Highvale Happenings

Engagement & Wellbeing

Thursday 22 June

Highvale Primary School is Committed To The Victorian Child Safe Standards

School Values

Think U Know Parent Information Session

Last night, we held our Think U Know parent session. It was great to see such a large number of parents attend and on a rather chilly evening! Led by Victorian Police Officer Jacylyn, parents were informed of current online trends, opportunities and challenges that children face with technology, strategies to keep your child safe and what to do if something goes wrong.

 

Technology can be positive: 

Not only can technology be fun and engaging, there are an increasing number of careers that exist in this field, from influencer to media roles.

 

We cannot escape technology: 

We need to teach students how to use it safely. As parents, we need to monitor access to devices. Talk your child and come up with agreed behaviours on how to use technology appropriately. Don't ignore it!

 

A good resource is the attached ebook in pdf form, Jack Changes the Game. You may like to read it with your child. There are further resources available on the ThinkUKnow website.

eBook - Jack Changes the Game_0.pdf

 

Be Safe:

Technology should only be used in the communal areas of the house, it should not be used in bedrooms without supervision.

 

Many games have opportunities for interactions with others, this may include other children but may also include adults (sometimes posing as children).

 

Age restrictions: Students putting in an incorrect date of birth because they are too young, can cause an app’s algorithms to show content that is not suitable for them. Parents should be aware of the age restrictions on social media apps. 

 

*Tip: Very, very few social media apps should be accessed by primary aged children and there are good reasons for this!

 

Sharing personal information can happen deliberately or incidentally. Any photos on social media should not provide others with details of your child’s school, address, full names etc. Block out private information and keep profiles secure.

 

To report and incident:

If an incident occurs, there are lots of ways to get help but most importantly – make sure you do get help. There have been instances when children won’t tell parents because they feel like they will get in trouble and try and deal with the problem themselves, sometimes with tragic consequences. Remind your children that they won't be punished, rather, you will support them. 

 

The following information can be used as a checklist for how to make a report to the Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation.

 

1. Collect evidence

When making a report, it is helpful to collect evidence before the content is removed to show police exactly what happened. This includes:

  • Screenshots/photos of the conversation (remember to not screenshot, save, share or distribute any explicit images of the underage person as this is an offence).
  • Record of social media details (including account profile, profile usernames and URL of profile).
  • Webpage addresses (URLs).
  • Dates and times.
  • Any other information you have about the interaction or suspect.

It’s important to capture this information before blocking or deleting the user or you may lose important evidence.

 

2. Block

Block the user and consider changing your account information, including your password.

If you are unsure how to block, check the platforms ‘help’ section.

 

3. Report

Complete the reporting form here which goes through to the Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation for review and assessment.

Online incidents that don’t require a police response can be reported to the platform where the issue occurred. Most platforms have a ‘help’ section that explains how to report or make a complaint.

 

There is no information too small or insignificant. Something that may appear small or insignificant could prove vital to a police investigation. It is important to understand that the police are here to protect children from online child sexual abuse. They will not be blamed or criticised for being a victim.

 

Our student session will take place tomorrow, where age appropriate information will be shared with students.

 

Throughout Term 3, we will share more tips and strategies on how to be safe online. 

 

School Holiday Ideas

You might like to check out this website some ideas for the upcoming school holidays!

https://schoolholidayactivities.com.au/melbourne-school-holidays-activities/

 

I hope you will get a chance to spend some time with your family over the next few weeks.

Parent Supports

Don't forget, listed below are a number of parent resources you can access at any time.

 

Take care,

Josh Crozier

Assistant Principal

joshua.crozier@education.vic.gov.au