Online Safety – Making space for conversations about life online

On Tuesday 7th February, we celebrated National Online Safety Day. The children cover online safety in a variety of ways throughout the school year as it is something of great importance in the technology driven world that we live in.

It’s important to recognise the exciting opportunities that going online can offer children and young people.

Although your children may use the internet differently to you, their experiences are still significant.

If your child mentions something you haven’t heard of, ask them to show you, or explain in more detail, or you may need to do your own research.

Try to keep conversations broad, and value their opinions when they’re talking about what they enjoy doing, to show that you are interested in all aspects of their online world.

The NSPCC has produced some helpful advice around starting conversation with young people about using the internet, looking at:

• Parents and carers being positive and open minded about the internet
• How we should talk early and often
• We should create a safe space for conversations with young people about the internet
• It is important we keep the conversations and information relevant
• How parents and carers can be proactive to create shared boundaries and agreements around technology

There is also information on how to talk about difficult topics linked to online safety and what to do if a child raises a concern about something online.

You can find this information and much more here:

NSPCC – Want to talk about it? Making space for conversations about life online