Online Safety
The internet is a powerful tool and brings many benefits but must be used responsibly and safely – we recommend families read this Poster that we have displayed around school.
Online Safety – Do you really know?
We all know that allowing our children to access the internet offers great benefits. We know too that we live in an ever-increasing digital age and the internet is very much here to stay. We also know that it exposes our children to a growing variety of potential harm. Schools working in collaboration with families is proven to be an effective way in which children of all ages can be safeguarded against such risks. At Chilton Foilat, Online Safety, is a regular and repeated conversation we have with our children. We also use our newsletter and website to communicate to our families; signposting to resources and providing information. We all know about Online Safety, don’t we…?
I attended my bi-annual Designated Safeguard Leader refresher training earlier in the week. I took from it a wealth of new information including updated facts and figures. Here is just a tiny sample:
• According to the National Crime Agency, the current estimate of individuals posing a threat to children of all ages either through physical “contact” or online is 550,000 to 850,000, as compared to 77,000 in 2016
• The Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) reported a 168% increase between 2020 and 2021 in the amount of self-generated abuse images or videos shared online via a growing number of platforms
• A BBC Case Study showed that 43% of children speak to people they don’t know in real life with half of children aged 8-10 having friends or followers online that they don’t know
• A recent poll from You.Gov.org shows that 10% of all six year olds have their own Smart Phone and another 49% have access to a family device with internet access. The number of children with a Smart Phone rises sharply after the age of nine or ten, and 88% of 12- year-olds are entrusted with their own device.
Other changes over the last two years include:
• An increase in cyberbullying between children of all ages
• A surge in in-game spending/gambling
• Increase in misinformation and fake news
• Increase in traffic to pornographic sites.
Other concerning trends include:
• Increased underage use of Social Media
• Increased risk for vulnerable young people (including mental health concerns)
• Education on these topics seen as outdated and “boring” by children and young people
• Lack of reporting culture
• Parental knowledge/understanding of risks still limited.
As a parent, I am asking myself these challenging questions.
Do I honestly know what online content my children are able to access?
Do I honestly know what opportunities my children have to communicate with others via the
internet and what information is shared?
Do I really know whether my children tell the truth about what they are accessing online?
(That’s a tough one).
We will continue raise awareness about Online Safety and provide access to helpful and accessible resources. Continuing to work in collaboration, I urge you to remain online safety aware.
Regards Mrs Turner
The following sites provide lots of information on internet safety as well as guidelines to ensure that your children use the internet safely and may be of interest to you:
What parents and carers need to know about WhatsApp
What parents and carers need to know about tiktok
Guide to Informing Parents about Harmful Content | TheSchoolBus (hub4leaders.co.uk)
Net Aware – updated NSPCC social media guide for parents
Child Exploitation & Online Protection (CEOP)
Childnet Internet Safety Leaflets