“Online safety refers to the act of staying safe online. It is also commonly known as internet safety, e-safety and cyber safety. It encompasses all technological devices which have access to the internet from PCs and laptops to smartphones and tablets. Being safe online means individuals are protecting themselves and others from online harms and risks which may jeopardise their personal information, lead to unsafe communications or even effect their mental health and wellbeing”.
National Online Safety
Blame the Bully, not the technology
Bullies cause cyber bullying and the internet and technology are tools that they use to help make that happen. Taking away your child’s access to the internet won’t necessarily solve the problem. That said, your child may wish to stop using social networks or other things for a while and all of that will need to be talked about and agreed by you and your child together.
Consider if and how you will respond to the bully
Bullies want a reaction of any kind so we suggest to children and young people that they don’t respond at all to online bullies but to report them and block them instead, and to talk to someone they can trust about it. You may want to respond to the bully. If that’s the case, do this when you have had time to consider what your want to say calmly and carefully.
You may want to explain to the bully that you’re now aware of what’s been going on, have saved the evidence of the bullying and have/or are going to report them to the website or social network they have been using, their school (if they are a child and you know them), their parents (if you know them) or the police if you think what’s happening is serious enough.
Save the evidence
Save the bullying if possible for evidence. This could include saving text messages or keeping a record of what’s been happening online. If the bullying is happening online but you can’t save it due to the system that’s been used you can use something called ‘print screen’ or ‘screen capture’ to copy information into a document and save that separately as evidence. If you’re not sure how to do this you can search for instructions online.
Use Reporting Facilities
Many social networks allow users to ‘report abuse’ and ‘block’ users. As a parent, guardian or carer you may want to encourage your child to find out (if they don’t already know) how they can report someone online so that they feel confident to do it if they need to. It’s also important for children to understand the need to report people for cyber bullying before they ‘block them’ so that action can be taken.
Get your school involved
If you think your child is being bullied online by someone from their school contact the school. Individual schools will have their own policies on bullying / cyber bullying. Whatever the policy if your child is being bullied by someone from their school or someone they don’t know, they may need support of some kind during school hours.
If the bully is from your child’s school that may need some support too so by making a report, you can help. Although each case is different, generally schools should make it very clear what their approach is to bullying (including online bullying).
The following parental control checklists have been created by the South West Grid for Learning…
Keep talking
Any form of bullying can make a child feel alone. Cyber bullying can happen day and night, on school days and weekends. This can be not only upsetting but really tiring. Keep talking with your child to reassure them and let them know that they are not to blame.
When to contact the police
If you think that the level of bullying is serious and that your child is at risk of harm telephone Devon and Cornwall Police on 101 and ask to speak with your local Police Community Support Officer or Youth Intervention Officer. In an emergency always telephone 999.
Like the offline environment there are laws in the UK that apply online. Although each case is different, cyber bullies shouldn’t be surprised to receive a visit from the police if what they have been doing has resulted in a criminal offence. You can find out more about the law at GOV.UK.
Online gaming things to think about
- Does my child’s gaming device have parental controls that I can use?
- Who is my child interacting with? Are they adults or children?
- If my child is playing games online with strangers, what types of things can we both do to help make that experience safer?
- What type of language are people using in the games and is it appropriate for my child?
- Does my child understand the risks of sharing personal information (e.g. name, email address, phone number) when gaming?
- Does my child know what to do if they are being bullied by another player?
- Does my child know what to do if another player does something to make them feel uncomfortable or frightened?
- What type of content is my child viewing?
Online gaming things to talk about
If you don’t play online games you might not be sure how to talk about gaming with your child but there are some things you can ask them like:
- What type of games do you like most? (for example Action, Fantasy, Adventure, Fighting, Racing etc).
- Can you choose the type of character you play in the game?
- What are the characters like?
- What types of things can you do in the game?
- What types of people can you meet in the game?
- What types of things do people like to talk about?
- If someone is being a bully or making you feel uncomfortable, how can you report them in the game?
- Can I have a game with you? (Having a go on the game is a pretty good way to learn, you might have fun but you should probably expect to lose!).
How old?
