Wellbeing

Leah Rintoule

 

Student Wellbeing Coordinator

 

Dear Parents,

 

Did you know that on average Australian Teens spend up to 14 hours per week online ?

 

 And according to the eSafety Commissioner as many as 4 out of 10 Teens have had unwanted contact online?

 

The Auburn Wellbeing Team would like to emphasise with all Parents and Carers the importance of having regular conversations with their Young Person about Online Activity and Online Safety. 

 

These days this means knowing more than just which apps they use and if their accounts are set to ‘private.’ For example you could ask them;

 

- How they meet people online, if they blocked anyone and why, what information they give out, if they have met up with anyone they met, which DM’s (direct messages) they reply to.

 

All families manage technology differently but having a Tech Agreement/Rules that take into account your child’s age and developmental stage is a good starting point for early secondary years and then allowing more independence as they show that they can manage health online interactions. All interactions we have online become part of young peoples ‘Digital Footprint’ which is a relatively permanent record of your online activity which can impact their futures.

 

A good place to start can be:

 

-  Including discussions about online activity as part of your regular check in with your      young person

- Have clear expectations around technology use, online safety

- Upskill yourself about online platforms that they use so you are more informed

 

FOR PARENTS - https://www.esafety.gov.au/parents

FOR STUDENTS - https://www.esafety.gov.au/young-people

Digital Footprints - https://www.kaspersky.com/resource-center/definitions/what-is-a-digital-footprint