Wellbeing News

Student Safety Online

As we start our new school year, we would like to remind parents about the importance of keeping tabs on your child/ren on social media and online group chats.  Generally the year 5/6 students access social media however,  we are not sure what other year levels are on social media. 

We know our students increasingly engage with technology and online communication. Whilst online chat groups can appear to be a fun and easy way for students to stay connected, our experience has shown (for younger children in particular) that large group chats often come with significant challenges, including the risk of cyberbullying or unkind messages, and the pressure to constantly check and respond. These platforms can create anxiety for children who feel overwhelmed by the volume of messages or excluded if their families choose not to participate in these online groups. 

At St Brigid’s we work very hard to provide a welcoming, inclusive community where every student feels valued and connected. Large chat groups can undermine these efforts, and for this reason, we do not endorse or encourage their creation. Instead, we ask families to help us reinforce the importance of in person connections and open circles of friendship. 

We strongly encourage parents to take an active role in monitoring all online interactions. In line with the advice from the Australian eSafety Commissioner, parents are encouraged to always consider:  

• Are you aware of what your child is posting, and have you discussed safe and responsible online behaviour? 

• Is the group size my child is engaging with manageable and inclusive? 

• Are the conversations respectful and aligned with our family values? 

• Does your child understand what is safe to share online? 

• Does your child know how to manage and report negative online experiences? 

We are also working with Inform and Empower to support our children at school in relation to CyberSafety.

Thank you for working with us in partnership to nurture an environment that is kind, inclusive and connected.