Internet child safety seminars held in Belfast

The PSNI’s Community Safety Branch has staged a series of seminars designed to promote safety on the Internet.

Parents, teachers and pupils attended the seminars held at the Royal Belfast Academical Institution to hear experts in the field of child safety on the Internet, as well as police officers who have investigated Internet abuse.

Deputy Chief Constable Paul Leighton said people in Northern Ireland needed to be aware of the potential risks posed on the Internet: “The United Kingdom has the third highest incidence of Internet abuse and Northern Ireland would have its pro-rata share of this type of crime.

“It would be foolish and dangerous to think the problem doesn’t exist here. The Internet does not recognise traditional boundaries. But we have had successes in cases against individuals’ accused of child grooming and abuse.

“The important thing is to be aware of the potential of the Internet, for learning and for fun, and to be equally aware of the potential risks. If parents and children have this information then the Internet is something that people can use positively rather than become victims of abuse.”

Guest speakers included Terry Jones, former head of the Abusive Images Unit at Greater Manchester Police, Tink Palmer, a member of the Home Office Taskforce on child protection on the Internet and NI Children’s Commissioner Nigel Williams.

The seminars took place in the library suite of the Christ Church building of RBAI where delegates used computer suites to explore websites and operate Interactive Whiteboards that provide a personalised teaching resource linked to the Internet.

(MB/SP)