Internet safety advice for Dorset parents

Dorset’s Safe Schools and Communities Team, a partnership between the police and the county’s Youth Offending Team (YOT) are holding dozens of ‘cybersafe’ parents’ evenings at schools across Dorset.

These free events have been designed to help parents ensure that their children remain safe while surfing the worldwide web.

The risks of the internet can include cyber-bullying, grooming, ID theft and fraud.

Parents will also be shown how they can protect their child from potential risks of using chat rooms, social networking sites like Facebook and Bebo, and e-mail.

More than 50% of teenagers are prepared to give out their full date of birth out to strangers and up to 3% give out parents’ details.

Safe Schools and Communities Officer, PC Jeff Grey, said: “We don’t want to scare parents and say that their children should never be allowed to go on the internet.

“It is a wonderful tool and has become part of everyday life, particularly for our young people, but without appropriate safeguards in place this tool can and does put our young people at risk of abuse and serious harm.

“These evenings are very informal but parents will be able to ask about all aspects of the internet, current and emerging technologies and get advice on methods and approaches you can take to protect yourself and your children.”

2009 dates and venues

7-9pm at each venue
Parents are invited to attend any of the following dates and venues, even if their child does not attend that specific school. There is no requirement to book.
Thursday 15 January – Lockyers Middle School, Corfe Mullen
Tuesday 20 January – The Gryphon, Sherborne
Wednesday 21 January – Lytchett Minster Upper School
Thursday 22 January – Beaminster School
Tuesday 27 January – St Mary’s Middle School, Puddletown
Wednesday 28 January – The Wey Valley School
Thursday 29 January – Shaftesbury School and Sports College
Tuesday 3 February – The Blandford School
Wednesday 4 February – The Thomas Hardye School
Thursday 5 February – Sturminster Newton High School
Tuesday 10 February – Queen Elizabeth’s School, Wimborne
Wednesday 11 February – Sir John Colfox Bridport
Tuesday 24 February – The Grange, Christchurch
Wednesday 25 February – The Purbeck School, Wareham
Wednesday 4 March – Emmanuel Middle School, Verwood

For more information, contact the Safe Schools and Communities Team on 01202/01305 222846 or e-mail ssct@dorset.pnn.police.uk

Picture:  PCSO Sarah Rose and PC Geoff Calloway, both from Safe Schools and Communities Team