Vulnerable children and young people from traumatic backgrounds in Dorset are to benefit from an online safety project.

The courses are being run by charity Families for Children and cover everything from exposure to unsuitable content and using privacy settings, to coping with cyberbullying.

The courses are also tailored towards children who have been adopted, to help them avoid the risks of being contacted by people involved in care proceedings.

Older children who may want to find their birth parents will learn about the dangers of trying to do this through social media, and will learn safer methods provided by social workers.

Adoptive parents will also be taught about what children are able to access online, managing the threat of online grooming and radicalisation, and how to have positive conversations with young people about the internet.

The project was launched by Families for Children following a grant from the PCC's Safer Dorset Fund.

The charity specialises in placing vulnerable children from across the UK – many of whom have experienced abuse or neglect or who may suffer from foetal alcohol disorder – into safe and secure families in the South West.

The organisation has now begun providing internet and social media safety sessions to these young people and their adoptive families, as part of their package of post adoption support

Antonia Poole, from Families for Children, said: “Children are growing up in the online world and learning how to stay safe is now an essential life skill for young people and families.

“However, because of the trauma many of these children have been through, they are more vulnerable than most and so it’s really important they are given specialist advice about internet safety.”

Martyn Underhill, Police and Crime Commissioner for Dorset, said: “Making sure vulnerable people know how to keep themselves safe is a major priority of mine.

“This is a fantastic project which is providing an important service to young people who have already been through terrible experiences and deserve all the help and support that is available to enable them to go on to become confident and valued members of society.”