Social Media – A Guide for Parents
Welcome to the last digital safety article of 2023, where we explore the world of technology and how we can work with you as parents and carers, to ensure the safety of our children in the digital world.
As we look forward to the Christmas break, you may be considering how to keep your child safe whilst using social media.
As a school, we use filtering and monitoring on our systems to ensure the safety of students. All searches on our system that are flagged as a concern are blocked and the search and user ID is shared with the safeguarding team for checking and is necessary enabling us to have a conversation with the student. Students do not always have these checks on devices where they are using their own data to access online content.
Following on from our article about Chat Apps, here are some tips to help you ensure that your child is safe when using social media:
Educate yourself: It is important to understand the social media platforms that your child is using. You can find out more about the different social media platforms and their age restrictions by visiting the UK Council for Internet Safety (UKCIS) website1.
Set age restrictions: Most social media platforms have age restrictions in place to protect children from inappropriate content. It is important to ensure that your child is using social media platforms that are appropriate for their age group.
Monitor your child’s activity: Keep an eye on your child’s social media activity and monitor their online behaviour. Encourage them to talk to you if they experience anything that makes them feel uncomfortable or unsafe.
Teach your child about online safety: Educate your child about the dangers of social media and how to stay safe online. Encourage them to think before they post and to never share personal information online.
Focus on the benefits: Social media can be a great way for children to connect with friends and family, share their interests, and learn new things. Encourage your child to use social media positively and to focus on the benefits.
I hope these tips help you ensure that your child is safe when using social media. Remember, it is important to have open and honest conversations with your child about social media and online safety.
https://www.internetmatters.org/resources/ukcis-social-media-guide-for-parents-and-carers/
As a school, we are committed to working with parents to keep children safe online. If you have any questions relating to staying safe online, please contact Helen Kerr, Deputy Head and Designated Safeguarding Lead or John Roberts, Director of Learning for Computing and Business and strategic lead for the use of ICT in school.
