News

SAFE Newsfeed

Justice is Changing: Justice Minister Launches Campaign to Help Victims of Sexual Crime

Source: Department of Justice published on this website Tuesday 29 September 2026 by Jill Powell

The Justice Minister today launched a new public communications campaign to mark significant progress for victims of sexual crime.

Launching the ‘Justice is Changing’ campaign, Naomi Long said it demonstrates a commitment by the Department of Justice to deliver for victims across Northern Ireland.

The campaign aims to highlight the services introduced by the Department to support victims of sexual abuse; many of which were developed in response to the Gillen Review, an independent review of the handling of serious sexual offence cases within the Northern Ireland justice system.

Ms Long said: “Victims of sexual crime told the Gillen Review that the justice process could often exacerbate their trauma; particularly through unnecessary delays, invasions of privacy, and a lack of timely support and information.

“We have listened to these concerns and directly addressed them through a range of new measures.

“I hope this campaign raises public awareness of the services that are now available and that it will encourage victims to come forward and report these crimes and to remain within the justice system until their case concludes”.

The services introduced by the Department and its partners include:

Establishing new Remote Evidence Centres (RECs) in Belfast and Craigavon alongside the existing NSPCC-led facility in Derry/Londonderry that allow victims to give evidence in a safe, specially designed environment away from the courthouse and where there is no chance they will meet the defendant on the day of the trial. In 2025, over 600 vulnerable witnesses gave evidence from a REC. The conviction rate in REC cases stands consistently at around 90%;
The Adult Sexual Offences Legal Advisor (SOLA) scheme provides publicly funded legal advice to adult complainants in serious sexual offence cases, with over 2,200 people benefitting from the scheme since its launch in 2021. The service has since been extended to children, with more than 400 child victims benefiting from support provided by a CSOLA since its launch in 2025;
The Justice (Sexual Offences and Trafficking Victims) NI Act 2022 introduced stronger anonymity protection for victims, increased penalties for breaches of anonymity laws, and allowed for the exclusion of the public from courtrooms during serious sexual offence trials;
The Rape Myths = Real Harm social media campaign has worked to dispel misinformation about sexual crimes;
Committal reform has removed the requirement for victims of sexual offences to give oral evidence at two separate hearings; reducing delay and reducing the burden on victims;
The judge-led Under 13/16 Protocol is also reducing delay in sexual offence cases involving young children; and,
The Belfast Domestic Abuse Contest Court was set up to put victims of domestic and sexual abuse first. All complainants give evidence from the Belfast Remote Evidence Centre with specialist prosecutors and support services. The Court starts at 11am so people can attend to family commitments first. The conviction rate is consistently around 90%.

The Minister continued: “We have made good progress but I’m determined to keep going and build on the measures already in place.

We are working towards the introduction of a Barnahus type model to Northern Ireland; the creation of guidance for the media in relation to the reporting of rape and other sexual crimes and the introduction of new measures in the Victims & Witnesses Bill, introduced to the assembly in June, that will further protect the disclosure of complainants’ personal information, including counselling notes and medical records.

Sexual assault is one of the most heinous and violating crimes, and it can have a devastating and lasting impact on victims. As Justice Minister, I will do all I can to ensure that the justice system does not exacerbate that trauma.”

The ‘Justice is Changing’ campaign will run across the Department’s social media channels. Full details of the changes made by the Department as part of the Gillen implementation programme can be found at: Gillen Review Report into the law and procedures in serious sexual offences in NI | Department of Justice

Thousands of young disabled people to be offered guaranteed jobs

Source: Department of Work and Pensions published on this website Monday 28 September 2026 by Jill Powell

Under the scheme, eligible young people on health benefits will be offered a guaranteed job on a voluntary basis from week 13 after their Work Capability Assessment.

They will receive mentoring and tailored support with their mental health, finances and housing to prepare them for work, while employers will be supported with onboarding costs.

The government will also cover 100% of wage costs up to 25 hours a week for six months.

The move marks a significant expansion of the Jobs Guarantee, a government scheme launched earlier this year for long-term unemployed young people aged 18 to 24 who have been claiming Universal Credit for 18 months.

The expansion to young people on health benefits will start from April 2027 and comes as part of the government’s £3.5 billion investment to deliver the most significant employment reforms in a generation to tackle the UK’s persistently high disability employment gap.

These reforms include the ‘right to try’ guarantee announced earlier this year, which will enable those on sickness benefits to try to work without the immediate fear of losing their benefits.

Earlier this year, Alan Milburn’s interim report found that nearly half of young people who are NEET in the UK (45%) report having a disability - more than doubling from 21.1% in 2013/14.

Widening eligibility for the scheme to young disabled people means thousands will have the chance to join the scheme which is intended to help up to 90,000 young people into work by the end of the Parliament.

This comes as part of the government’s efforts to tackle the UK’s persistently high disability employment gap, including the ‘right to try’ announced earlier this year, which will enable those on sickness benefits to try work without the immediate fear of losing their benefits.

The government believes every young person should have the opportunity to earn or learn, with £2.5 billion committed over the next three years to Youth Guarantee schemes including £3,000 payments for businesses who hire a young person out of work for six months, and an expansion of youth apprenticeships.

Emma Taylor, Chief People Officer at Tesco, said:

We welcome the Government’s expansion of the Jobs Guarantee, which will help more young people with disabilities and long-term health conditions access the opportunities, experience and support they need to get started in the world of work.

