Cheshire County Council is to introduce sophisticated package of new measures to tighten security around Internet use by children.
State-of-the-art screening technology and education of parents – often novices compared to their computer-wise off-spring – are designed to protect youngsters from themselves…and potential predators.
The moves will meet some of the major recommendations of the recent Government-funded Byron Review into the risks faced by children from exposure to harmful material on the internet or in video games.
While the current system in schools blocks most access to social networking and inappropriate sites, a few loopholes do exist - worrying headteachers, teachers and parents already concerned about misuse of sites like BeBo, Myspace and Facebook via personal PCs.
Cyber bullying, online victimisation of teachers, downloading adult material, suggestive posing and naive disclosure of personal details leaving youngsters vulnerable to’ stranger danger’ are some of the problems which confront parents and headteachers.
And whilst Byron recognises the risks can not be eliminated completely, they can be adequately managed.
By December, Cheshire County Council will introduce a web filter solution capable of providing the opportunity for teacher-controlled access to educational pages but detects and blocks attempts to access unsuitable material before it reaches the screen.
It also detects hidden content, viruses, embedded program code and characteristic signatures of anonymous web proxy sites often used to evade web filters.
And the County will attempt to bridge the generational digital divide between parents and children by educating the former on the key role in avoiding risks posed by internet technology and how to avoid them.
The county’s IT experts, in partnership with the police, have already begun to talk to parents at primary and secondary schools advising them not only in managing children’s access by using the right software, but also how make the best use of the Internet’s educational possibilities.
Cheshire’s multi-agency Local Safeguarding Children's Board is in the process of drawing up its own guidance on E-Safety encompassing all existing and developing technologies and to operate alongside other policies governing issues like bullying, behaviours and data protection.
And it will ensure that every school has access to a range of recommended acceptable use policies, supported by a desktop filtering system offering protection for everyone in a schools learning community.
Said Linda Brown, Cheshire’s Head of Inclusion and Education: “The Byron review recognised that many parents do not feel empowered to manage risks in the digital world in the same way as they do in the real world.
“They frequently feel helpless and sometimes unfairly blame IT education for some of the things that youngsters get up on these sites via their home PCs.
“Even with the best protection that technology can provide, there is no hundred per cent guarantee. Technology changes constantly and many youngsters are ‘digital natives’ almost before they can ride a bike. “
Added Mrs Brown: “Byron states ‘children will be children – pushing boundaries and taking risks’ and stresses that their safety is a major concern for parents and society generally.
“To appreciate the risks - and the potential educational benefits - parents have to understand the technology and we are helping them to do just that.”
Psychologist Doctor Tanya Byron spent six months on the government commission review.
Among her recommendations was the creation of a UK Council on child internet safety; better regulation of the industry and better information and education, with government, law enforcement, schools and Children’s Services, all involved.
In Cheshire, the Local Children’s Safeguarding Board - the multi-disciplinary partnership responsible for the safety of all children - will tackle the issues through a newly formed E-Safety Committee.
STORY NOTE: Around 100,000 Cheshire Schoolchildren – From Reception Class To Sixth Form - Use Computers As Part Of Their Education.
