Online Safety Guidance For Parents
Please Read : Online safety
You many have seen in the news recently that the Government is investigating a potential social media ban for under 16’s. With this in the news and the latest online gaming risks which include: high exposure to grooming and toxic, hateful behaviour, addiction related health issues and account takeovers and malware to name but a few, the world of online safety can be overwhelming to navigate safely for your children.
The Government has launched an initiative providing tools for parents to help manage their children’s online safety and exposure to harmful content called: You Wont Know Until You Ask Campaign
This is an incredibly useful resource, which is full of practical advice and websites for parents to help you feel more confident and the steps you can take to protect your child online.
One of the really useful websites is : https://kidsonlinesafety.campaign.gov.uk/ which gives step by steps guides to help you keep your child safe online.
Please explore this resource and talk to your child about their online life. Physically monitoring your child’s online activity and ensuring they are safe has never been more important. Being aware and able to talk to your child about their online life and the risks they will come across will help to keep them safe and well.
Some statistics from OfCom for the NSPCC:
Research from Ofcom (2024) estimates that 84% of 3- to 4-year-olds in the UK are going online. The proportion rises to 100% for children aged 12-years-old and over.
19% of children, aged 10- to 15-years-old, exchanged messages with someone online who they never met offline
Over 9,000 child sexual abuse offences involved an online element in 2023/24
Around a sixth of people that experienced online harassment offences were under 18-years-old
Under 18-year-olds were the subject of almost a quarter of reported offences of online blackmail in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
“Griefing” and abusive behaviour. (Almost half of 13-17 year olds are highly concerned about trolling (47%), abusive behaviour (45%) and intentional harassment (37%) during their online play).
In-Game Grooming: Voice and text chat services in multiplayer, combat-themed games are increasingly used by perpetrators to target children.
Extremist recruitment: Online gaming platforms, particularly those with user-generated content, have been used by extremist groups to recruit children and normalise violence.
Please contact the safeguarding team at school if you would like help or support with any online safety concern.