Stay Safe Online - visit
the cafe - UK dedicated centre for tackling child sex abuse launches
online safety programme for 8-11 year olds
CHILD EXPLOITATION
AND ONLINE PROTECTION CENTRE News Release issued by The Government
News Network on 23 October 2007
Children as young
as 8 years old are for the first time the focus of an online
safety programme being launched by the UK police organisation
dedicated to tackling child sex abuse - the Child Exploitation and
Online Protection (CEOP) Centre.
The programme - developed and launched with BECTA - focuses on a
state of the art CYBERCAFE where children between the ages of 8-11
years will meet Gryff and his friends while learning about
different aspects of online safety at their own pace. Through a
series of games, the children can help the characters use the
internet to complete their homework, send emails and text
messages, post online forums and a host of other activities
safely. There is also a glossary for children to use should they
need help in understanding online "language".
And behind the whole programme - thinkuknow.co.uk/cybercafe -
there is one overarching message. Have fun, know what to do and
go to a trusted adult to seek help if you need it or feel
threatened in any way.
It is intended that the programme can be delivered either as a
stand-alone online service for children and parents at home, or
through teachers in schools who can download lesson plans and
other resources - all of which have been designed by teachers for
teachers and are free.
All materials have been designed and road tested by children to
ensure it engages this most discerning of audiences.
Parents can also find help by visiting thinkuknow.co.uk/parents
where simple to follow programmes have been designed to gently
guide visitors through the technology. It explains all the
different ways in which children are using the internet, as well
as giving practical advice on how to protect them and provides
useful first-warning signs in how the behaviour of young people
may change if they are being targeted by offenders.
Jim Gamble is Chief Executive of the CEOP Centre:
"What we have learnt from children and teachers alike is
that children as young as 8 are becoming increasingly
sophisticated in their use of the internet. But where the
natural, innocent naivety of children collides with the open and
often unrestricted nature of the virtual world then their safety
is always going to be called into question.
"We see that danger first hand all the time. At CEOP we
receive on average 10 reports a month relating specifically to
children between the ages of 8-11 years. That should concern us
all. And yet we know from OFCOM that over 40% of this age group
are regularly using the internet and 7% of 10 year olds even have
their own webcams. That trend is growing.
"But this is not about sensationalist headlines in order to
strike fear - far from it. We want children to use the internet.
We want them to benefit from the whole multitude of opportunities
it opens up. But we want them to do it in a way that safeguards
their time in the virtual world. So we are encouraging them to
sit down with adults they trust, explore the resources we have
launched and to think about what they are doing. That makes sense
all round.
"So I say this to all teachers. If you are working with
children between the ages of 8-11 years then please now work with
us and help deliver this resource. After all many of you have
said to us that you want this kind of service and teachers and
children have been involved in the design, content and overall
layout. Not only that but it is totally free. So download the
lesson plans, explore the virtual world with your class at your
side and help us make children safer today."
Stephen Crowne, Chief Executive of BECTA said:
"We are very pleased to have worked closely with CEOP on the
development of the CYBERCAFE. I believe this is an essential
resource for all schools and teachers in the primary phase and
will help to ensure that children are able to continue to enjoy
using the internet safely and responsibly.
"For me, the internet provides a world of possibilities and
is an exciting and informative place for young people to explore
and enjoy, but we must do everything we can to make sure that this
is a safe environment. This means that there is a duty of care on
parents and education practitioners when children are at school or
at home. We will continue to work closely with CEOP and continue
to build on a relationship that is fundamental to the success of
our work on e-safety."
ENDS
Notes to Editors
1. At CEOP we receive on average 10 reports a month relating
specifically to children between the ages of 8-11 years.
2. Young people's use of technology - aged 8-11
41% of
children aged 8-11 regularly use the internet *
32% of
children aged 8-11 regularly use a mobile phone *
56% of
children aged 8-11 play computer games *
7% of 10 year olds
have their own web cam *
Over 75% of 11 year olds have their
own television, games console and mobile phone *
Use mobile
phone increasing in use by 8-15 year olds (up 3% in 2007 from
2005) *
Use of internet increasing in use by 8-15 year olds
(up 5% in 2007 from
2005) *
(*All figures referenced to OFCOM)
3. thinkuknow.co.uk/cybercafe is the second development in the
CEOP Centre's education programme - ThinkuKnow - which was
launched in 2006 with the specific intention of empowering
children so that they can use the internet in a safe and secure
way free from the fear of child sex predators. The first stage of
the programme - launched in September - was focused on young
people between the ages of 11-15 years and to date over 1 million
children have attended special in-school sessions. It has been
delivered by over 4700 trained police officers, child protection
specialists and education professionals.
4. BECTA leads the national drive to improve learning through
technology. We do this by working with industry to ensure we have
the right technology for education in place. We also support the
education sector to make the best use of technology so that every
learner in the UK is able to benefit from its advantages and
achieves the best they can.
5. The Child Exploitation and Online Protection (CEOP) Centre
works in both online and offline environments to protect children
from sexual exploitation. Full information on all areas of work,
as well as online safety messages and access to online reporting,
can be found at http://www.ceop.gov.uk.
6. CHILD ABUSE IMAGES, NOT 'CHILD PORNOGRAPHY'
Use of the phrase 'child pornography' actually benefits
child sex abusers:
a. It indicates legitimacy and compliance on the part of the
victim and therefore legality on the part of the abuser
b. It conjures up images of children posing in
'provocative' positions, rather than suffering horrific abuse
Every photograph captures an actual situation where a child has
been abused. This is not pornography.