Using simulations to protect children with the NSPCC
Learn how this unique simulation training has been used to give adults the confidence to hold difficult conversations with children about challenging topics, like abuse.
For most of us, having a serious conversation with a young child can be a challenge. Even more so if you’re concerned that they might be experiencing or at risk of abuse.
Research from the NSPCC’s Let Children Know You’re Listening project shows that adults often don’t feel secure in how to approach such a difficult subject. The charity has drawn on what they learned through this research and collaborated with Attensi on ‘Talk to Me‘: an interactive training simulation designed to give adults the confidence to hold difficult conversations with children about abuse.
Join us in conversation with the NSPCC’s Head of Strategy, Laura Randall, to uncover the lessons and insights from this one of a kind simulation, and how you can apply them in the real world.
For more information, read NSPCC Learning’s report on the impact ‘Talk to Me’ has had since launch.
Short on time? Read on for some of the key topic highlights from the webcast.
A safe space to practice talking, and listening
With any skillset, you gain confidence by practicing. Eventually, what was once a challenging task becomes closer to second nature. But how exactly can you practice having a difficult conversation with a child about abuse?
Here’s where ‘Talk to Me’ offers something genuinely new and innovative. The simulation gives adults a safe space to make mistakes, see the consequences, and try again.
By presenting multiple dialogue options in every scenario, ‘Talk to Me’ guides users toward the best practice responses. And explains why some are better choices than others on offer.
95% of surveyed users felt more confident after using ‘Talk to Me’
The ultimate aim of ‘Talk to Me’ is to give adults the tools and confidence to know how to have difficult conversations with children. To that end, the response from users to date has been overwhelmingly positive.
We asked for feedback from users after they completed the scenarios. 95% agreed that they now felt more confident talking to children about abuse.
Amongst the same group, 98% stated that the material was relevant to their work. Furthermore, 98% also said they would recommend the simulation to friends and colleagues.
How else could ‘Talk to Me’ be applied in the future?
‘Talk to Me’ currently has two scenarios, both based in a fictional school classroom environment. But what other topics and scenarios might this simulation be used for?
From our survey feedback, 99% of respondents were interested in seeing more content in this simulation. When we asked our users which topics they would like to explore, the most popular included mental health, bullying, and online safety. All of which are currently under consideration as we plan for the future development of this unique training solution.
You can read more about these findings and recommendations in the NSPCC report on ‘Talk to Me’.
