NAMBUCCA Heads Preschool is participating in the SeeMore Safety program which educates little ones about how to use the internet safely.

“Nambucca Heads Preschool are excited to play a role in helping educate the children about e safety,” Debbie Rix, Nominated Supervisor at Nambucca Preschool told News Of The Area.

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“We are looking forward to using the e safety books along with the SeeMore puppet.

“They will be a wonderful resource to use with the children.”

Preschool children will receive a free book and app created to educate them on the importance of safety in an online environment, as part of the SeeMore Safety program.

“The internet is a wonderful tool, but like any tool, unfortunately it can be dangerous if not used in the proper manner,” said Jennifer Leslie, Chair of the Newcastle Permanent Charitable Foundation (NPCF), which funded the program.

“In 2022, staying safe online is a critical life skill to teach our children, which means we need to ensure parents and educators know how to speak to children about the best ways to interact in an online environment, and the red flags they should be aware of.

“I also love that the book talks about the importance of putting the screens down and getting outside to enjoy a bit of fresh air and sunshine.”

Funded by a $90,000 grant from the NPCF, the book was written by KIDS Foundation CEO and founder Dr Susie O’Neill and features the foundation’s mascot SeeMore Safety (as in Seymour) and his friend Netys (AKA Safety Net).

Together the pair learn all about the importance of eSafety and the three eSafety rules: being safe, being kind and making good choices online.

Dr O’Neill’s passion for education around eSafety was reinforced while at a KIDS Foundation Camp, where six-year-old Sophie shared her experience of being hacked while playing a popular online game.

The hacker appeared in the game’s chat function, Sophie thinking it was one of her friends using a different name, before realising something suspicious – and potentially dangerous – was happening.

“Hacking is scary and cyber safety is very important,” Sophie said.

Dr O’Neill urged, “We need to encourage children to speak up if they feel something is not right or they experience something out of the ordinary while online.

“These new tools share the importance of teaching children to use devices in shared zones around the home, setting time limits for online use and making sure adults maintain a dialogue around online safety.”

Also being launched is the SeeMore Safety App, which integrates the virtual SeeMore model into the real world and can be downloaded at the App Store.

By Andrea FERRARI