A message on 'group chats' from Crewe Police

"No parents allowed in this chat group!!!"

If you take nothing else from this post, please check your child's phone tonight, and then as regularly as possible.

Today we visited a few year 5 and 6 group classes at a local school in Crewe, we were made aware of various 'Whatsapp' groups filled with over 800 local children, but also other strangers in the groups!

Children as young as 9 years old are involved in these chat groups, and various pictures and swear words are being sent in these messages. Random numbers out of the group are calling local children and are shouting and swearing at the children down the phone. Multiple children have found this very upsetting and until our visit today in their school, had not told anybody about this.

Please check your child's phone.

We talked to the children about 'stranger danger', but also about if adults at upcoming Christmas parties for example ask them to "keep secrets" or to touch any parts of their body. We've told the children that secrets are never okay, and that if an adults tells them to keep a secret or touch their body, then to say no and tell a trusted adult.

Many children as young as 9 years old, also said that they were regularly using Snapchat with their locations settings on. Please change this with your child. If you're going to let your child use these apps, please review the safety sessions with them to reduce risk. But please also ask yourself, why does my 9 years old need to use Snapchat?

Finally - "No parents allowed in this chat group!!!" We're the parents and guardians, so lets take charge and start monitoring our children's phones. Keep them safe by doing regular and spontaneous checks of messages and what photo's they're taking.

Quiz your child on their contact number list and 'snap' friends, delete the numbers of people that your child does not need to be in contact with or know.

Stay safe.

Original source - https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1T7cURAzaA/?mibextid=wwXIfr