The call comes from the Derbyshire Community Safety Partnership in the run up to Safer Internet Day on 7 February 2023, after research showed a mismatch between what children in Derbyshire are experiencing online compared to 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 us, Derby City Council and the Derbyshire Police and Crime Commissioner:
- 9% of parents said their children had been approached online by a stranger compared to 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
You can get 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.