Tuesday 7th February 2023 marks Safer Internet Day – a day that calls upon us all to join together and make the internet a safer and better place for everyone, especially children and young people.
The internet is a great way for children and young people to stay in touch with friends, discover hobbies and interests, and to learn and be educated. But online platforms can also bring risks. And with more children and young people online now more than ever, it’s important to talk to children about staying safe online and the apps and sites they’re using. That’s why we proudly support the NSPCC, to protect children’s futures one step at a time.
The theme of this year’s Safer Internet Day is conversations between children and parents. The charity are putting children and young people's voices at the heart of what they do and encouraging them to shape the online safety support that they receive.
The NSPCC has a range of guidance and support on topics such as online games, parental controls and sexting, as well as guidance on how to start conversations about online safety with children. Speaking to children about online dangers certainly doesn’t come without difficulty, but the NSPCC is here to make it easier for parents and carers to do so in simple, effective and age-appropriate ways.
This Safer Internet Day, we are pleased to be highlighting five NSPCC resources designed to support parents and carers in keeping children and young people safe online:
1. Use the NSPCC’s GAME acronym to get started with teaching children about online safety.
2. Get to grips with social media platforms and how to mitigate their risks of online abuse and grooming, by reading the NSPCC’s detailed guide.
3. Access the NSPCC’s resources created in partnership with Ambitious about Autism for teaching children with Special Educational Needs or Difficulties (SEND) about online safety.
4. Introduce your child to Childline’s Coping Kit – full of activities and tools for children and young people to use when they might be feeling low or overwhelmed.
5. If something does happen, be confident in knowing how and where you can report your concerns of online abuse.
This year, the charity have also teamed up with the LEGO Group to help promote their Build & Talk online safety resources. The fun, free activities to help parents and care givers talk with their children about online safety and through the joy of LEGO play. Click HERE to see parents and their kids build and talk with LEGO bricks.
We all have a responsibility to keep children safe on and offline all year-round, which is why we are pleased to continue our partnership with the leading children’s charity.
Read more about our partnership >
Author: Stacey, published 02-02-2023.
