RENFREWSHIRE COUNCIL AREA
Good practice: Television advertising to increase community awareness about
internet safety
What was the identified issue ?
The Renfrewshire Child Protection Committee (RCPC) had continued to prioritise the
need to raise public awareness about child protection. They were continually
seeking improved and cost-effective ways in which key messages were successfully
related to the public. They also wanted to focus on raising the awareness of
children, young people and their parents about the dangers of posting personal
information online.
What have staff in services done together?
In association with North Lanarkshire, South Lanarkshire and West Dunbartonshire
Councils, the RCPC led on a low-cost and high impact television advert to promote
internet safety. The aim of the advert was to encourage children, young people and
their parents to find out more from the Child Exploitation and Online Protection
Centre (CEOP) website ‘Thinkuknow’. The advert was carefully broadcast across the
West of Scotland at a time to target the relevant audience during the most watched
prime-time television programme in Scotland. .
What are the benefits for children/young people and families?
The RCPC has successfully targeted publicity and as a result children, young people
and their families are more informed about how to obtain up to date expert
information about how to keep safe online. It was estimated that 1.4 million people
saw the advert at least once. The CEOP website received more than 8 times the
usual number of visits across the West of Scotland. A recent sample of local people
in Renfrewshire showed that almost all knew where to report their concerns about
children.
http://www.hmie.gov.uk/ViewEstablishment.aspx?id=11861&type=12