Council Is Supporting Safer Internet Day (SID) On 7 February

Flintshire County Council is supporting Safer Internet Day (SID) on 7 February to promote the safe and positive use of digital technology, especially among children and young people. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Celebrated on the second day of the second week of the second month, each year, thousands of people unite to raise awareness of online safety issues and participate in events and activities across the globe. This year’s theme is ‘Be the change: Unite for a better internet’. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Flintshire County Council Champions of Corporate Safeguarding, Councillors Christine Jones and Billy Mullin, said: ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“The internet has become a part of our daily lives, but it’s important to remember that there are people who will look for any opportunity to compromise your online safety. Safer Internet Day helps raise awareness of the risks associated with the online world. It’s important to protect ourselves and our children and young people against the potential dangers, to ensure that we can all enjoy surfing the web and not become victims of cyber crime.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Recommendations on how to stay safer online include:
– Use strong, memorable passwords.
– Install anti-virus software on new devices.
– Check privacy settings on social media.
– Shop safely online – always check online retail sites are secure.
– Download software and application patches when prompted.
– Never meet an online ‘friend ‘in person.
– Do not give out personal information.
– If you’re being bullied online – tell someone before it escalates.
– Do not upload or share provocative photos – once online it is out of your hands. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Flintshire County Council recently reported how one of the county’s primary school has been held up as a shining example of the digital age. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Cornist Park Primary School in Flint was chosen as one of Welsh Government’s “digital pioneer” schools in 2015 and, since that time, has improved the digital competency of pupils staff, parents, governors and the wider community by embedding digital technology in school life. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The school has taken digital technology to a whole new level. A key aim of the school is to enable pupils, staff, parents, governors and the wider community to connect, collaborate, and communicate online in a responsible and safe way. Pupils are involved with raising awareness of “eSafety” and digital learning among their own school community as well as in other schools across the County. They have even held a drop in session at a local bank to help customers learn about being safe online. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

This work was recognised as an example of best practice by Estyn’s Chief Inspector in his Annual Report. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​