Cyber Safety
Respect Competition
The Australian Government says...
'Being respectful to classmates, friends and to the people around us is important. But what does respect mean to you?'
Students are encouraged to show what respect looks like in their world.
The winner will have their storyboard turned into a 30 second animation by a professional animator and will receive a $500 gift card for them and one for their school.
Everything you need to enter the competition is available here: https://www.respect.gov.au/respectcompetition
Entries close on Sunday 15 September 2024 at 11.59pm (AEST)
The eSafety commission tips for parents
The three key strategies include:
Be engaged, open and supportive
- Get involved with your child’s online activities as a family. Play games together. Talk about favourite apps, games or websites.
- Keep lines of communication open. Ask about their online experiences, who they are talking to and whether they are having any issues.
- Reassure your child they can always come to you, no matter what. Your child may not communicate openly about things that worry them online if they fear being in trouble if they tell you. Let them know you will not cut off internet or device access if they tell you they’re feeling uncomfortable or unsafe online.
- If you notice a change in your child’s behaviour or mood, talk with them about it. If you are concerned, consider seeking professional help – from your GP, a psychologist or school counsellor.
Set some rules
- Use devices, games and apps carefully.
- Set rules for devices and online access, with consequences for breaking them. As they grow in online skills and maturity you can review your rules together.
- Get your child’s input — this will help them understand risks.
- Model behaviour that you would like to see. Children will be more likely to follow rules if they see you doing the same.
- Consider creating a family tech agreement (sometimes called a family media plan or family online safety agreement). This is a set of rules about how devices are used in your home as well as acceptable online behaviour. eSafety has created downloadable templates for families with children under 5 or those with kids aged 5 to 8 years. For families with older children, The Family Online Safety Contract from ThinkUKnowExternal link Australia is a good starting point.
Use devices, games and apps carefully
- Get to know the devices you and your children use and set them up for privacy and online safety.
- Take advantage of parental controls to monitor and control screen time and access to content, based on your child’s age and experience. See our guide to parental controls.
- Choose apps and games carefully, and visit the App Store or Google Play for age ratings and consumer advice.
Refer to the e-safety commissions advice about screen time and online gaming if these are of concern.
The eSafety Guide provides valuable information about the latest games, apps and social media, including how to protect your personal information and report harmful content.
all four character chapters, or watch each chapter separately. There are conversation starters to talk with your child and encourage them to reflect on the online safety messages from each chapter. Use this QR code to access these helpful resources.