Understanding the Impact of Sexualised Images and How to Safeguard Pupils

This webinar will provide headteachers, senior leaders, governors, teachers and support staff with an analysis of the risks of children and young people being exposed to sexualised content – including an assessment of how prevalent the issue is and what can be done to reduce potential harms.

Research by the British Board of Film Classification in 2020 revealed that 51% of young people aged 11–13 had viewed pornography (intentionally or otherwise). Many children – including some as young as 7 – had stumbled across porn online, often through social media platforms as opposed to dedicated adult sites. Seeing such explicit, sexualised images can have a pronounced effect on children and young people: affecting their wellbeing, their mental health, their friendships and relationships, their self-esteem and their understanding of the world.

In this webinar, Amanda Giordano, an associate professor at the University of Georgia and a specialist in addictions counselling, emphasises the need to fully understand the possible harms to children and young people and the importance of adults knowing what to do to protect them.