'We need to teach our kids how to ask for help'

An expert is calling for parents to teach their children how to ask for help when dealing with online issues highlighted in Netflix's Adolescence.

Adeela Ahmed Shafi MBE, professor of education in youth justice at the University of Gloucestershire, said the TV series highlighted "serious societal issues" around the influence of social media.

In the show, Jamie, 13, is arrested after the murder of a girl. Investigations reveal he had been exposed to misogynistic and violent online material.

Ms Shafi said: "One key thing is the wider situation, helping children navigate the internet. We just leave them to it. We have to teach them to recognise things that are more sinister."

Ms Shafi said: "In an extremely powerful way, Adolescence opens up a dark world that many parents would have been completely unaware of, for instance the secret emoji codes children are shown to use to communicate online.

"As parents, we are outside that world and unable to understand it, and I think that's one of the most powerful things that comes through the programme."

She said parents can support their children by helping them to open up and ask for help.

"One of the biggest problems is children don't know they can get help, they might think they're on their own," Ms Shafi added.

She added that while a parent's immediate reaction to the show might be to ask their children whether any of it is happening to them, it is more helpful to allow children to come to them first.

"The show changed our world as adults but it didn't change anything for the children," Ms Shafi said.

"You have to be the learner from your children, they have to be the teacher. Let them lead the way on their terms.

"There's not a quick fix but this programme opened our eyes to what could be going on."

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