Free Safer Schools app is launched
Sexting, bullying and mental health support
A free mobile app has launched in Perth and Kinross offering support and advice to help keep the region’s young people safe.
The Safer Schools app provides ageappropriate, relevant and tailored support on sexting, bullying, mental health, media literacy, gaming and sexual exploitation online.
The launch comes at a time of unprecedented risk to children and young people online as they continue to spend longer in digital spaces as lockdown measures are eased.
Police Scotland has recorded 1522 child sexual abuse crimes from April–December last year. This is almost 34 per cent higher than the fiveyear average for these crimes.
The Safer Schools Partnership app is led by child protection expert Jim Gamble QPM, CEO of INEQE Safeguarding Group and founder and former head of CEOP, in partnership with insurer Zurich Municipal.
The app is available for free to all schools in Perth and Kinross insured by Zurich Municipal
Jacquie Pepper, Perth and Kinross Council’s depute director of education and children’s services, said: “We are all dealing with the impact of COVID-19 restrictions and our young people need our help to stay safe as they spend important time online.
“We take our responsibilities to tackle new risks to children and young people’s safety very seriously, and it is vital that we do everything we can to protect them as they adapt to keeping connected through technology.”
Anne Norrie, regional manager at Zurich Municipal Scotland, said: “I am absolutely delighted that we are launching the Safer Schools app for schools within Perth and Kinross Council – the latest virtual launch in Scotland.
“The app is available at no additional cost to children, teachers, schools staff, safeguarding practitioners, parents and carers at every school in the area.
“We, at Zurich Municipal, recognise that safeguarding children and young people is one of the most important issues facing parents, carers and those responsible for educating and empowering them. With more children spending time online in these unprecedented times, it is incredibly important that we support school communities in raising awareness of the unique risks in the digital space and how we can protect our children from them.”
Colin Stitt, head of Service and Safer Schools at INEQE Safeguarding Group, added: “In these uncertain times, education professionals and parents/carers want confidence in knowing they have the right information to keep their children and young people safe.
“The Safer Schools app does exactly that. It helps you educate, empower and protect the children and young people in your care as they face pressure to remain socially connected in a digital world.”
Details on downloading the app are available at https://www.oursaferschools.co.uk/
Our young people need our help to stay safe as they spend important time online