A REMINDER TO REMAIN VIGILANT WHEN CHILDREN ARE ONLINE

Children can learn, explore, play and make friends online. But there can be risks. Your child might accidentally see upsetting content, be contacted by strangers or experience bullying. They might also miss out on important things like spending time outside.

Talk about online safety as a family.

Let your child know they can always come to you if something happens online that makes them feel scared or upset. Ask your child to show you the games and apps they use.

Set up family rules together

As a family, you can choose some easy rules to help keep everyone safe online. You can include things like where devices can be used, what games and apps your children can use, and how much time can be spent online. Most devices and apps have features to set limits on how they are used. There is information to learn more about parental controls and settings. Use app features to set limits on how much time they spend on sites.

Social media platforms (like Facebook, Tik Tok and Instagram) are great for connecting with family and friends through messages, images and even videos. But there are also risks, like seeing harmful content, being treated badly, or being sent inappropriate messages.

Three questions to ask:

Most platforms need you to be at least 13 years old to join. But a child also needs to be able to manage the risks. Three questions to ask your child are:

• What would you do if you saw something harmful online?

• How can you tell if an online message or person is safe?

• Who would you go to if something bad happened to you online?

The eSafety Guide on the eSafety website can help you make your child’s account safe. It is also a good idea to supervise your child because children are more likely to ask for help when adults are interested and nearby.

Encourage them to:

• be kind to themselves and respectful of others

• avoid sharing details that could make it easy for someone to find them (like their school uniform or home address)

It is never okay for someone to be pressured, bullied or harassed online.

Use The eSafety Guide to find out how to report any problems to the social media platform. If the platform doesn’t help, contact eSafety to help find the right support.

Online games can be lots of fun for your child while helping them learn and make friends. But there can be risks, like seeing violent content, being bullied, or being contacted by strangers. Thankfully, there are things you can do to help your child stay safe when they are playing games online.

Use the settings on your child’s device and on the game to block unsuitable content and stop them buying things in the game. They should also make up a screen name to keep their real name private and use a password that is hard to guess.

Learn about the games your child likes by playing with them. It will also help you identify possible risks.

You can also:

• talk to your kids about who they are gaming with and what games they play.

• gaming can be very rewarding, try to find other ways for them to have positive experiences.

• talk to your child if you are concerned about their gaming. You can also get help from a counsellor at Kids Helpline or Parentline.

Let your child know that they can tell you if anything worries them or makes them uncomfortable, like if someone says inappropriate things or asks them for private information like their address. Let your child know that bullying, racism, or abuse is never okay, and that they can report it. Use The eSafety Guide to learn how to report online abuse. If the gaming platform doesn’t help, contact eSafety to help find the right support.

(Australian eSafety Commissioner)

Our school has policies and procedures in place to keep students safe online at all times. Students from Prep to Year 6 learn about online safety and appropriate behaviour through the curriculum, lessons and educational experiences.

eSafety must be of the highest priority both at home and at school. We encourage you to discuss online safety regularly with your child and monitor all sites and activity. It is important for home and school to maintain a strong and consistent partnership in this area to support all children to be safe online.

Please contact the school if you have any questions or concerns.

Jane Dunstone

PRINCIPAL

From the Deputy Principal's Desk