The PEGI system gives age ratings to products to help adults decide if a game is suitable for their child. As well as age ratings, products feature ‘descriptors’ which show why a product has received a certain age rating. For example this might be because it contains violence (including sexual violence), discrimination, depictions of alcohol and drugs, or bad language.
Support
The following links provide safety support and guidance for their respective consoles and devices.
Parental controls won’t protect children from issues like cyber bullying, losing control over pictures/videos that they’ve shared or getting a bad online reputation.
Parental controls can be put on televisions, computers, gaming devices and mobile devices like tablets and phones. If you’re not sure how to use (or if you even have) parental controls, contact your service provider and ask them. Not all parental controls are free of charge so you may want to check that out.
Activating parental controls
Internet Matters.org has produced guides to setting up parental controls across a number of platforms. You can find out more by clicking the image.
The following parental control checklists have been created by the South West Grid for Learning…
We’ve been surfing the web to look at a number of websites for companies that provide internet services and find their ‘parental control’ pages. If you’re with one of the following service providers, please visit their website to find out what service is available to you.
Why do people sext?
Sexting is usually deliberate (i.e. people choose to do it) and is often when someone takes an intimate or sexually explicit image of themselves and sends it to another person (for example a boyfriend or girlfriend). Although it’s completely natural for young people to want to explore their own sexual identity and their relationships, sexting can be really risky and have very serious consequences.
Sexting and the law
If anyone under the age of 18 is sexting (i.e. sending indecent images of themselves), they’re also breaking the law. You can find out more about sexting and the law on the Think You Know website but in brief it’s a criminal offence to:
- TAKE an indecent image of someone under the age of 18 (which includes someone taking an image of themselves).
- MAKE an indecent image of someone under 18 (i.e. copy it or save it to another device).
- SEND an indecent image of someone 18 to another person.
- ASK someone under 18 to take an indecent image of themselves.
- HAVE an indecent image of someone under 18.
As a parent a good thing to remember about the law is that it is there to protect young people from harm and from being exploited and it’s not designed to punish them for making genuine mistakes.That said, every case is different and is always dealt with based on the circumstances and facts involved.
Talking with your child about sexting
Talking about sex isn’t always easy. Like lots of things though it’s better to talk about a subject before anything happens.Many children and young people don’t fully understand the laws about sexting or some of the consequences.
The Childline website has some great information for children and young people about sexting but it’s a good read for parents too.
‘So you got naked online…’ is a resource that helps and advises young people who may find themselves in a situation where they (or a friend) have put a sexting image or video online and have lost control over that content and who it’s being shared with.
The NSPCC website has useful information for parents and guidance for addressing the subject with young people.
Online sexual chat
If someone is making your child feel uncomfortable about sex you can report them to CEOP. This might be someone:
- chatting online with your child about sex
- asking your child to do sexual things on a webcam
- asking your child to send sexual images of themselves
- trying to get your child to meet up with them offline
If this is happening make a report to CEOP. You can also contact Devon and Cornwall Police on telephone 101 (non emergency calls) or 999 (emergency calls only).
What is CEOP?
CEOP is the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Team within the National Crime Agency. They exist to help children and young people who are being approached online about sex or being sexually abused.
Sharing nudes and semi-nudes: advice for education settings working with children and young people
Published in March 2024, this document provides schools with useful information on dealing with incidents.
Lots of social networks have privacy settings which are tools that you can use to help control who sees the information that you share online. Most social networks also have ‘report abuse’ and ‘block’ tools to help you take control of how others behave towards you.
Any information you share online like photos, videos or comments can stay online for a very long time. When you share something online other people can copy it which means that they then have control of it. This means that even if you delete something you’ve shared, someone else might have it.
Reporting and blocking
If you’re using social networks find out how you can report and block people. If someone is doing or saying something that you don’t like or if they’re making you feel scared or uncomfortable, it’s up to you what you do depending on how you feel, but you can report them online, save the evidence, block them and tell an adult you trust.
Remember that you can choose your online and offline friends. If you don’t want to be friends with someone online anymore, remove them from your social networks.
Online friends
Offline the world is filled with a whole range of people some of them nice, some of them mean, some of them just plain dangerous. Online it’s just the same so it’s smart to be careful when choosing your online friends.
