Online gaming is an easy and popular way for kids to entertain themselves but sometimes, even the simplest of games can pose hidden dangers. Currently on our radar, is a game called LINE Play. Created in 2012, LINE Play is a smartly-designed interactive social networking game targeted at younger children. Enticing them to play through colourful and cute challenges, LINE Play has over 75 million users and is gaining traction in Australia at a rapid rate. In a nutshell, in the game users create an avatar of themselves and decorate and furnish a home, make their own clothes, garden and go on adventures to complete challenges. The jewels, coins and potions they collect during these adventures allows them to further develop their world within the game.

LINE Play is similar to games like Animal Crossing and Little Big Planet. So why do you need to be aware of LINE Play? Well, just like many games that have been created for social networking, LINE Play poses a number of safety risks to young, vulnerable children:

Users are required to become friends with other users (strangers) to meet specific challenges and to grow the game
The game has a private messaging function including private chat rooms and parties that can’t be switched off so children can be contacted by other users from anywhere around the world
There have been many recent reports of LINE Play being used for online grooming and children being exposed to inappropriate content

As games like LINE Play surge in Australia, it’s really important that educators are aware of the potential risks and are able to get the support they need for talking to students and parents if an incident arises.The Safe on Social Schools Toolkit, offers you this support through:

Self-paced teacher training
Student training complete with lesson plans, activities and supporting videos featuring online safety expert Kirra Pendergast
A Toolkit dedicated to education for parents
Over 85 readily available and easy to digest cheat sheets
24/7 support from my team of cyber safety experts

Learn more about helping your students stay safe online and keep up with changing trends with the Safe on Social Schools Toolkit.

Mobile Phone Safety

At St. Patrick's we have a no mobile phones policy for students. If for some reason your child needs to have a phone before or after school, they must hand their phone in at the front office before they go to class and pick it up again before they leave in the afternoon. During the school day students can always be contacted by a phone call to the front office. If students are found with a phone during the school day, the phone will be confiscated and parents will be notified.

A reminder also that all phone capabilities of smart watches need to be disabled or sim cards taken out while students are at school. If students are found to be using their smart watch in this way they will also be confiscated and parents notified.

These policies are in place for the safety and well-being of all our students and we thank you for your ongoing support.

SOCIAL MEDIA HELP

Kids Helpline. 1800 55 1800. Phone support is there all day, every day. Online support is open from 8am-midnight every day (AEST).

Suicide Callback Service. 1300 659 467. Phone support all day, every day, and follow-up calls.

eHeadspace. 1800 650 890. Open 9am-1am daily (AEST).

Lifeline. 13 11 14. Phone support all day, every day. Online support 7pm-4am daily (AEST).

Beyondblue. 1300 22 4636. Phone support all day, every day. Online support 3pm-midnight every day.

If a life is in danger call Triple Zero (000) right now.

Parents please DO NOT send any devices with your child to school if the device has access to the internet. Children need to always be supervised when on the internet.

Thank you for your support in keeping our children safe.

https://www.esafety.gov.au/kids

www.esafety.gov.au

eSafety’s website – www.esafety.gov.au – is a place where parents / educators can go to find useful and evidence-based advice about online safety.

Staying Safe

ThinkUKnow is a website that provides information for parents and students about cyber safety and the responsible use of technology. Understanding how young people use the internet and what they enjoy doing will help you to recognise any suspicious or inappropriate behaviour. It will also help you to talk with your child about their online activities if they think you understand the online environment.

(http://www.thinkuknow.org.au/site /)

https://www.safeonsocialtoolkit.com/pages/home

https://www.parentingideas.com.au/blog/why-first-borns-rule-the-roost/

https://www.safeonsocialtoolkit.com/pages/home

https://ccsp.schoolzineplus.com/parenttalk?nid=9

Cyber safe families

Refer families to the following resources to support their children in being responsible online users:

Cyber safe families – an overview of cyber safety

Technology and wellbeing – useful tips and tools

Digital citizenshipExternal link – a collection of articles and resources to maximise students’ use of technology.

SPORT

Swimming