Speaking Up – How Loudmouth is helping children and young people to find their voice - disclosures at all time high

Our work uses well-researched drama and age appropriate workshops on a range of safeguarding and relationship issues. The programmes are prevention tools to highlight issues that children and young people may face in their lives.

Loudmouth sessions help students to be informed and prepared for the future. Unfortunately, some children and young people are already experiencing the issues we cover. Some may recognise what is happening in the drama as things that have happened in their own lives. The session could be the first time that they understand that what has been happening is unsafe. It can be the moment when they speak up and ask for help.

In the last academic year, we have had 133 disclosures or red flags. This number has steadily risen in the last few years and is continuing into the start of the new term.

Interestingly, the number of disclosures we get depends on the format of the sessions we deliver. We provide sessions where we deliver the drama performance and Q&A with the characters and a follow up workshop. We also provide sessions where we only deliver the performance and Q&A. 88% of disclosures come from the format with the workshops. That means that we get 7 times more disclosures than when we only run the performance and Q&A. This highlights the importance of the workshops and how vital it is for schools and funders to prioritise these.

Disclosures can be challenging to hear, but we are incredibly proud that our work creates a safe space where students feel able to speak up.

Over the years we have had contact from Childline and the police who have praised the work we have done and how, after taking part in our sessions, children and young people have come forward and as a result find safety. Many professionals have stated that if the young person had not taken part in a Loudmouth session they believe they would not have come forward and disclosed.

Disclosures have led to young people identifying grooming gangs that the police were unaware of and most importantly has allowed children to be heard and feel safe.

Loudmouth has full-time staff who are all Level 3 Safeguarding trained and are given further training and support for handling disclosures. We have our own clear procedures but work closely with the school's own processes to make sure that any disclosures are properly recorded and passed on.

To find out more contact us on 0121 446 4880.