Keeping secrets can be fun but some secrets can be dangerous. If a stranger or a friend you have only met online asks you to keep a secret then you need to tell an adult you trust straight away because they might not be who they say they are. People who respect you will never ask you to keep secrets from other people who are close to you like your friends and family.
Sharing information
Technology means that the things we share online can be seen by lots of people. Information can also be shared really quickly. It’s always smart to think before you post. Ask yourself what could happen if other people like your family or your teachers saw what you were sharing online.
General things to think about for you and your family
Use the tools available to keep your family and your devices safer
Set up parental controls. Some systems have them built in and are free, others you can pay for. You may want to look at several options and decide what’s best for your family.
Keep your technology (including phones) up to date with security software.
Use strong passwords that include letters, numbers and symbols and use different passwords for different accounts.
If you’re using social networks, check out the privacy settings and make sure they are activated.
Report online abuse.
Be careful of what you share online
Read the terms and conditions for social networks. There might be a lot there to read but you could be agreeing to hand over control of your online content if you don’t.
Never share personal information like phone numbers or email addresses online.
Be cautious about the type of information you might be sharing with people you only know online.
Be careful about the types of images you post and share as once they are out there you’ve pretty much lost control of that content.
Use webcams carefully. If you’re talking with people you know and trust offline you may be confident, but remember that webcam ‘conversations’ can always be recorded.
Create a great online reputation
Our children learn things from us so how we as adults behave online affects how our children behave. In terms of your own online reputation, nearly all of the advice for children is relevant for adults.
Search for yourself and members of your family online. This will help you manage what information is available about you in the public domain.
Treat others online as you would like to be treated.
Delete old accounts that you’re no longer using.
Be careful what you share.
Know who you’re sharing information with.
Understand that whatever you share online you might lose control of.
Always report abuse.
Staying safer in social networks
- Use privacy settings – they’re there to protect you not restrict you. A guide to setting your privacy settings has been published by ParentInfo
- Some websites ask you to use your real name but you may be able to choose a username too. Use a nickname if you can.
- Avoid using a picture of yourself for your profile – use a picture of something you like instead.
- Don’t include personal details in your profile, like your phone number, your email address or home address.
- Read the small print. For lots of social networks you have to sign up certain things, and some of those things could include rights to share what you’re posting online. Know what you’re signing up for.
- Don’t accept friend requests from people you don’t know offline. If you are going to accept them, be very careful about what information you share with them.
- Find out how you can report people on the websites you’re using.
- Block someone if they are being mean or sending you things you don’t like.
- Only ever speak with someone on a webcam if you know and trust them offline.
- Remember that what someone does on a webcam can be recorded.
- Say no to things you don’t want to do. If you don’t want to go on a webcam you don’t have to. If someone is cool they’ll respect that.
- Listen to yourself. If a person or situation online doesn’t feel right trust your instincts and speak to someone offline who you trust for advice and help.
- To find out more about staying safe in social networks check out Think You Know and Childline.
General family online safety advice
For general online safety advice we recommend a trip to Get Safe Online.
Parental control checklists (created by the South West Grid for Learning)
Social Network Support/Help sections
Elearning
Provider: Open Learn
published: Free
Are you a technology optimist or a technology pessimist? The amount of technology available to children today is greater than in any previous generation, and it is more specifically designed to capture their imaginations. There is heated debate as to how the digital influx is shaping children’s development and experience.
Provider: NSPCC
published: £35.00
Do you know your Fortnite from your Snapchat? Do you know the role online technologies play in children and young people’s lives and the risks they might face? The online world brings many positives and possibilities, but it’s also full of risks – and it’s constantly changing. Developed by the NSPCC in association with NCA-CEOP, the child protection unit of the National Crime Agency, this elearning course will help you to understand what children and young people do online, why they take risks and how to respond to these risks so you can feel confident in protecting the children you work with.
Provider: NSPCC
published: £25.00
This course explores these motivations as well as issues around consent, gender, additional needs and age variations. It looks at the risks involved and what steps you need to take to respond appropriately. It also covers how to recognise when sharing imagery is harmful sexual behaviour and how you can safeguard the young people involved.
