Child Exploitation and Online Protection (CEOP)

CEOP works with child protection partners across the UK and overseas to identify the main threats to children and coordinates activity against these threats to bring offenders to account. They protect children from harm online and offline, directly through NCA led operations and in partnership with local and international agencies.  All Foster Carers should regularly access this website. For more up to date information and some useful videos and materials access the CEOP website http://ceop.police.uk/ 

What can you do to protect children in your care using computers? 

• Familiarise yourself with the internet, perhaps by getting the child or young person to show you or by taking an IT course at college. You can get help getting started by accessing http://www.bbc.co.uk/webwise. If you need further advice, you can also contact the Recruitment and Training Team.
• All Foster carers should complete the (B)e SAFE – Embrace Modern Media training for Foster Carers.  Discuss this with you Fostering Social Worker and contact the Recruitment and Training team.
• Develop your own home computer policy to include length of time spent on the internet; online games and what sites can be visited etc.  Where any website registration is required children and young people must ask your permission and assistance to do so.
• Each child and young person should have their own password to use the computer.
• Do not have a computer with internet access in the child’s or young person’s bedroom. Always place it in a family room.  Exceptions should be agreed as part of the young person’s placement plan.
• Monitor everything that children and young people access, ensuring that ‘private areas’ of chat rooms are not accessible. Always monitor anything to be downloaded.
• Ensure that any unsuitable sites are blocked. Periodically check the computer history for sites accessed by children or young people.
• Encourage children and young people to tell you if they receive frightening or bullying e-mails or anything they consider unacceptable.
• Never allow children and young people in your care to meet up with anyone they have met on the internet
• Children must be supervised at all times when on the internet. Remember you are in control.