Parents and carers are being asked to talk to their children about what they’re doing online as part of the fight to keep them safe from online harm.

The call comes from the Derbyshire Community Safety Partnership in the run up to Safer Internet Day on 7th February, after research showed a mismatch between what children in Derbyshire are experiencing online compared with what their parents think is happening.

According to a survey of primary school pupils and families in Derbyshire carried out in the summer by i-vengers – a project commissioned jointly by Derbyshire County Council, Derby City Council and the Derbyshire Police and Crime Commissioner:

• 9% of parents said their children had been approached online by a stranger compared with 37% of school-age children who admitted this had happened.
• 9% of parents said their child had had a nasty comment online, compared to 32% of young people
• 14% of parents said their child went online when they should have been asleep whereas 30% of young people admitted they did.

For more information about Safer Internet Day, including links to where you can find out more about starting a conversation with your children or grandchildren as well as links to online safety webinars visit www.derbyshire.gov.uk/saferinternetday