Podcasts
In Conversation With Tegan Insoll, Head of Research at Suojellaan Lapsia, and Dan Sexton, Chief Technology Officer at the IWF. New research shows online offenders are choosing end-to-end encrypted messaging apps to contact children and to spread child sexual abuse material amid renewed calls for Meta to rethink its planned roll out of end-to-end encryption on Facebook Messsenger.
Media literacy is crucial in helping to build a safer life online. It empowers us to become informed digital decision-makers and, importantly, to identify and protect ourselves and others against harmful content. It’s also our ticket to fully participating in society, at a time when keeping connected with the world, services and people around us has never been more important.
According to new research by the children’s commissioner for England, one in 10 children have watched pornography by the time they are nine years old. And teachers say the effects are being felt in schools. So what makes young people vulnerable to this kind of content, and what impact might it have on their brains and behaviour?
Throughout the podcast, it was highlighted that the topic of pornography is considered to be an important conversation for young people to have. The presenters discuss the difficulty of addressing pornography with young people, and the ways to address the subject in an appropriate setting that encourages healthy conversation.
The SafeToNet Foundation’s Safeguarding podcasts focusses on safeguarding children in the online digital context. We cover the technical, legal and cultural aspects of topics such as cyber-abuse, cyberbullying, sexting, sextortion, digital wellbeing and how to keep children safer online.
SWGFL have just released their latest podcast episode for Interface which discusses the online wellbeing of young people and how they can develop healthier relationships with technology. This episode they are joined by guest speaker Catherine Knibbs, UKCP accredited psychotherapist and cyber trauma expert, who speaks with Jess McBeath and young podcast presenter Ailish Hunter around the subject.
Video
Websites
The game features some familiar faces: Sam, Alfie and Ellie from the Play Like Share animations are continuing their adventures and helping children to build their knowledge, confidence and skills to stay safe from sexual abuse and other risks they might encounter online.
BBC’s own it is a place to find help, support and advice on how to life your best online life. From being safe and kind online, to dealing with bullies, scams and trolls. The Basics covers different parts of the online world, whether that’s social media, gaming, vlogging or getting to know your device.
Helping children be safe and confident explorers of the online world, To make the most of the internet, children need to make smart decisions. Be Internet Legends empowers younger children to use the web safely and wisely, so they can be confident explorers of the online world.
The National Crime Agency’s CEOP Education team aim to help protect children and young people from online child sexual abuse. They do this through their education programme, providing training, resources and information to professionals working with children, young people and their families.
(Formerly ThinkUKnow)
Childline is here to help anyone under 19 in the UK with any issue they’re going through. You can talk about anything. Whether it’s something big or small, our trained counsellors are here to support you. Childline is free, confidential and available any time, day or night. Get help and advice about a wide range of issues, call us on 0800 1111, talk to a counsellor online, send Childline an email or post on the message boards.
Fully Human is the research and development arm of the PSHE Association. It’s our place to think, stretch out and join the dots between this fast changing world and what might best support children and young people to navigate it.
Get expert support and practical tips to help children benefit from connected technology and the internet safely and smartly. Find information and safety settings for your child’s devices and apps, along with guidance to tackle online issues they may face.
Get expert advice and guidance across a range of subjects about online dating and relationships
Increasingly, young people are being contacted in their own homes on online platforms and apps and asked for sexual pictures and videos, while their parents and carers are totally unaware. From the Internet Watch Foundation, this provides information and a downloadable resource to encourage conversation and keep young people safe.
The helpline is available to anyone working with children and young people dealing with any online safety issues. We mostly hear from schools but we support all sorts of people and organisations such as; police, social care, sports clubs, churches, mosques and other places of worship, further education settings, small charities, soft play spaces, and more.
Report Remove is here to help young people under 18 in the UK to confidentially report sexual images and videos of themselves and remove them from the internet.
In response to the growing concern around the rise of sextortion cases seen from the three UK Safer Internet Centre partners, this page is there to offer support and guidance for how to respond to incidents and concerns. This page is primarily for young people who have been affected but if you are an adult concerned about sextortion, you can find advice from the Revenge Porn Helpline.
From socialising online to in-game purchases to the future of interaction, find out everything you need to know about online safety in gaming.
