CHILD ONLINE SAFETY TOOLKIT
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Training
Professionals working for and with children and the business sector, including the technology industry, should receive training that includes how the digital environment affects the rights of the child in multiple contexts, the ways in which children exercise their rights in the digital environment and how they access and use technologies. They should also receive training on the application of international human rights standards to the digital environment. States parties should ensure that pre-service and in-service training relating to the digital environment is provided for professionals working at all levels of education, to support the development of their knowledge, skills and practice. Source: General comment No. 25 (2021), para 33218
Objective: To ensure that all those involved with services relating to children, including government, law enforcement, justice, health and wellbeing, politicians, and civil servants, as well as those designing technology, have a good understanding of child online safety and children’s best interests.
Model policy text: To ensure a holistic approach to child online safety, each of the steps below is necessary. 6a. Provide training, skills development and mentoring for all involved in child online safety From first responders to judges, all actors in the law enforcement chain, and professionals who work with children in other settings like education or health, must be aware of child online safety. They should be offered comprehensive training, including on how child online safety relates to their particular role, how to understand offending behaviour, and how to provide access to victim support. 6b. Provide specialised training for psycho-social support and identification of signs of the full range of child online safety issues To be effective, relevant practitioners must be provided with child online safety training, training on safeguarding and child protection policies, and training on child and family counselling. Child online safety awareness should be incorporated into existing frameworks for child protection. Professionals working with children in education, health, community and other settings should be trained to recognise the signs and symptoms of child online safety issues. 6c. Build tertiary education schemes Child online safety sessions should form a mandatory part of teaching, social work, health work, psychology, and other relevant degree programmes in public and private universities or education institutions. There is a need for regular review of the effectiveness of this teaching in light of advances in child online safety training and emerging issues. Curricula should cover all aspects of child online safety as laid out in this policy.
218. General comment No. 25 (2021) on children’s rights in relation to the digital environment, UNCRC, 2021.
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