Latest news with #ChildProtection
CTV News
5 days ago
- CTV News
Camperdown man charged with child pornography offences: N.S. RCMP
An RCMP vehicle is seen in this file photo. (CTV News Regina) A Camperdown, N.S., man has been charged with child pornography offences. The RCMP's Provincial Internet Child Exploitation (ICE) Unit executed a search warrant at a home on Camperdown Road on Thursday and arrested a 27-year-old man. 'Investigators were directed to the residence after a social media application notified law enforcement that child pornography had been transmitted using their service,' reads a news release from the Nova Scotia RCMP. Randy Rehberg has been charged with: possession of child pornography distribution of child pornography make written child pornography Rehberg was released on conditions and is scheduled to appear in Bridgewater provincial court on Sept. 3. 'In Nova Scotia it is mandatory for citizens to report suspected child pornography; anyone who comes across child pornography material or recordings must report it to the police. Failure to report could result in penalties similar to those for failure to report child abuse set out in the Child and Family Services Act,' reads the release. Suspected offences can be reported to your local police or to Canada's national tipline. For more Nova Scotia news, visit our dedicated provincial page
Times of Oman
5 days ago
- Times of Oman
Ministry of Social Development launches child protection guide
Muscat: Acting in cooperation with the office of United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) in Muscat, the Ministry of Social Development on Monday launched Oman's 'Child Protection Guide (CPG)' to enhance unified national response mechanisms. The guide's launch ceremony was held under the auspices of Dr. Laila Ahmed Al Najjar, Minister of Social Development. The CPG serves as a comprehensive practical reference aimed at supporting personnel operating in the field of child protection (including social workers, teachers and healthcare providers). It unifies concepts, simplifies referral procedures and enhances coordination among relevant stakeholders. This ensures rapid and effective intervention deemed necessary for child protection and furnishing a safe and supportive environment for children in the Sultanate of Oman. Sayyida Maani Abdullah Al Busaidi, Director General of Family Development at the Ministry of Social Development, said in a speech that the CPG constitutes a strategic step towards enhancing the integration of all national efforts for the protection of children, in addition to enabling national cadres to professionally respond to all cases of abuse, neglect and child exploitation. Practical measures For his part, Dr. Bilal Al Kiswani, Program Director at UNICEF Oman, said, 'The CPG embodies our collective commitment to take practical measures whenever children are exposed to any form of risks. It reflects the significance of partnership between the UNICEF and the Government of the Sultanate of Oman in building child protection systems.' The event included a dialogue session titled 'Next Steps and Training of Trainers Plan', run by Safia Abdullah Al Abri, Assistant Director of the Family Protection Department at the Ministry of Social Development. The session dealt with the CPG training plan, elaboration about general frameworks, basic concepts of the case management system and training on the system's stages of implementation.
Daily Mail
6 days ago
- Daily Mail
BREAKING NEWS Queensland baby is allegedly tortured and assaulted by 27-year-old man
A man will face court after he was charged with the torture and assault of a seven-week-old baby. Police began investigating after the boy was taken to Queensland Children's Hospital unresponsive on March 5. Medical examinations revealed the baby had sustained extensive injuries consistent with 'prolonged and repeated physical abuse'. As detectives investigated, the baby was removed from the care of a 27-year-old man and a 26-year-old woman. Following a months-long investigation, police have now charged the 27-year-old Forest Lake man with three counts of assault occasioning bodily harm and one count of torture. 'This was a deeply confronting matter for Child Protection and Investigation Unit detectives to undertake given it involved a vulnerable infant sustaining serious injuries,' Detective Acting Senior Sergeant Joshua Brewer said. He was refused police bail to face Brisbane Magistrates Court on Monday.
Zawya
12-06-2025
- Sport
- Zawya
Department of Community Development launches Child Protection in Sport Policy
Abu Dhabi: The Department of Community Developmenthas introduced the Child Protection Policy in the Sports Entities with the aim of creating a safe and inclusive environment where children can thrive and enjoy sports free from harm. Developed in collaboration with the Abu Dhabi Early Childhood Authority (ECA), the Abu Dhabi Sports Council (ADSC), and the Family Care Authority (FCA), the policy aligns with Federal Law No (3) of 2016, known as Wadeema, and its executive regulations. The policy applies to all sports entities in Abu Dhabi, as well as to all workers and volunteers involved in sports activities outside educational institutions. To support the policy's implementation, the department will roll out a comprehensive awareness campaign. His Excellency Mohamed Helal Al Balooshi, Executive Director of the Community Engagement and Sports Sector at DCD, said: 'The Child Protection Policy in the Sports Entities reflects the department's commitment to promoting the welfare of children and ensuring their safety in all areas. It is an important step that promotes the healthy growth and development of children, in line with the vision of our leadership, which is keen to protect children and ensure their rights and safety. The policy focuses on enhancing awareness and community participation in protecting children by empowering sports entities, parents and workers in the sports sector to effectively assume their responsibilities. 