A new app has been launched in East Ayrshire, aiming to make it more convenient for parents and carers to access school information.
The Safer Schools Scotland app, developed by iNEQE Safeguarding Group and funded by Zurich Municipal, is now available to download from Google Play or the App Store by parents and carers of children and young people attending all East Ayrshire establishments.
Schools have provided parents and carers with information on how to download the app along with an entry code and a QR code.
Once the app has been downloaded you can search for the school your child or young person attends and enter the four-digit entry code or just scan the QR Code and within seconds your school profile will be available on the app.
Parents and carers can also have more than one school on the app, which is really handy for families with children and young people attending different schools.
The app, which has been designed by safeguarding experts to educate, empower and protect school communities; will provide news, a calendar for events, essential updates and information for parents and carers but also contains vital safeguarding information.
The online safety centre will ensure that parents and carers know how to safely support their child or young person’s online activity including learning how to block, report and set safety and privacy settings on popular online platforms like Tik Tok and Snapchat.
Councillor Elaine Cowan, cabinet spokesperson for lifelong learning, education and skills and culture, said: “The app will be similar to the old school apps where parents and carers will receive key information, school news and have access to a calendar but it also contains safeguarding information that will help to keep our children and young people safe online.
"Ninety-one per cent of young people use social media platforms and children as young as three are using tablets accessing social media like Tik Tok.
"It is therefore vital that we are all aware of the dangers, as well as the benefits of being online.
"Many parents and carers think that because their child or young person is tech savvy that they are also tech safe but that isn’t always the case so it’s important to be informed and aware.
“I would recommend that our parents and carers download the new Safer Schools Scotland app today.”
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here