Social media offers a connective power unlike any other. Although we may all be very familiar with liking, sharing, hashtagging and streaming, social media has taken the world by storm in quite a short space of time. As one of the most accessible and available platforms to connect with others, many young people will start their social media journeys from quite a young age. Throughout this hub we’ll guide you on everything you need to know about social media and how you can raise awareness around online safety.
Sexting continues to be a concern that many educational establishments reach out to the Helpline about for support. Cases involving sexting are often multifaceted and complex, and every school will have different safeguarding policies to help address a sexting incident.
The Dark Web Explained has been created by the National Crime Agency in collaboration with The Children’s Society and Marie Collins Foundation. This resource has been developed in response to recommendations from professionals and from research which found that many professionals, parents and carers do not understand the Dark Web and feel unequipped to talk to a young person about it should the need arise.
The Mix is the UK’s leading support service for young people. We are here to help you take on any challenge you’re facing – from mental health to money, from homelessness to finding a job, from break-ups to drugs. Talk to us via our online community, on social, through our free, confidential helpline or our counselling service.
The campaign, aims to help open a dialogue between parents and teens amid warnings the sharing and soliciting of nudes is becoming “normalised” among young people. Called ‘Think before you share’, it also warns young people about the pitfalls of sharing their own and others’ explicit images.
Documents
Author: SWGFL
Published: 04-12-2024
Whether you’re new to X or an experienced user, managing your profile can sometimes feel overwhelming. The X Checklist simplifies this process by addressing the most common questions people have about their profiles. Available to download or order online.
Author: SWGFL
Published: 29-11-2024
The way young people communicate online is constantly evolving and it is essential that young people are provided with up-to-date advice and support. With the latest online safety concerns in mind, SWGfL has released a new version of So You Got Naked Online, to provide children, guardians and teachers with essential advice on what to do if a young person (or a friend) has put a sexting image or video online and have lost control over that content and who it’s being shared with. Available to download or order online. SEND version also available.
Author: Gov.UK
Published: 20-11-2024
The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology has announced new online safety priorities for Ofcom as it continues its work to implement the Online Safety Act. Ofcom will have to report back to the Secretary of State on what action it has taken against the priorities. The draft Statement of strategic priorities for online safety focuses on five key areas: implementing safety by design; increasing transparency and accountability of online platforms; maintaining regulatory agility to keep pace with changing technology and behaviour; building an inclusive and resilient online society of well-informed users; and supporting continued innovation in safety technologies. The Government has also announced plans for a new research project looking at the effects of smartphones and social media on children to help build the evidence base around online harms.
Author: NSPCC
Published: 16-08-2024
This briefing uses insights from Childline counselling sessions and NSPCC Helpline contacts to share the types of responses children receive after they have told someone about their experiences of online harm or abuse.
Author: SWGFL
Published: 28-03-2024
Report Harmful Content is a national alternative dispute resolution service provided by the UK Safer Internet Centre and operated by SWGfL, empowering anyone over the age of 13 and living in the UK to report harmful content online.
Author: SWGFL
Published: 28-03-2024
Report Harmful Content is a national alternative dispute resolution service provided by the UK Safer Internet Centre and operated by SWGfL, empowering anyone over the age of 13 and living in the UK to report harmful content online.
Author: Ofcom
Published: 14-03-2024
This research explores the pathways through which children encounter violent content online, the impact this can have, and perceptions and use of safety measures. It also provides an overview of children’s description of what violent content looks like, which they said was an ‘unavoidable’ part of being online. Content warning: This report contains mention of potentially distressing themes regarding children’s experiences with violent content, including sexual violence. The report contains generalised descriptions of specific pieces of violent content, but detailed descriptions have been omitted.
Author: Gov.UK
Published: 11-03-2024
This non-statutory advice aims to support designated safeguarding leads (or equivalents) and senior leadership teams in education settings in England in responding effectively to incidents involving the sharing of nudes and semi-nudes.
