an unprecedented number of cyber incidents over the past year. 

Safeguarding and protecting people for charities and trustees guidance updated November 2021 Source: The Charity Commission published on this site Thursday 18 November 2021

Protecting people and safeguarding responsibilities should be a governance priority for all charities. It is a fundamental part of operating as a charity for the public benefit.

As part of fulfilling your trustee duties, whether working online or in person, you must take reasonable steps to protect from harm people who come into contact with your charity.

This includes:

• people who benefit from your charity’s work
• staff
• volunteers
• other people who come into contact with your charity through its work

The Charity Commission will hold trustees to account if things go wrong and will check that trustees followed this guidance and the law. Trustees are expected to take responsibility for putting things right.

The Commission will refer concerns to relevant safeguarding agencies where needed to take further action as it is not a nominated body with the power to implement safeguarding legislation.

Trustees should promote an open and positive culture and ensure all involved feel able to report concerns, confident that they will be heard and responded to.

1. Former Sea Cadet Commander jailed for abusing schoolboys.

Source: Crown Prosecution Service(CPS) published on this site Tuesday 2 November 2021

A former Sea Cadet Commanding Officer who sexually assaulted schoolboys as they slept has been jailed for eight years. Retired naval officer Alan Waters, 73, abused four boys aged between 11 and 15 over around 10 years while volunteering with the Sea Cadets in Clapton and then in Cheshunt during the 1970s and 1980s. On 28 October 2021 at Snaresbrook Crown Court he was sentenced to eight years in prison for his historic crimes. The prosecution also applied for a sexual harm prevention order. Waters was convicted of six counts of indecent assault following a trial at the same court, which concluded in September 2021. 

The first incident took place more than 50 years ago during a Sea Cadet field trip to Surrey between January 1970 and January 1971. The victim who had been sleeping inside a shared tent with around 20 others had been awoken by the sexual assault upon him. In another incident a 14-year-old victim who was targeted on another trip pretended he was fast asleep in the hope that the abuse would stop. 

2. A Catholic Brother from a religious order has been jailed for the historical sexual abuse of children over two decades. 

Source: The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS)published on this site Friday 5 November 2021

Michael Murphy, who was also known as Brother Benedict or Brother Ben, carried out the assaults against 19 boys between 1961 and 1981 at residential schools in Stirlingshire and East Lothian.  

The 88-year-old was convicted of 29 charges, including indecent assault and assault to severe injury and permanent impairment, following a trial at the High Court in Edinburgh in September.

The court heard that Murphy regularly whipped boys and subjected them to painful and frightening electric shocks.

One child lost his finger in a vice after Murphy told him to put his hand in it.

He was also convicted of lifting a boy by the ears, and kicking him in the face, causing his teeth to fall out. He threw at billiard ball at the same child and struck him in the face with laces.

Murphy seized another child by the neck and threw him against a wall.

At the High Court in Edinburgh today, he was sentenced to 7 years imprisonment.

‘Friend in need’ message scam costs victims almost £50,000 in three months

Source:Action Fraud published on this site Monday 29 November 2021  

New data from Action Fraud, the national reporting centre for fraud and cyber crime,reveals a new emerging threat where victims are being targeted on WhatsApp by criminals pretending to be someone they know.

The scam has been reported to Action Fraud 25 times between August and October 2021 and has cost users a total of £48,356.

Criminals will typically claim to be a family member and will usually begin the conversation with “Hello Mum” or “Hello Dad”. They will say that they are texting from a new mobile number as their phone was lost or damaged and will go on to ask for money to purchase a new phone, or claim that they need money urgently to pay a bill.

The criminal will supply their bank details for payment, with some coming back with further demands for money. Criminals are successful in their approach as they are exploiting the emotional vulnerability of the public in an attempt to deceive victims 

Temporary Detective Inspector Craig Mullish, from the City of London Police, said:

“If you’re contacted out of the blue from a number you don’t recognise but the person is claiming to be someone you know and are requesting financial assistance – stop and think as it could protect you and your money.

“These messages may appear genuine but your money could end up in the pockets of a criminal, so it’s okay to reject, refuse or ignore any requests. Only criminals will try to rush or panic you. Try and reach out to the person directly by another form of communication to confirm that their request for help is genuine as it could be a scam.”

In one instance, a victim reported paying almost £2,000 to someone they believed was their son after they received a WhatsApp message. The suspect claimed that they had broken their phone which is why they had a new number and that they needed a number of invoices paying.

The victim made two payments via bank transfer to the suspect, totalling almost £2,000. The suspect asked for more money once the payments were made and the victim became suspicious and began questioning the suspect.

In another instance, a victim reported paying over £3,000 to someone who they, again, believed was their son after they received a WhatsApp message. The son had moved to a different country a week before and was due to pick up a new car that day. The suspect claimed that they needed the deposit transferring urgently so they could pick up the car. The victim made four payments to two different accounts totalling over £3,000.

The warning comes as WhatsApp launched a new campaign this month, in partnership with National Trading Standards’ Friends Against Scams campaign, to help equip the public with the skills they need to protect themselves, their families, friends and their WhatsApp account from message-based scams. This includes free online training via the Friends Against Scams website.

The Office of Product Safety and Standards  has produced safety guidance on how to buy toys safely this Christmas.

Source: OPSS  published on this site Monday 15 November 2021

The OPSS  is partnering with Chartered Trading Standards Institute, The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, Child Accident Prevention Trust and Netmums to raise awareness of how to buy toys safely.

Know who you are buying from

Wherever you are shopping, remember reputation matters. Is the seller widely recognised for safe and reliable toys? Get as much information on the seller as you can, especially if you’re buying from an online marketplace. Not everything sold on an online platform is supplied by them. If the actual supplier is not based in the UK, you may face heightened risks.

Always read the warnings and instructions

Toys must be clearly marked with age restrictions, which are based on risks such as choking hazards. Always follow the age recommendations.

Consider special needs

Children with special needs might be more vulnerable, so keep this in mind when shopping.

Avoid toys with small parts

They can be a choking hazard.

Look out for strangulation hazards

Loose ribbons on toys and costumes can pose risks to young children.

Check the toys are for kids

Magnets can look like toys. Keep them away from children.

Compare the sellers

Bargains may be too good to be true. Compare the toy’s price with other sellers. If it’s a fraction of the cost, it’s likely to be counterfeit.

Check for button batteries

Ensure that any button batteries in a toy are safely behind a screwed down flap.

Check for product recalls

See if the toy you’re buying has been recalled

Check before you wrap

Toys must be clearly marked with age restrictions, which are based on risks such as choking hazards. Always follow the age recommendations.

Download digital images for use on social media from the OPSS  Child Safety: Buying toys this Christmas guidance page and use the hashtag #SafeToys2021.