'The policy includes a comprehensive set of principles and mechanisms that ensure the application of the highest standards of protection, including the appointment of child protection coordinators in sports entities, and the provision of mandatory training programmes for workers and volunteers to ensure their readiness to deal with any potential dangers, in addition to imposing strict procedures for reporting and following up on violations, which enhances the culture of transparency and accountability.' The policy is based on four main principles that ensure parents, and their children feel safe by promoting the right to participate, zero tolerance for child abuse, as well as responsibility, accountability, protection, and non-retaliation. The policy aims to establish mechanisms, standards, and procedures to safeguard children in all sports entities and facilities. It also seeks to protect children participating in sports activities from any behaviour, conduct, or actions that violate their rights, harm their interests, or cause them physical or emotional harm. Additionally, the policy provides support for children in sports activities who may be at risk of abuse, neglect, or violence. The policy mandates that all employees in sports entities and facilities who interact directly with children must report any suspected or alleged cases of child abuse, neglect, or violence within the sports sector. It also outlines the roles and responsibilities of sports entities, professional athletes, volunteers, parents, and caregivers in addressing such cases. This approach aims to promote the wellbeing and safety of children in sports, foster positive behaviour, build healthy social relationships, uphold standards of sportsmanship, and create a safe and constructive environment for sports activities. The policy includes the development of legal frameworks to prevent anyone who poses a threat to children participating in sports activities, in addition to preventing them from joining any sports entity, work or other environment that allows them to deal with children. It also focuses on coordination with the competent authorities and concerned parties to ensure the protection of the rights of all children participating in sports activities. The Child Protection Policy in the Sports Entities prohibits all forms of child abuse, including physical, sexual, and psychological abuse, neglect, exploitation, bullying in any form, and any type of discrimination based on race, age, gender, nationality, religion, or developmental delays. The policy was developed through the collaborative efforts of DCD, ADSC, and FCA, along with various relevant partners in the health, society, sports and education sectors, including the ECA, the UAE Pro League, Abu Dhabi Department of Education and Knowledge (ADEK), the Ministry of Education, in addition to the Abu Dhabi Public Health Centre (ADPHC) and the Emirates Schools Establishment. The Department of Community Development invites all relevant entities and individuals to learn more about the Child Protection Policy in Sports Entities by visiting the official website:
Telegraph
10-06-2025
- Politics
- Telegraph
Labour has given up the fight to protect children online
The biggest risk to children online today isn't just the content – it's political complacency. The inertia after the cameras stop rolling is why Britain risks wasting the most powerful child protection framework we've ever had. The Online Safety Act was never intended to be the final word. It was the legal scaffolding for a safer digital world – the moment Britain declared that childhood should not be collateral damage in the age of algorithms. As the minister who rewrote and led the Act through Parliament, I knew we weren't solving everything overnight. This was always about laying a foundation that was designed to be layered upon and adapted as technology evolved. The test now isn't whether we passed a law. It's whether we're willing to finish what we started. Children are just a few clicks away from adulthood and from the worst corners of the internet. That's the digital reality. As a mum, I see the urgency of this every day. We are the first generation of parents dealing with these issues – trying to protect our children from risks that didn't exist when we were growing up. And yet too often, both tech companies and governments have treated online safety as an optional extra. I was driven to change that and in passing the Act, the UK became a global first-mover, not just on principle but on enforcement power. Ofcom now holds the regulatory pen. Yes, it's a sprawling regulator with too many hats but when it comes to online safety, it has the money, the mandate, the time, and the tools. Its recently published codes are a massive step forward but they remain cautious and overly corporate-friendly. It is time for Ofcom to wake up to the fact it needs to be visibly and unapologetically on the side of children, even when that makes the tech giants uncomfortable. But enforcement alone isn't enough. Legislation without political leadership is scaffolding without structure. And this is where the current Government is failing. The Act was designed to be layered upon – so why is this Government running away from such an important topic? It's ducking the next phase. It should be tackling device-level controls, banning smartphones in schools and launching an evidence-based review about the age of digital consent. And that's just for a start. Ministers talk a good game but each day without action is another day our children remain exposed. This is not about censorship or anti-tech scaremongering – this is about children. Real children – perhaps someone you know, or worse, your own – facing serious harm every single day. We protect them in the real world with seatbelts, safeguarding laws and age limits; yet online, we are still playing catch-up. The legal framework is in place but now it must be built upon – boldly, urgently and without excuses. Instead, it feels like the topic is constantly being kicked into the long grass – as if simply 'looking at it' counts as action. Take Labour's refusal to back a private member's Bill proposing a higher age of digital consent. Rather than engage with the principle or contribute constructively, they dodged the debate entirely. For a party that claims to prioritise child safety, their reluctance to take on the tech giants speaks volumes. This is not a fringe issue. It's a defining test of modern policymaking: can we create a digital environment that enables connection and creativity without sacrificing the wellbeing of an entire generation? I remember the final stretch of the Bill. My son was only four days old when I was back in meetings with officials, peers and advisers – making sure the legislation couldn't be watered down and remained workable. I felt the crushing guilt of missing time with him on those first days but I also knew the guilt I'd feel if I didn't do my part to protect the world he was growing up in. Because this isn't theoretical. Children are still being served suicide content by design. Still being bombarded with anorexia videos. Still being targeted through algorithmic systems optimised not for safety, but for engagement. We need Labour to recognise that online safety is not a one-off legislative win, but a policy frontier that must be actively governed and continuously reformed. Just as we don't set national security or public health policy and then walk away, online safety must be treated as a live, evolving challenge – one that demands cross-departmental focus, long-term investment and consistent ministerial ownership. We created a minimum floor, not a ceiling. The Act was never meant to be the end of the conversation – it was meant to start it. A modern online safety strategy must evolve constantly: reflecting new risks, reviewing age thresholds, investing in digital resilience and delivering on our promises to families. Anything less isn't just complacency – it's a failure of duty. And families across the UK deserve better.