Author: Internet Watch Foundation (IWF)
Published: 25-01-2024
Young people are being contacted in their own homes on online platforms and apps and asked for sexual pictures and videos, while their parents and carers believe they are safe. More and more sexual abuse material is created by offenders who coerce and groom children into sexual activities, often in children’s own bedrooms and bathrooms. They then record this via webcams or livestreaming services. It’s known as ‘self -generated’ child sexual abuse imagery. This is happening now, and it can happen to anyone. But you can do something about it; you can help prevent it happening to your child. If you’re asking yourself what and how, this guidance will help you.
Author: Cerebra
Published: 25-01-2024
All parents understand the importance of Internet safety. Our guide outlines some suggestions to help you limit the risk of your child having negative experiences online and understand what action can be taken if they do. This guide also suggests resources that will help your child get the most out of the Internet.
Author: IWF/University of Southampton
Published: 11-01-2024
In 2021, the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) ran a public awareness campaign with the aim of building public resilience to the threat of self-generated indecent imagery of children. As part of the monitoring and evaluation of the campaign, three surveys were conducted on the issue: one before the launch of the campaign, one following the first six weeks of campaign activity and one at the end of a further six weeks’ activity. The purpose of the secondary analysis was to produce insights into both parents’ and children’s awareness, understanding and behaviour in relation to self-generated indecent imagery.
Author: Centre of Expertise on Child Sexual abuse
Published: 01-11-2023
“Our ‘Key messages from research’ papers aim to provide succinct, relevant information for frontline practitioners and commissioners. They bring together the most up-to-date research into an accessible overview, supporting confident provision of the best possible responses to child sexual abuse. This paper focused on children and young people who display harmful sexual behaviours in online contexts.”
Author: Centre or Expertise on Child Secual abuse
Published: 01-05-2023
This resource is for social work practitioners and managers. It has been designed to aid their thinking and decision-making when assessing and supporting a family where a parent is under police investigation for accessing child sexual abuse material. It provides social workers with the information they need to safeguard and support the whole family at a time of great emotional distress.
Author: Youth Justice legal Centre
Published: 01-01-2023
This guide will provide an overview of ‘sexting’ and will explain how to defend a child who has an allegation of sexting made against them.
Classroom Resources
#LiveSkills is a package of resources for 8-18 year olds focusing on live streaming, one of the most popular online activities for children and young people.
Category: Online Safety
Audience: KS2
Developed by: CEOP
Duration (minutes): 20-30 x3
Keywords: live streaming, confidence, self-esteem, negative attention, abuse
It explores the features of live streaming and the specific risks children and young people can face, including:
Three 20 minute activities for 8-11 year olds on building confidence and self-esteem in children, and knowing who to trust online
Three 20 minute activities for 8-11 year olds exploring positive and negative attention
A live streaming case study for young people aged 13+ looking at an example of online sexual abuse of a young person via live streaming
Article for young people aged 11-18 focusing on identifying and responding safely to pressure online
A 30 minute presentation for parents/carers explaining live streaming, the risks for young people and tips to support their child to stay safe. This can also be adapted to deliver to professionals
CEOP Talks Relationships is a 6 week campaign helping teachers to educate and support young people in building healthy relationships.
Category: Healthy Relationships, Online Safety
Audience: KS3
Developed by: CEOP
Duration (minutes): 60 x 6
Keywords: Rights, healthy relationships, Nudes (Sexting), law, consent
Week 1 – Starting new relationships
Week 2 – Rights in relationships
Week 3 – Healthy sexual experiences
Week 4 – Sharing nudes and semi-nudes
Week 5 – The internet’s impact on relationships
Week 6 – Creating positive attitudes and cultures
It will also signpost you to a range of our free resources that you can use with young people, parents and carers, and colleagues, that will help to promote healthy relationships and tackle online sexual harassment, online sexual abuse and non-consensual nude image sharing amongst secondary aged young people.
Developed in collaboration with the National Cyber Security Centre, this pack supports an interactive video resource to develop students’ key knowledge, skills and behaviours — to help them navigate the risks of online life.
Category: Online Safety
Audience: KS3
Developed by: National Cyber Security Centre/PSHE Association
Duration (minutes):
Keywords:
There are 3 new lessons available in total, covering:
Lesson 1 – Cyber security and the implications/threats
Students will learn about the risks to personal information online, and how to protect personal information
Lesson 2 – Managing devices and accounts
Students will learn how to keep accounts and devices safe, and what to do if security is breached
Lesson 3 – Identifying scams and sources of support
Students will learn how to identify signs of online scams, where to report cyber security incidents and what happens when reporting
A lesson plan to help young people aged 11-14 manage their online lives and build their digital resilience.
