Constable Jack Irwin, from the Downpatrick Neighbourhood Policing Team, joined us recently to speak with our Year 8 to 11 students on E-Safety.
The session was very informative and useful for all involved. Many thanks to Constable Irwin.
Students were made aware of many e-safety issues such as the importance of personal safety online and not sharing details, setting a strong password, cyberbullying, the age of the social media apps they use and why they are in place and also where to go for help should they need to on any e-safety issue.
There was also an emphasis was on the importance of sharing their worries or experiences with an adult.
Also, to know there is always someone to talk to and measures that can be put in place to help support them.
Students were also made aware that the legal age of criminal responsibility is 10. This raised further awareness of the following laws and how important it is to know how to abide by them in everyday social media use.
Laws that are in place to keep everyone safe are:
- Malicious Communications (Northern Ireland) Order 1988
- Protection from Harassment (Northern Ireland) Order 1997
- Protection from Harassment (northern Ireland) Order 1997
- S127 Communications Act 2003
- Online Safety Act 2023
As a school community it remains our collective responsibility to help to educate our young people in E-safety matters.
