Child protection capacity in cyberspace enhanced through training

The training course in Ha Noi has attracted more than 100 participants, including police officers and teachers from provinces and cities nationwide. Over three days, participants will attend 16 training sessions combining specialist knowledge, experience sharing, and practical exercises in training delivery.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Colonel Ha Van Bac, Deputy Director of the Department of Cybersecurity under the Ministry of Public Security, emphasised that cyberspace offers children numerous opportunities for learning, entertainment, and social interaction, but it also exposes them to a range of risks, including harmful content, cyberbullying, online scams, grooming to abuse, and the unlawful exploitation of personal information.

These challenges, he said, require a shift in child protection efforts from primarily preventing and handling violations towards proactively identifying risks, equipping children with self-protection skills, and ensuring timely assistance when they encounter unsafe situations.

According to Colonel Ha Van Bac, protecting children online requires close coordination among state management agencies, schools, families, technology companies, social organisations, and the wider community.

He particularly stressed the importance of adults listening to, respecting, and supporting children. When children disclose unsafe online experiences, adults should respond calmly, offer reassurance, and provide assistance rather than criticising or blaming them, which could discourage them from seeking help.

Highlighting the importance of the ToT model, Colonel Ha Van Bac said the course aims not only to equip individual participants with knowledge and skills but also to develop a network of trainers capable of passing on guidance and expanding online child protection activities within their agencies, organisations, localities, and communities.

The deputy director urged participants to engage actively in the training, exchange experiences, and focus on practising communication and situation-handling skills. He also encouraged them to develop post-training implementation plans that translate the knowledge acquired into practical measures.

He noted that training content are tailored to children's ages, levels of understanding, and individual circumstances, helping them recognise warning signs, disengage from potentially dangerous interactions, protect their personal information, and seek assistance from trusted adults.

Under the programme, participants will receive training on the developmental characteristics of children and adolescents, forms of online abuse, and principles for prevention, receiving reports, providing initial assistance, coordinating responses, and supporting students' recovery.

The programme also places particular emphasis on methods for translating specialist knowledge into practical training materials and activities suited to local needs and conditions.

The ToT model is implemented at three levels: master trainers, teachers, and students. Participants not only acquire knowledge but also receive guidance on training delivery methods, organising training activities, and handling specific situations through practical exercises. Following the course, these trainers are expected to continue providing training for teachers in their respective agencies, organisations, and localities, while strengthening links among support services and improving coordination when children are identified as being at risk of abuse.

Through the School Digital Safety Programme, implemented as part of the “Not Alone” campaign, the organisers aim to strengthen the capacity of teachers to identify risks, provide preventive education, and offer initial assistance when children encounter unsafe situations online.

With UNICEF's support and sponsorship, the training course contributes to building a child protection network based on close cooperation among relevant authorities, schools, families and communities. The programme's effectiveness will ultimately be measured by how successfully the knowledge acquired is applied in practice to enable children to protect themselves and receive timely assistance when needed.

Alongside the training activities, an online handbook entitled “Connect Without Harm” has been launched as one of the key publications of the 2026 “Not Alone” campaign. According to the Digital Trust Alliance, the handbook aims to equip children and adolescents with digital safety skills while helping foster a respectful, responsible, and harm-free online environment.

The handbook features a flexible design that allows students to open it at any page and discover a useful lesson. It also includes diary-style spaces where they can write, draw, ask questions, or record thoughts and feelings they may not yet be ready to share. Animated mascot illustrations in the corners of the pages add an engaging and relatable element to the experience.

Alongside the handbook's launch, the “Five Minutes with Your Child” initiative has been introduced, encouraging parents and other adults to spend at least five minutes each day listening to, talking with, and learning about children's digital experiences.

The initiative seeks to promote greater family involvement and build children's confidence in sharing unsafe online experiences rather than suffering in silence.