Category: Online Safety
Audience: KS3
Developed by: Childnet
Duration (minutes): 45-60
Keywords: resilience, experiences, strategies
Digital resilience is a key skill that we want young people to develop. Whilst going online can be incredibly fun and enjoyable there can also be times when a young person can feel upset, not good enough or left out.
These are the occasions when young people will need strategies to help themselves and also to help their friends if they are having a difficult time online.
This lesson aims to look at the positive and negative experiences young people have online, consider the impact they may have and devise ways to build digital resilience.
Understanding healthy and mutually respectful relationships
Category: Exploitation, Healthy Relationships, Online Safety
Audience: KS3, KS4
Developed by: CEOP/NCA
Duration (minutes): 3 x 60
Keywords:
The Exploited film and accompanying lessons aim to help young people understand healthy and mutually respectful relationships; including what healthy and unhealthy features look like in both online and offline contexts and how to report concerns of abuse.
Jessie & Friends is a three-episode animated series which aims to equip 4-7 year olds with the knowledge, skills and confidence they need to help them stay safe from sexual abuse and other risks they may encounter online.
Category: Online Safety
Audience: KS1
Developed by: CEOP
Duration (minutes): 20-30 x3
Keywords: abuse, online behaviour, safety, rights, sharing
Jessie & Friends follows the adventures of Jessie, Tia and Mo as they begin to navigate the online world. They learn that while the internet can be an exciting place where they can learn and have fun, sometimes they may encounter things online which make them feel worried, scared or sad.
The films are accompanied by a comprehensive resource pack for professionals, with session plans for each episode and guidance on safe and effective delivery. Also available are subtitled versions of the animations, storybooks, and posters for parents/carers and children.
(CEOP membership required)
A free lesson pack to help upper KS2 pupils make safe cyber choices and prevent them from unknowingly committing cybercrime, as defined under the Computer Misuse Act 1990.
Category: Crime and ASB, Online Safety
Audience: KS2
Developed by: NCA/PSHE Association
Duration (minutes): 2 x 30
Keywords:
Making the right #CyberChoices features a series of fictional characters and real-life, age-appropriate scenarios to encourage pupils to think about why young people commit cybercrime, and the potential consequences — for themselves and others. There are also opportunities for pupils to consider how the same skills being used to commit cybercrime could be used in a more positive way.
Online pornography, healthy relationships and body image
Category: Healthy Relationships, Online Safety
Audience: KS3
Developed by: Childnet
Duration (minutes): 3 x 45
Keywords: body image, healthy, pornography
With Relationship and Sex Education (RSE) becoming statutory in all schools from September 2020, schools need practical, thoughtful and helpful resources to help them teach RSE. Myth vs Reality, our new PSHE Toolkit for 11-14s explores the topics of online pornography, healthy relationships and body image. This toolkit is an extension of our hugely successful practical PSHE toolkit ‘Crossing the Line,’ which aims to generate discussions amongst young people aged 11-14 about their experiences online.
An online safety teaching toolkit for educators to deliver with young people aged 11-16 with special educational needs and disabilities.
Category: Bullying, Online Safety
Audience: SEND
Developed by: Childnet
Duration (minutes): 60+
Keywords: Safe, Trust, Action, Respect, Friendship, Cyberbullying
An extensive teaching toolkit to equip, enable and empower educators with the relevant knowledge they need to support young people with special educational needs and disability (SEND).
Focuses on inaccurate and pervasive information online and opens up discussions to develop critical thinking skills.
Category: Online Safety
Audience: KS2, KS3
Developed by: Childnet
Duration (minutes): 60
Keywords: Grooming, Online reliability
This resources aims to educate young people on inaccurate and pervasive information that they might come across online. Developed in partnership with the London Grid for Learning (LGfL) Safeguarding Board, the resource contains lesson plans for both primary and secondary level that discuss how to think critically around the areas of content, contact, and propaganda material that may seek to persuade or change young people’s views.
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