Dear Parent/Carer

Keeping young people as safe as possible in respect to the online space is not an easy task so for any parent/carer so having suitable information and support can be vital when considering how to help a young person keep safe online.

Parent Zone Local working in partnership with Middlesbrough Council have produced a website platform for parents and carers to assist you with advice and guidance to help you support your young people to keep safe online and increase media literacy.

On the website you will also find  resources and information on forthcoming interactive sessions for parents/carers with Parent Zone Local Coordinators on a variety of subjects

 https://parentzone.org.uk/pzlocal/middlesbrough

Fostering resilience in a young person , with assistance from trusted adults, can help them to thrive and flourish in online spaces and equip them with the skills to develop their own ways of protecting themselves against negative online experiences.

The basic principles of young people’s Digital Resilience are:

• Understand - The  risks online and make informed decisions about their digital spaces
• Know – Where to go and what to do and how to seek help
• Learn and Adapt - individuals can reflect and learn from experiences and able to adapt their future choices
• Recover – Individuals are equipped with the confidence to recover from trauma and trusted relationships can offer strategies to help aid recovery

Discussing online safety concerns and knowledge with your child is one of the best safeguards there is, it really does develop resilience and is shown to have impact in their positive online decisions.

As a minimum parents/carers should know where to go and what to do when something happens in an online space, the time to find out is not during crisis. To report exploitation or coercive behaviours online of any kind report to CEOP https://www.ceop.police.uk/safety-centre/ or contact police on 101.

Thank you in consideration of our approach

Andy Shippey

Community Safety Officer PREVENT/reducing Reoffending

Middlesbrough Council

PO BOX 503,

Fountain Court,

119 Grange Road,

Middlesbrough,

TS1 2DT

Tel no: (01642) 728690

E-mail:Andrew_Shippey@middlesbrough.gov.uk

https://www.middlesbrough.gov.uk/community-support-and-safety/prevent

 @MbroPrevent