Our pupils had some very informative sessions on Safer Internet Day learning about Social Media Usage, Online Gaming and the warning signs to look out for with Online Grooming.

We then had a session for parents about understanding what their children are doing online and the functions available on the apps and games they use.  They discussed questions about their child's internet use including:

Can they chat with others?

Can they connect with people they don't know?

What kind of content can they be exposed to?

What are the age ratings of the games and apps they use?

What setting are available to limit risk and encourage a more positive environment?

They also set up some Action Steps for Parents & Children to work together including:

• Sitting down with their children to explore privacy settings in the games and apps their children use.
• Encouraging parents to ask children to show them how they BLOCK & REPORT people in the games they play (lots of children can say you should, but not all know how to).
• If they use social media, determining if their accounts are private or public - a lot of children are not sure.

If we all (school / parents / carers) work together, we can create a safer online environment for our children. Please use the following links for further resources:

Parenting in the Digital World -  Resource pack:

https://thestaysafeinitiative.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/Parents_Online_Safety_Advice_Sheet.pdf

Parenting in the Digital World – Getting help Video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VXfjT_CTYuI