Dear Parents and Carers,

At Melton West Primary School we understand

that it is really important for our children to be

safe when they are online. Unfortunately the e-safety incursion for grade 56 students planned for Wednesday July 27th had to be postponed, but hopefully a new date can be found soon.

The internet and online technologies, including mobile phones, are incredible tools for children to explore the world around them and to communicate, learn, play and be entertained. Knowing how to use the internet safely, whether at home, school or in a public place, is a crucial skill for all children to learn.

The internet has become an essential tool for so many aspects of daily living. Most children will interact with the online world in some way, at home or at school. Young people use technology in ways that are different to the way their teachers and parents use it. Children and teens are increasingly using technologies, particularly the internet, as a key part of their social world and an important means to build their identities. To ensure a positive experience in the online environment, children and their parents need to know how to use technology safely.

E-safety is the concept of protecting users as they navigate the internet, especially those most vulnerable. It tries to protect users from potentially harmful content that can be found on apps or websites, or the effects of such content, such as grooming, pornography, or cyber bullying.

The three important areas of risk when it comes to e-safety are content, contact and conduct. Content concerns itself with the material being accessed online, and whether it is harmful, illegal, and/or inappropriate. This can be in a variety of formats, including text, sound, images, or video. Contact is related to the sort of individuals that children interact with online. This includes how they are being contacted and what is exchanged. This leads directly into conduct, which is all about the nature of these exchanges, and whether they are potentially exploitative or harmful.

Online dangers to children include exposure to illegal or inappropriate material, stranger danger, identity theft, invasion of privacy, harassment and cyberbullying. Just like children need to be taught about stranger danger in the real world, the virtual world also has its dangers, and parents need to arm their children with rules and guidelines to help keep them safe.

Mobile phones are no longer just for making phone calls. They have cameras, can be used to send text messages and emails, chat and surf the net, access social networking sites and have tracking devices. This increased mobility means that children can access the internet throughout the day, often when a parent or other responsible adult is not around to monitor or protect them. The ease of access to the internet means that children are at a greater risk of viewing unsuitable content, and of having a friend or stranger making inappropriate contact.

At Melton West Primary we recognise that student wellbeing and safety are essential for academic and social development. We want all our students to learn and develop in a safe, supportive and respectful environment. Together we have a responsibility to provide safe online environments and teach our children how to use technology in positive and productive ways.

Kind regards

Jennifer O’Connor

Assistant Principal.

Community