WIREDGOV

Expertise pooled to keep children safe online.

Experts from government, the police, the voluntary sector and business will come together with young people yesterday (Wednesday) to consider how to enhance online safety.

The summit at the Scottish Parliament, jointly hosted by Minister for Children and Young People Aileen Campbell and Minister for Learning, Science and Scotland’s Languages Alasdair Allan, has been called following recent cases of online abuse with tragic consequences . It will address a range of issues, including cyber-bullying, online grooming, explicit imagery and blackmail.

Minister for Children and Young People Aileen Campbell, said:

“We’ve seen too much devastation caused by the abusive use of the internet. In some cases, it was brutally planned and an obvious, abhorrent criminal act. But for many people, the anonymity online allows them to forget that their actions and comments can be incredibly damaging to those on the receiving end.

“We need to educate parents and children about the importance of knowing what to do and where to go if something goes wrong online to stop abuse and prevent tragic consequences.

“We’ve already given all schools advice on responsible use of phones, tablets and other mobile devices and a new web resource is helping schools review and develop how they teach online safety. This summit will build on this work by pooling the experience of a broad range of professionals and young people themselves to develop the next steps.”

Minister for Learning, Science and Scotland’s Languages, Dr Alasdair Allan, added:

“We want every child and young person in Scotland to grow up free from bullying, and schools have a vital role to play in protecting their pupils. Apart from teaching children about the dangers and impact of inappropriate online behaviour, we often see the results of any online bullying play out in the school environment, which can have an effect on not just the pupil affected, but their classmates and school as a whole.

“This summit offers a valuable opportunity to acknowledge the steps we’ve already taken, look to the future and acknowledge the fact that we can and will tackle this problem by working together. Schools, parents, those at the summit today and the media all have a role to play in ensuring our children can go online without fear of bullying or abuse.”

Notes to editors

Representatives from the following organisations will be at the summit:

Scottish Government
Young Scot
Respectme
Police Scotland
CEOP
Perth and Kinross Council
Highland Council
National Parent Forum of Scotland
Association of Directors of Education Scotland
Care Inspectorate
TalkTalk Group
Children 1^st
Children in Scotland
UK Safer Internet Centre/Southwest Grid for Learning
Education Scotland
Childline Scotland