Cyber specialists offer free support to schools and parents

Two organisations in eastern England are offering practical advice to parents and schools on cyber safety for young people.

Experts from the Eastern Region Special Operations Unit (ERSOU) and the Eastern Cyber Resilience Centre (ECRC) have joined together to provide a series of webinars on a range of topics focused on internet safety and risks that children and young people may face online. 

Officers and staff from ERSOU’s Cyber Protect and Cyber Choices teams will host three free and educational events, which will take place across multiple dates throughout the year.  

Cyber security and introduction to Cyber Choices session for UK Education Staff 

This one-hour webinar is designed by a former teacher to highlight basic cyber security advice that will help individuals improve their personal cyber security and that of their school. 

The session will: 

• Highlight current trends and provide actionable steps that attendees can take and nationally approved resources, like those created for the education sector by the National Cyber Security Centre.
• Introduce the National Crime Agency's Cyber Choices Programme.
• Highlight free local and national police resources that can support the school.

Wednesday 5th February 16:00 – 17:00 - Link 
Tuesday 29th April 16:00 – 17:00 - Link 
Wednesday 2nd July 16:00 – 17:00 - Link 
Tuesday 2nd September 14:00 – 15:00 - Link 
Wednesday 5th November 16:00 – 17:00 - Link 
Tuesday 13th January 2026 16:00 – 17:00 - Link 

 

Cyber Security Awareness Session for UK School Governors / Senior Leaders 

This two-hour webinar is designed to bring governors up to speed around threats facing schools as well as highlighting strategic areas that school management and governors should be aware of.   

The session will: 

• Highlight cyber security threats that the education sector face. 
• Raise awareness of the schools' duties around cyber security. 
• Inform attendees of the questions to ask to ensure schools are fulfilling their duties. 
• Highlight free local and national police resources that can support the school further in this area. 

It’s recommended that people first attend the 'Cyber Security and introduction to Cyber Choices - UK Education Staff' session before attending this more strategic overview, which provides good base knowledge around threats and terminology, and this session will build upon. 

Thursday 6th February 16:00 – 18:00 - Link 
Wednesday 7th May 18:00 – 20:00 - Link 
Wednesday 11th June 18:00 – 20:00 - Link 
Tuesday 23rd September 10:00 – 12:00 – Link 
Tuesday 18th November 16:00 – 18:00 - Link 
Wednesday 21st January ‘26 18:00 – 20:00 - Link 

 

Parents & Carers Cyber Choices and Online Safety Events 

Please note there are two parts to the parent events, and each will require independent registration. 

 

Part 1 - Introduction to Cyber Choices and Online Risks 

This session is suitable for parents and carers of children in Year 5 (age 9) and above and is an opportunity to learn and ask questions regarding your child’s online world. 

This session will introduce you to the Cyber Choices programme and will provide: 

• An overview to parents and carers on what cybercrime is and what the risks to young people are. 
• How the Cyber Choices programme supports at-risk individuals and how you can refer a young person into Cyber Choices. 

You will also receive an overview of: 

• Some of the potential risks that children and young people may experience online. 
• Advice to support parents to make informed decisions and keep their children safer online.  

Wednesday 12th March 10:00 – 11:00 - Link 
Tuesday 22nd April 13:00 – 14:00 – Link 
Thursday 15th May 16:00 – 17:00 - Link 
Tuesday 10th June 10:00 – 11:00 – Link 
Wednesday 9th July 19:00 – 20:00 – Link 
Monday 8th September 14:00 – 15:00 – Link 
Thursday 16th October 16:00 – 17:00 – Link 
Tuesday 25th November 10:00 – 11:00 - Link 

 

Part 2 - Tools and techniques to improve the cyber security of your family 

This session is suitable for parents and carers of children in Year 5 (age 9) and above. This is an opportunity to learn and ask questions regarding your child’s online world. 

This session will: 

• Provide advice on how to improve your personal cyber security. 
• Help you to identify and protect your (and your children's) key accounts and highlight the benefits of family accounts. 
• Identify threats and techniques that cyber criminals may use to target you / your family. 
• Identify parental controls on your router. 

Advice and guidance from the session will be in line with the Government's Stop! Think Fraud and the National Cyber Security Centres CyberAware campaign. 

 

Wednesday 19th March 10:00 – 11:00 - Link 
Monday 28th April 13:00 – 14:00 – Link 
Thursday 22nd May 16:00 – 17:00 - Link 
Tuesday 17th June 10:00 – 11:00 – Link 
Wednesday 16th July 19:00 – 20:00 – Link 
Monday 15th September 14:00 – 15:00 – Link 
Thursday 23rd October 16:00 – 17:00 – Link 
Tuesday 2nd December 10:00 – 11:00 - Link