PRIMARY school children and teachers from across Thurrock recently joined a special event to learn about digital safety. 

2,613 Year Five students and 276 adults were in attendance at the Civic Hall, Blackshots in Grays for the Walk Online Roadshow, which took place on Tuesday and Wednesday this week.

The roadshow has taken place annually for the last nine years. 

Pupils took part in engaging workshops hosted by eSafety Training experts; 'The 2 Johns', which covered essential topics, including staying safe while playing online games, navigating social media platforms like TikTok and Snapchat, the potential risks of the content they watch on YouTube, and online grooming.

Children also received guidance on evaluating information shared by influencers and understanding the dangers of online challenges. 

Presentations were also given by Essex Police, as well as Thurrock Council's Child Exploitation Team, which focused on the age of criminal responsibility, community safety, and exploitation.

On Wednesday (18 November), parents, carers and professionals were invited to a Walk Online Roadshow webinar, which covered how they can protect their children from dangers like radicalisation, grooming and staying safe while playing online apps and games. 

Cllr Vikki Hartstean, cabinet member for children's services and education, said: "Keeping our children safe online is becoming an increasingly difficult challenge as the platforms and devices that they use continue to change.

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"I am so pleased we're able to host events like the Walk Online Road Show so that we can equip our young people with the right information and guidance they need to navigate the online world safely, while also empowering parents and carers to feel confident that they can provide the very same support to their children. 

"Thank you to everyone who attended the roadshow both at the Civic Hall and online, it's fantastic to see so many of our schools and families wanting to make Thurrock a safer place for our young people."