It’s important to equip children with the knowledge and skills they need to navigate the digital world safely.
Online safety education helps children understand the potential risks they may encounter online, such as cyberbullying, inappropriate content, and online predators, and empowers them to make smart choices to protect themselves and their peers.
Online Safety in the UK: The Stats
The reality is that online grooming crimes have risen by 82% in six years.
Here’s how the situation stands in 2024, according to research from the NSPCC:
- Since 2017, there have been around 34,000 online grooming offences in the UK.
- A total of 6,350 child grooming crimes were recorded in the year to March 2023.
- Children under 12 made up a quarter of the total victims.
- 80% of children aged 12 to 15 have had harmful experiences online.
- 150 different games, apps, and websites were used to target children.
Tips for Online Safety
Worried about keeping your students safe online? Here’s some tips to tackle different areas of online safety…
Video Games
- Encourage children to play age-appropriate games with content suitable for their maturity level.
- Set clear guidelines for screen time and encourage children to take regular breaks from gaming.
- Teach children about the importance of online etiquette and respectful behaviour when playing multiplayer games.
- Discuss the importance of privacy settings and encourage children to set their profiles to private.
- Remind children to think before they post and consider the potential consequences of sharing personal information or photos online. Digital footprint doesn’t go away!
- Encourage open communication and reassure children that they can come to you if they encounter any issues or concerns on Instagram.
Snapchat
- Educate children about the risks associated with sharing disappearing messages and encourage them to think carefully about who they add as friends on Snapchat.
- Remind children to never share their location or personal information with strangers on Snapchat.
- Encourage children to report any inappropriate or concerning content they encounter on the platform.
Why Online Safety Education Matters
Online safety education plays a crucial role in keeping children safe in today’s digital world.
By teaching children about the potential risks they may encounter online and empowering them to make smart choices, schools can help ensure children stay safe and secure while enjoying the benefits of the internet.
Resources for social safety
Make Life Kind charity has partnered up with Hollyoaks actor and filmmaker Jamie Lomas and Four1 Productions to bring the education sector a brand new online safety film!
Snapcatch is a short film directed by award-winning TV and film director Sean Glynn, written by Sarah Hehir and produced by actress and award-winning producer Rebecca-Clare Evans and Jamie Lomas himself.
Schools can now access Snapcatch and a PSHE pack for FREE, to help raise awareness in the classroom.
Starring: Peter Andre, Junior Andre, Hollyoaks’ Niamh Blackshaw and Steve Connolly.
The film poses the question: Do you ever really know who you are talking to online?
Snapcatch
Tackling the tough topic of online grooming, this film is a must see for young people, parents, teachers, and anyone passionate about making a change to social safety for young people. We’re working together to make the online world safer for young people!
This film is part of a Make Life Kind online safety package, including a lesson plan, workshop and exclusive access to the film.
Available to all schools across the UK, register for your FREE pack through the Make Life Kind website by scrolling down and filling out your details, and we’ll send you a download link!
Let’s work towards creating a safer online environment for all children.