Parents are being urged to look out for signs of online grooming as children in Kent spend more time at home.

With schools closed and lockdown continuing for another three weeks, young people who would otherwise be out of the house may now be searching for things to keep them occupied.

And with more people turning to the internet, Kent Police is reminding everyone of the steps that can be taken to keep young and vulnerable people protected from online abuse.

Detective Chief Superintendent Andrew Pritchard said: "This is an extremely worrying time for families who may be feeling anxious and dealing with new and difficult living situations.

"As a result it may be harder than usual to spot the signs of online abuse.

"Whilst there is nothing to suggest more children are being groomed at this time, there is a potential for more young and vulnerable people to fall victim to predators who may take advantage of the health crisis and seek to enter homes without leaving their own.

"Keeping children and vulnerable people safe is a top priority for us and significant resources are dedicated to tackling this issue.

"As the public continues to play their part in social distancing and saving lives, we will remain committed to keeping people safe both outdoors and at home."

The force says it is important that children using mobile phones, tablets and computers know what is right and what is wrong, especially when using instant messaging services.

Crucially, children should only ever speak to people they know personally and report anything suspicious to their parents or the police.

Parents are advised to check what restrictions are in place, with most devices or internet access having parental controls available.

They should also ask their children to be open and honest about their passwords and profiles.

'It is important we all continue to do our bit to keep children safe, not just at this unprecedented time but always...'

Parents should also talk about the risks when uploading and sharing private information as it is not certain whose hands it will end up in or who can see it.

DCS Pritchard added: "We have invested in educating young people about online dangers and the chances of a real child meeting someone they’ve met online and becoming a victim of this sort of offence is extremely low.

"Rest assured the force has specialist detectives who are trained to work in this field and have the skills and resources needed to carry out investigations in the most appropriate way.

"It is important we all continue to do our bit to keep children safe, not just at this unprecedented time but always."

Further advice from police includes keeping computers in communal rooms, checking online privacy settings, using strong passwords and not accepting social media requests from strangers.

To report online abuse, visit here.

The NSPCC has also shared internet child safety advice - visit here.

To get the latest updates in ongoing cases, police appeals and criminals put behind bars, click here

Read more: All the latest news from Kent