Highland Secondary Pupils To Receive Mobile Phone Safety Advice
16th August 2010
Pupils in Highland secondary schools are to receive guidance on mobile phone safety as they return to school this week.
Advice in a joint letter from The Highland Council and Northern Constabulary to parents and carers of secondary pupils aims to raise awareness and specifically highlight the dangers of young people finding themselves in uncomfortable, compromising or illegal situations as a result of inappropriate use of mobile phones.
Hugh Fraser, The Highland Council's Director of Education, Culture and Sport said: "The use of mobile phones is very much part of the communication culture of today. For many pupils starting at secondary school this can often be when they get their first mobile. Many newer phones have internet accessibility and there are implications of this access that pupils, parents and carers need to consider. We are providing advice and information about internet safety and the use of mobile phones to help pupils make the right choices and stay safe."
The letter to parents and carers highlights that there is an increase of instances of young people receiving unwanted images/texts or sending inappropriate images of themselves. Using phones in this way has become known as 'sexting', which is defined as 'the act of sending sexually explicit images, videos or messages electronically'. Young people may be unaware that images may be circulated far and wide without their permission or knowledge. There are also future implications for young people who may not know that they could be breaking the law by receiving or sending such images.
Eddie Ross, Acting Detective Inspector of the Northern Constabulary's Public Protection Unit said: "Mobiles phones can be very important tools to keep young people safe and in touch with their families, however it is important that the far reaching consequences of the inappropriate use of mobile phones are appreciated. We hope that parents and carers will discuss the information and advice provided for them on issues of personal safety and the law using mobile technology."
Further information on mobile phone safety advice please contact: Louise Jones, Health Promoting Schools Manager, The Highland Council and NHS Highland tel: 01463 702066 or www.highlandesafety.wordpress.com
Related Businesses
Related Articles
Today, Morrison Construction introduced some of their local apprentices who are working on the UK Governments' Levelling Up Funded refurbishment project at the Northern Meeting Park in Inverness. All these apprentices have been recruited from the Highland area.
The by-election to elect a councillor to represent Ward 19 - Inverness South on The Highland Council has been won by Duncan Cameron McDonald - Independent who was one of the eight candidates who contested the vacancy. Voters in the ward went to the poll yesterday (Thursday 11 April) and the by-election count was held this morning in The Highland Council Headquarters in Inverness.
The Technology Placement Programme offers funding to businesses in the Highland Council area to cover up to 70% of the cost of employing a student or graduate. The Technology Placement Programme offers funding to businesses in the Highland Council area to cover up to 70% of the cost of employing a student or graduate.
Following the success of its Business Digital Grant scheme launched last year, The Highland Council is delighted to announce further funding. This is to help Highland companies access digital support alongside other business growth support.
The Highland Council is delighted to confirm a highly successful second year for Public Service Obligation (PSO) flights between Wick and Aberdeen. The period from April 2023 to March 2024 has seen a substantial increase in passenger numbers, with several months seeing over 1,000 passengers using the service, and overall the service has seen year on year growth of 25%.
Members of Highland Council, who met on Thursday 14 March 2024, approved a corporate Digital Ambition, which has been designed to deliver significant organisational change across Council services, recognising the current priorities within the organisation. The Strategy, which is embedded within the wider Council Delivery Plan, has been developed to focus attention and resources on areas of change which will deliver the greatest benefit to the Council.
The Council remains committed to supporting mentoring in our schools, including the support that is currently delivered through the MCR Pathways programme. Highland Council is currently undertaking a review of Employability Support provided by a number of different council services and how these relate to the work carried out by external partners and in our schools.
Highland Council members have considered and agreed a revised draft Highland Outcome Improvement Plan. The partnership plan has been reviewed and updated by the Community Planning Partnership.
Members at today's (14 March 2024) meeting of The Highland Council agreed the local authority's new draft Community Wealth Building Strategy. They were also asked to note that a period of public engagement on the draft will now begin, with a final strategy returning to full Council for consideration in September.
Plans to invest up to £60m new Capital in Highland roads and infrastructure have been approved by Members at the Council meeting on 14 March 2024. The decision will see an additional £40m Capital investment in roads and transport infrastructure.
