Hector’s World is available at http://www.thinkuknow.co.uk/hectorsworld Children as young as five years old are the focus of a new online safety programme being launched today, Thursday 8th May 2008, by the Child Exploitation and Online Protection (CEOP) Centre.
OFCOM research indicates that 59% of 5-7 year olds access the internet at home and that 21% do so unsupervised (anecdotally in Havering these figures are even higher). Building on the success of the organisation’s Thinkuknow education initiative, which has already reached over 1.7 million children and young people between the ages of 8-16 years, the UK’s Centre for tackling the sexual abuse of children is now reaching out to parents of much younger children with vital ’safety first’ advice.
Hector’s WorldTM comprises five animated episodes. It takes children on a journey with Hector and his friends as they explore issues such as personal information, trustworthiness, making positive choices online and how to be open with a trusted adult when they use the internet.
The animation has been adapted for a young UK audience following successful running of the programme in New Zealand and is backed up by a series of free resources available to parents and teachers via the dedicated CEOP education website – thinkuknow.co.uk. All materials have been developed in consultation with Becta and with teachers (including representation from Havering).
BBC News article on Hector’s World