At Tesco, we’ve always been committed to helping young people develop the skills and confidence required for a long-term career, and we recognise that creating more ways into employment for those facing additional barriers is vital if every young person is to have the chance to fulfil their potential.

As a Disability Confident Leader, inclusion is a long-standing priority for Tesco and we’re proud to support initiatives that help widen access to work while creating meaningful opportunities for more young people to succeed.

Harriet Edwards, Director of Influencing at the national disability charity Sense, said:

We welcome investment that gives more young disabled people the opportunity to get into work. Too many who want to work are still locked out by barriers, including a lack of appropriate support, inaccessible workplaces and negative attitudes.

These jobs must be accessible, work for the individual and lead to lasting opportunities. Young disabled people need tailored support and inclusive workplaces, and success should be measured not just by how many start a job, but whether they have the support and opportunities to build the future they choose.

Safer Internet Day 2027: Reflect on tech

Source: UK Safer Internet Centre (UKSIC) published on this website Wednesday 23 September 2026 by Jill Powell

Safer Internet Day returns on 9 February 2027, marking 20 years of the UK’s Safer Internet Day celebrations. This year, we’re inviting everyone to ‘Reflect on tech: exploring digital wellbeing and our relationship with technology.’

Technology is a huge part of everyday life. From social media and gaming to messaging, streaming and learning, being online can bring connection, creativity and opportunity. But as concerns about the impact of technology on children and young people’s wellbeing continue to grow, it’s also important to pause and ask: what does a healthy relationship with technology look like?

Safer Internet Day 2027 is an opportunity for young people, families, schools, organisations, government and the technology industry to reflect on how technology affects our lives, our mood and our wellbeing. We’ll explore the pressures and influences we can experience online, as well as practical ways to make the most of our time with technology.

With Safer Internet Day taking place in the important months leading up to new Government restrictions, including a ban on social media accounts for under-16s, this year provides a particularly important opportunity for conversation, education and listening to young people’s voices.

Get involved

Schools and organisations can sign up as Safer Internet Day 2027 supporters and join thousands of others across the UK in helping young people develop positive and informed relationships with technology. If you don’t know your plans yet then don’t worry – you can still register by sharing your logo and organisation name.

Sign up as a supporter for 2027!

https://saferinternet.org.uk/safer-internet-day/safer-internet-day-2027/supporter-registration

We’ll also be sharing free educational resources in November, designed to help schools, families and organisations explore this year’s theme and start meaningful conversations with children and young people.

By understanding our relationship with technology and exploring digital wellbeing together, we can take important steps towards building a safer and better internet for everyone.

About Safer Internet Day

Under a global theme of ‘Together for a better internet‘, the UK Safer Internet Centre is responsible for coordinating Safer Internet Day actions in the UK. Each year, the celebration sees thousands of organisations get involved to promote the safe and positive use of digital technology for children and young people.

Over the years, Safer Internet Day has become a landmark event in the online safety calendar. Starting as an initiative of the EU SafeBorders project in 2004 and taken up by the Insafe network as one of its earliest actions in 2005, Safer Internet Day has grown beyond its traditional geographic zone and is now celebrated worldwide.

For more information about Safer Internet Day worldwide, take a look at the Better Internet for Kids website.

The essential trustee: what you need to know, what you need to do (CC3) updated September 2026

Source: The Charity Commission published on this website Thursday 24 September 2026 by Jill Powell

What's required of a charity trustee, including your responsibilities to your charity.

Charity trustees are the people who share ultimate responsibility for governing a charity and directing how it is managed and run. They may be called trustees, the board, the management committee, governors, directors or something else.

This guidance explains what being a trustee involves, including:

what trustees do
who can be a trustee and how trustees are appointed
their legal responsibilities
specific trustee roles of chair and treasurer

You should read this guidance if you are:

a trustee of any charity based in England or Wales
thinking about setting up a charity or becoming a trustee in England or Wales

For a briefer overview, see Charity trustee: what’s involved (CC3a).

See also our ‘5 minute guides’ on the basics that all trustees need to know

Martha’s Rule information for patients, families and carers

Source: NHS England published on this website Tuesday 22 September 2026 by Jill Powell

Martha’s Rule is a patient safety initiative to support the early detection of deterioration by ensuring the concerns of patients, families, carers and staff are listened to and acted upon.

It has been developed in response to the death of Martha Mills and other cases related to the management of deterioration. Central to Martha’s Rule is the right for patients, families and carers to request a rapid review if they are worried that a patient’s condition is getting worse and their concerns are not being responded to.

NHS trusts are working hard to put Martha’s Rule in place in all acute inpatient settings. While it is not available everywhere yet, implementation in adult and paediatric inpatient settings is expected to be complete during 2026/27. More details are available in the Implementing Martha’s Rule section below.

If you or a person you care for are admitted to hospital, you can check whether Martha’s Rule is available by:

visiting the trust’s website
asking staff on the ward

Martha’s story

Martha Mills died in 2021 after developing sepsis in hospital, where she had been admitted with a pancreatic injury after falling off her bike. Martha’s family’s concerns about her deteriorating condition were not responded to, and in 2023 a coroner ruled that Martha, aged 13, would probably have survived had she been moved to intensive care earlier.

In response to this and other cases related to the management of clinical deterioration, the then Secretary of State for Health and Social Care and NHS England committed to implement ‘Martha’s Rule’ across the NHS.

To find out more