Teaching children how to use smart phones safely

A play educating children on how to safely use smart phones is being rolled out to primary schools in Cheshire.

SnapTrap – which educates young people of the risks and dangers of accessing the internet via their device – will be performed at 10 schools across the county after funding from the Police & Crime Commissioner.

It is performed by adults from theatre company 2Engage but is told through the voices of children and their own personal experiences of using smart phones.

The play shows the many ways that youngsters use these devices every day to access the internet to do their homework, to play computer games online, to log onto social networking sites such as Facebook and Snapchat and to listen to music.

SnapTrap then highlights the dangers children may come across and gives them advice on how they can use smart phones more safely.

David Keane, Police & Crime Commissioner for Cheshire, said: “Educating people – especially youngsters – about the dangers online is a very important issue and one that I take seriously in my role as Police & Crime Commissioner.

“The funding I have provided will allow for this production to be performed at primary schools across Cheshire and will give invaluable advice in a way that ensures the message gets through to young people at the point they are becoming more and more internet savvy.

“This project will also stimulate further debate amongst young people and their families of the potential dangers lurking online and how they can better prevent such issues from occurring. It will also inform them of what to do when they encounter problems.”

Young people from Catch22, a charity which works with children and local communities to build resilience and aspiration– worked closely with 2Engage to develop the play. Although it educates children it is also aimed at parents and adults by giving them an understanding of what children can get up to while using a smart phone.

The Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for Cheshire fund a number of small projects across Cheshire primarily aimed at preventing citizens across the County from engaging in, or being victims of crime.