Student Wellbeing 

Parenting and online safety for our children

The way we manage our children’s online safety varies depending on our values, our capacity as parents and our knowledge of helpful practices. 

In 2018, the eSafety Commission conducted a survey of 3,520 Australian parents of children aged 2–17, collecting information about the online safety experiences of one child as reported by a parent. Some of its main findings highlighted: 

• the importance of the role parents play in keeping their children safe online,
• their concerns about their capacity to deal with online safety issues and maintain privacy, and protect them from unwanted approaches from strangers, 
• approaches to parenting varied depending on the age of the child. 

There were many questions and topics covered and I encourage you to read the report. 

In this article, we focus on some of the report's findings, as they may be helpful to bring a sense of awareness and understanding to the tricky-to-navigate-world of online safety parenting.

The survey results indicated that parents showed less confidence about possible actions for dealing with the online issues their child might face. For example, while most parents (80%) felt confident using digital devices such as smartphones:

• 51% of parents understood how to use safety features on social media apps and games 
• 46% of parents were confident in dealing with any cyberbullying that their child might face
• 46% of parents knew where to go to get help for their child’s online safety issues 
• 46% of parents felt confident in dealing with the online threats that their child could face

You may be one of those parents who fit within the range that is outlined above, or you may be reading this article and reflecting on your knowledge and thinking, "maybe I could benefit from some further support in this area". 

Here are some potential strategies that you could begin to implement if you haven't already (these can be adapted appropriately to the age of your child/ren)

1. Build an open and ongoing dialogue with your child about their online activities. Encourage them to share their experiences and any concerns they might have. Building trust and understanding will make them more likely to approach you if they encounter any issues.
2. Establish clear guidelines regarding screen time, app usage, and online behaviour. Discuss appropriate content, interactions, and the importance of respecting others online. Consistency in enforcing these rules is key to creating a safe online environment.
3. Keep up to date with the evolving landscape of social media and online safety. New apps and platforms emerge frequently, along with new risks and challenges. Staying informed ensures you can adopt strategies to protect your child effectively.
4. Remember that many social media apps have age restrictions of 13-years-old or higher. Seriously consider preventing your child from allowing your child to use these apps until this age at least. 
5. Connect with other like-minded parents who have similar values and are making similar decisions. This will help to build a support network and also lend authority to your decision, especially when your child inevitably states “But everyone else has it!”.
6. Check out this resource on practical strategies to employ for young people online. It was created by Bullying. No Way!  Which is a government initiative that provides trustworthy and practical information about bullying for educators, families and young people. Some suggestions they give are:
   1. Regularly check the privacy settings on your child's apps as most start with minimal privacy settings. 
   2. Have conversations with your child about their online presence and how they present (what photos am I showing or how do I treat others?) 
   3. What to do if abusive behaviour or online bullying occurs. It is important to note here that the eSaftey Commission survey reported that when it came to seeking and receiving online safety information. Only a minority of parents were found to have done so. 

We all know that parenting is such a gift, privilege and blessing. But it can also be really difficult at times, especially as we need to navigate not only their relationships with others in the physical world, but the online world as well. This is not easy, especially as technology and app development is forever progressing at a faster and faster pace. But as parents, we have a responsibility to engage our children, help educate them, prepare them and help them to make safe choices. So connect with others, stay informed, get support and reach out for help if you need it. 

Lastly, if you have any questions or would like some further support at school, please contact the Wellbeing Team.