The Health Minister Robin Swann has launched the Safeguarding Board for Northern Ireland’s (SBNI) new Online Safety Hub to help young people, carers and professionals access education and support. The Hub was developed in partnership with Ineqe Safeguarding Group, and delivered as part of the NI Executive’s Keeping Children and Young People Safe: An Online Safety Strategy. It brings together expert advice and resources from a range of partner organisations so that audiences can easily access advice and resources all in one central place.
The Council for the Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment (CCEA) have produced a new resource called ‘Digital for Life and Work’ to support teachers in deciding what aspects of online safety and acceptable online behaviour they may want to teach their pupils. It covers six key areas including (i) Digital Wellbeing and Online Safety (ii) Digital Etiquette and Identity (iii) Digital Security and Privacy (iv) Digital Consumer (v) Digital Law, and (vi) Digital Proficiency.
In partnership with the Department of Education and INEQE Safeguarding Group, Safer Schools NI has been made available to all schools in Northern Ireland for free. The Safer Schools NI App is a digital safeguarding communication toolkit full of online safety resources, up-to-date advice and guidance, available to school staff, parents, carers and pupils.
The NSPCC have created a virtual workshop for parents and carers with information about how to support their child in the online world. The 40-minute pre-recorded presentation is available on YouTube and covers topics such as online bullying, mental health and social media, as well as signposting to resources and organisations for help and support. The workshop can be shown to groups of parents in school or community settings as well as being helpful for individual parents/carers.
Source: The Safeguarding Board for Northern Ireland
The Safeguarding Board for Northern Ireland (SBNI) has published two spotlight reports on the screen time debate; and cyberbullying, based on findings from the broader Growing Up Online evidence report by Stranmillis University College. The publications, draw on research from a survey of 6,481 children and young people aged 8-18, and focus groups and interviews with 95 participants including young people from mainstream primary and post-primary schools, special schools and youth club settings, as well as parents/carers, teachers/school leaders, and professionals working in the field of online safety. The research will help inform the development of the future year 4 and 5 actions associated with the NI Executive’s Keeping Children and Young People Safe: An Online Safety Strategy.
The Health and Social Care Adoption and Foster Care Service have launched a new version of the Fostering in a Digital World app. The app allows users to see a range of activities and updates and you can log-in to access specific advice and functions that provide guidance on how to navigate safely through the digital environment.
Source: The Causeway Coast and Glens Policing and Community Safety Partnership
The Causeway Coast and Glens Policing and Community Safety Partnership working jointly with the NSPCC, Northern and Western Health Trusts and the Education Authority have developed an Online Safety and Mental Health Cyber Toolkit aimed at schools and youth group setting. The toolkit features animations, lesson plans and supporting resources for use with 10-12 year olds on a range of online safety topics.
Ofcom has published three new research reports on children’s experiences of harmful content online exploring: violent content; content related to suicide, self-harm and eating disorders; and cyberbullying. These research reports will form part of the evidence base used by Ofcom to draft new codes of practice to help tech firms meet their responsibilities to keep children safer online under the Online Safety Act.
Your go-to guide for navigating the digital world safely! Each episode, talks about the top online safety news, topics and trends that matter to you, speaking to experts in digital and online safety, and getting good advice that you can use to stay safer online.
More than a Game: Exploring neurodivergent young people’s views and experiences of online games
Source: Internet Matters
Supported by Roblox, Internet Matters have published new research into neurodivergent young people’s experiences, behaviours and attitudes towards online gaming. The More than a Game report explores how neurodivergent young people can be better supported online, so that they can enjoy the benefits of online gaming whilst reducing the risks. Internet Matters have created a series of videos and guides to help neurodivergent young people benefit from games.
Ofcom have published a new Call for evidence on the third phase of online safety regulation
In Conversation with – an IWF podcast covers topics including tech, encryption, policy and how these impact the criminal circulation of child sexual imagery online
NSPCC Learning has published a blog post looking at why it’s important to explore what young people mean when they talk about ‘friends’ they’ve made online, as part of its Why Language Matters Series
Department of Justice Don’t do it. Don’t tolerate it campaign to raise awareness of the new sexual offences including “upskirting,” “downblousing” and “cyber flashing”
Police Service of NI issue advice on how to recognise the common signs of online grooming, as part of its campaign with Safeguarding Board for Northern Ireland to educate young people and parents and carers about online risks and reporting pathways
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