Gloucestershire Police are developing a scheme aimed to educate parents about Internet safety and demonstrate the dangers of the web.
Sergeant John Skilling of Gloucestershire Constabulary’s Schools Unit said: “We have been delivering these talks to children for almost three years it is only this year we have extended this offer to parents.”
The scheme began after Child Exploitation and Online Protection revealed that parents are ignorant when it comes to what sites their children are accessing.
Sgt Skilling said: “There are parents out there who do not realise the harm that their children could come to if they misuse the Internet.”
He then explained why parents might, be reluctant to get involved: “They don’t want to admit that their children know more than they do about technology.”
The talks are designed to demonstrate what can happen when the Internet goes unregulated and ground rules are not enforced. They will focus on sexual exploitation of children, cyber bullying, commercial exploitation and exposure to extremist material.
Sheila Kingsley, a children’s service practitioner for the NSPCC said: “Anything that raises awareness to the risk to children is useful.
“Parents should apply boundaries for the Internet but you can’t always guarantee that will happen, so it’s important to educate the children too.”
She added: “People are using technology from a very early age so they need to be educated in an age appropriate way.”
St Mary’s Junior School, Prestbury, is hosting one of the talks on Wednesday 4 November. They have encouraged parents to attend and stressed the importance of the talk, particularly for those with teenage children.
