Youth Survey
24th April 2023
Kent PCC launches survey to discover the extent children are bullied or harassed online.
Kent’s Police and Crime Commissioner Matthew Scott is trying to understand more about the mobile phone and internet usage of children in the county and whether those young people are being exposed to any unwanted messages or attention.
According to statistics, 96% of 16-17 year olds have a smart phone in the UK* and more than 53% of children over the age of seven have some sort of phone **. What’s more, more than 90% of children have access to a PC, laptop, games console or tablet with internet connection* and children are spending on average 3 hours 20 mins playing with them.**
The Commissioner says,
“Cybercrime is growing across the whole country, but so too is cyberbullying and harassment in the younger generation. These children and young people often don’t know what to do, or to whom they can turn.
We’ve all heard the terrible stories of young people who feel they can’t escape their tormenters and the impact this has on their lives.
It’s why I’ve commissioned a bespoke educational service, which has started going into schools in Kent, to better inform children of the dangers.
But I also want to understand the extent of phone and internet usage, what sort of content young people are viewing and whether they’ve been harassed by their peers or others online or in person. The findings will help develop suitable programmes and strategies to protect our children both now and in the future.”
This survey is anonymous, and we want young people under the age of 18 to fill it in, either on their own or with an adult.
The questions ask what sort of device they have, how long they use it for and whether they’ve ever received unwanted messages or attention. It also asks whether they told anyone about these messages if they have received them.
The survey can be completed here:
https://www.smartsurvey.co.uk/s/YouthSurvey2023/
NOTES TO EDITORS:
* UK: children owning mobile phones by age 2021 | Statista
** By the age of seven 53% of children in the UK own a mobile phone, according to YouGov.
The PCC launched a new schools service, called Collaborate Digital at the beginning of the year.
Healthy Relationship Scheme for Schools (kent-pcc.gov.uk)