Thinkuknow

The National Crime Agency is engaging with 4-7 year olds in a bid to help protect them online as the number of global child sexual abuse referrals has rocketed.

Thinkuknow is the education programme from the National Crime Agency and Child Exploitation Online Protection Centre (NCA-CEOP). This is a UK organisation which protects children both online and offline.

Thinkuknow have six websites to explore packed with advice about staying safe when you’re on a phone, tablet or computer.

One of their resources, Jessie & Friends, has just been awarded the PSHE Association Quality Mark.

“Jessie and Friends” is an NCA campaign to to educate children as young as four about online safety.

© The National Crime Agency

This is a fun, friendly and age-appropriate education resource based on a three-episode series of animations. It does not depict any scenario involving an adult sexual offender but establishes safe scenarios that enable children to learn to identify unhealthy behaviours.

The aim of Jessie & Friends is to provide protective education to children before they begin to encounter such risks online, making children less likely to become victims and less likely to be targeted by high-risk offenders. Importantly, Jessie & Friends helps children learn to ask a trusted adult for help whenever they feel worried.

Essential NCA advice for parents and carers:

1. Use Jessie & Friends or another Thinkuknow resource as an easy way to start a positive online safety conversation with your child.

2. Open and ongoing conversation is key to understanding your child’s online life and keeping them safe.

3. Make sure your child knows that if they are ever worried about anything they can come to you for help.

4. Set up parental controls on your internet connection, devices and online services to limit children’s access to harmful content

5. With your child, review privacy settings on the apps and the sites they use and together, agree safe, appropriate settings.

Watch the Jessie & Friends episodes here.