Workshop focuses on protecting children online

People in Shenandoah County worked together on Saturday to try to help children.

Participants in the workshop listened to various speakers, ranging from educators to law enforcement, whsv.com reported.

A workshop in Edinburg, called Strength In Community, focused on how to better serve area children. One of the main topics covered how to keep your child safe online.

Speakers discussed how online predators can rope children into relationships. They said that when most parents learn about these relationships, it is often after damage has already been done. Speakers suggested using apps to track your child’s online activity. People in the workshop said their aim was to better inform people of the organizations around them.

“My hope is that people are more informed about some of the resources in the community and have a renewed sense of willingness to help,” Leslie Hardesty, a sexual assault program coordinator at The Laurel Center, said.

Members of local law enforcement spoke at the workshop. One of their main takeaways was if you ever see something suspicious, do not hesitate in reporting it to police.

The apps that the program recommended are: Family Locator Life 360, Qustodio Parental Control and Mobicip Safe Browser.

As well as keeping children safe online, the workshop also discussed how to better serve the area’s impoverished children. According to the United Way, one in every five children in Shenandoah County grow up in poverty.