Safeguarding Children Online
Online Safety is about using technology safely, especially technology that can access the internet or be used to communicate with others.
Viewley Hill Academy recognises that the internet, mobile and digital technologies provide positive opportunities for children and young people to learn, socialise and play but they also need to understand the challenges and risks.
Technology is becoming an integral part of children’s lives; it entertains them, engages them and motivates them. As a result, the use of technology has become a significant component of many safeguarding issues. In many cases such as child sexual exploitation; radicalisation; bullying: technology often provides the platform that facilitates harm. We are committed to teaching children how to use technology safely and confidently by minimising risks through appropriate behaviour and responsible choices.
The rules for online safety apply to any technology or device that can be used for communication and/or has access to the internet. This includes:
- Computers and laptops
- Tablets
- Mobile phones
- Smart watches
- Games Console
Children can use them access to chat rooms, and other sites where they may be at risk. Many of these platforms, and the chat groups within them, are invisible to adults who may not be made aware of what is being posted online until they receive a disclosure. In this digital age, online safety is a concern for all who work with, or are parents/carers of, children and young people.
Online culture
Sometimes when thinking about online safety, we focus on risks/harms such as cyberbullying, sharing images without consent, child exploitation and radicalisation. However, we also know that the online world can compromise the well-being of an individual in terms of sleep, self-esteem, confidence, peer pressure and the fear of missing out. Opening conversations around children and young peoples lived experience in their families, education settings and communities can create opportunities to help.
Think about the culture around online life within your home:
- Do children/young people feel under pressure to reply on social media throughout the night?
- Is their body confidence being compromised?
- What is the conversation around vloggers/influencers/photo-filter usage, etc?
- Are older siblings/relations/friends allowing internet access to younger children, either deliberately or inadvertently?
- Are children making in-app purchases (accidentally or on purpose) without consent of parents? (Pre-school children understand more about how to work devices than many people, including their parents.)
Types of risk/harm
The number of online issues that could be regarded as harmful is considerable, but they can be categorised into four areas of risk:
- Content: exposure to illegal, inappropriate or harmful materials, e.g., pornography, fake news, racism, misogyny, self-harm, eating disorders, suicide, radicalisation and extremism.
- Contact: being subjected to harmful online interactions with other users, e.g., peer pressure; cyberbullying; adults posing as children or young adults with the intention to groom or exploit them for sexual, criminal, financial or other purposes.
- Conduct: personal online behaviour that increases the likelihood of/causes harm, e.g., cyberbullying; allowing apps/websites to access location; accidentally sending inappropriate and/or indecent images and information to a device’s contact list; obsessive use of the internet and ICT, for example, addiction to video games, social media self-image and number of likes
- Commerce: finance-based risks (both as victims and perpetrators), e.g., in-game spending; inappropriate advertising; phishing and/or financial exploitation
Online abuse is any abuse (such as bullying, grooming, exposure to pornographic and extremist materials, radicalisation and sexual/criminal exploitation) that is carried out using internet-connected technology. Online abuse may take place through social media, messaging apps, emails, online gaming, live-streaming sites or other channels of digital communication.
Teaching Online Safety in School
As part of our Computing curriculum, children are taught online safety as a regular lesson within the learning sequence. Each half term, the unit of learning commences with a lesson on internet safety, which will be revisited throughout the learning. This knowledge is reviewed regularly and pupils are reminded of the SMART rules for staying safe online from www.childnet.com.
Supporting Parents and Carers
In the ever-changing landscape of the online world, we are committed to supporting children, families and our community as they navigate this world. (Click on the images below to be taken to their sites.)
Childnet provides a toolkit for parents to initiate conversations about online safety with their children, set boundaries, and find support.
Thinkuknow provides resources for parents and children of all ages, with information on staying safe online, reporting concerns, and understanding potential risks.
Internet Matters offers age-specific online safety checklists, guides on parental controls, and practical tips for parents to help their children navigate the digital world.
The NSPCC provides guidance and support for parents on topics like setting parental controls, talking to children about online risks, and understanding various social networks, apps, and games.
UK Safer Internet Centre offers tips, advice, and resources for parents, including guides on parental controls and safety tools on social networks and other online services.
Google Family Safety Center offers tools and tips for parents to manage their children’s online experiences, including setting safe search options on Google and YouTube.
If you are concerned regarding a child experiencing online bullying or another online issue has worried you please speak to a member of school staff, or you can you can report this concern directly to CEOP (Child Exploitation and Online Protection) https://www.ceop.police.uk/safety-centre/. Alternatively, you can telephone Childline at any time on 0800 1111 or visit them at www.childline.org.uk.
