Wellbeing

📱 Keeping Kids Safe Online: Healthy Screen Time & Smart Digital Habits

Supporting children to build safe, balanced online habits is one of the most effective ways to help them thrive in a digital world. The eSafety Commissioner recommends a mix of open conversations, clear expectations, and practical safety steps.

🧭 Healthy Screen Time Habits

• Set clear boundaries — Create predictable routines around when and where devices can be used.
• Model good behaviour — Children learn from what they see. Show them what balanced tech use looks like.
• Use family tech agreements — A simple written agreement helps everyone understand expectations.
• Encourage offline activities — Sport, reading, creative play, and outdoor time help maintain balance.

🔐 Staying Safe Online

• Talk early and often — Regular conversations build trust and make it easier for children to come to you if something goes wrong.
• Use parental controls — Filters and privacy settings help reduce exposure to inappropriate content.
• Check age restrictions — Many platforms have a minimum age of 13 or 16.
• Teach critical thinking — Help children recognise scams, misinformation, and unsafe behaviour.
• Encourage help‑seeking — Let them know they can always talk to you or another trusted adult.

🌐 Helpful Resources for Families 

(Thank you to Rachel Burns for the following suggestions)

For parents, carers and families of young children

• eSafety: Children Under 5 — Practical guidance for introducing technology safely: https://www.esafety.gov.au/parents/children-under-5
• Common Sense Media Articles — Reviews, advice and research on kids’ digital lives: https://www.commonsensemedia.org/articles
• Common Sense Media (main site) — Age‑based reviews of apps, games, movies and more: https://www.commonsensemedia.org/
• Children and Media Australia Fact Sheets — Evidence‑based advice on media use and child development: https://childrenandmedia.org.au/resources/fact-sheets

For children themselves

• eSafety Kids — Games, videos and tips to help kids learn to stay safe online: https://www.esafety.gov.au/kids

For help‑seeking around image‑based abuse

• Report to eSafety — Support and reporting for image‑based abuse: https://www.esafety.gov.au/report
• eSafety: Image‑Based Abuse — Information, advice and steps to take: https://www.esafety.gov.au/key-topics/image-based-abuse
• Take It Down (NCMEC) — A global tool to help remove intimate images online: https://takeitdown.ncmec.org/