Child protection is a global issue says Rooker

Minister for Children and Young People, Jeff Rooker has highlighted the global problems for child protection arising from the Internet.

Speaking at a 'Child Protection and the Internet' conference held in Belfast, the Minister said that the problem was not something which a single country or jurisdiction, or indeed a single agency, could tackle alone.

"This issue is one which must be tackled on many fronts. Those who use the Internet to distribute horrific photographs of children or to prey on children in chat rooms need to be caught and brought to justice," the Minister said.

"Providers need to offer technological protective mechanisms; and children who appear in pornographic photographs need to be spared the abuse in the first place. Crucially, there is a key role for educators in schools and indeed parents in the home."

Earlier this week, the Government unveiled plans for a new UK centre aimed at protecting children from paedophiles on the internet.

Under the plans investigators, industry figures and child protection specialists from over 20 different countries will share their expertise on limiting access to child abuse images, safeguarding children online and tracking down and protecting children identified in abuse images.

Based in London, with up to 100 staff, the new Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre will be headed by former PSNI Superintendent Jim Gamble, who is also deputy director with the National Crime Squad.

(MB/SP)