N Ireland training initiative to promote online awareness

Safeguarding board to raise awareness of e-safety among child-protection leaders

A thousand leaders providing child protection in Northern Ireland are to be trained in a new e-safety package.

Virtual Reality is an online awareness programme setting out key messages for children and teenagers and educating their parents.

The PSNI has trained more than 100 officers.

Detective Chief Supt George Clarke said: "With the ever-changing way in which children and young people communicate, it is imperative that we have this multiagency initiative which ensures that everyone involved in the protection of children and young people has the consistent approach to e-safety messages."

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The aim of the programme launched by the Safeguarding Board for Northern Ireland is to provide training to safeguarding trainers and child-protection leaders in voluntary, community and statutory organisations.

There are three separate packages for primary, post-primary, and young people and parents/adults. Each discusses the risks involved in online activity and includes information on privacy, cyber bullying, grooming, gaming and social media use. – (PA)