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Has your child met Lee and Kim yet?

Tuesday 09 February 2010, 2:35pm

Changing the way children behave online is the key to keeping themselves safe from abuse, according to the UK’s national centre for protecting children.

This theme is central to a number of initiatives being launched by the Child Exploitation and Online Protection (CEOP) Centre, on European Safer Internet Day (9 February 2010). They include:

  • New resources aimed at reaching children as young as five, including a new, interactive cartoon introducing them to the adventures of Lee and Kim.
  • The launch, in partnership with Microsoft, of the UK’s first ever ‘ClickCEOP’ browser that will sit on Internet Explorer 8 and provide users of all ages with direct access to CEOP’s internet safety advice.
  • A ‘Protect’ programme that sees volunteers from O2, Visa Europe and Microsoft join forces with CEOP to deliver online safety into hundreds of schools.

ClickCEOP browser

The ClickCEOP browser developed by Microsoft on Internet Explorer 8 provides users with the opportunity to customise their browser so that they can get direct access to CEOP’s advice pages.

There, they will see contemporary safety advice ranging from cyber bullying and viruses to sexual abuse and inappropriate content. This advice is kept up-to-date by signposting to and input from organisations such as Childline, the Internet Watch Foundation, Get Safe Online and Beatbullying. It is also updated by the themes and trends that CEOP’s teams see every day through the thousands of reports it receives.

The portal www.clickceop.net (opens new window) is also where users will land if they follow the advice of a Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) campaign being launched on 9 February. The campaign, supported by the UK Council for Child Internet Safety (UKCCIS) encourages internet users to ‘Click Clever, Click Safe’.

‘Lee and Kim’s Adventures’ film

One in five parents of five to seven year olds highlight concern about who their child/children is in contact with online (10% very concerned, 8% fairly concerned), according to OFCOM*.

In response to this, CEOP has developed a new animated film, ‘Lee and Kim’s Adventures’, designed to introduce very young children to the concepts of personal information and trust. This resource is being delivered to schoolchildren across the UK.

David Coleman, a clinical psychologist, said: “The ‘Lee and Kim’ film introduces young children to a number of important concepts that will enable them to explore online environments safely.

“Understanding what constitutes ‘private’ information – and recognising that people can pretend to be different online – is critical to developing safe behaviour online, which greatly reduces their vulnerability to abuse.”

He added: “I am certain that children will identify with the Lee and Kim characters as they and their superheroes tackle these issues in an engaging and age-appropriate way.”

Jim Gamble, chief executive of the CEOP Centre, said: “Each month, we see an average of 500 reports into CEOP, of which – on average – four a day indicate that a child may be at immediate risk.

“That is the harsh reality of child protection. But so often we leave our young people vulnerable because we fear the technology – that’s like saying we can’t teach children how to be safe when crossing the road because we don’t understand how a car engine works or the risk if that car is driven in a dangerous way.”

He continued: “This is about behaviour, not technology. But it’s also about delivering contemporary, dynamic advice that is sympathetic to the needs of the children and young people we reach and helps the parent or carer to play their role in a way that is positive, supportive and understanding.”

Home Office Minister Alan Campbell said: “The Government is determined to make the internet a safer place for children. We’ve helped deliver tough enforcement action but know that education is vital, whether targeted at children like Lee and Kim or via the new internet safety campaign ‘Click Clever, Click Safe’.”

*Research from OFCOM, UK children’s media literacy: interim report October 2009

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