E-safety | Barnsley Safeguarding Children Board

Article: E-safety

Ensuring children and young people are safe when they are online is a key element of Barnsley Safeguarding Children Board's responsibility and commitment to helping children stay safe.

Although use of the internet and mobile technologies opens up a world of exciting opportunities for children and young people and gives them access to almost unlimited information worldwide, it also puts them at potential risk from exposure to innappropriate content; being bullied or blackmailed online, being groomed by paedophiles; having their identity stolen; and of becoming the subject of fraud.

Most children and young people today are very proficient in using technology.  However, their immaturity, combined with a lack of knowledge and understanding of the risks involved, can put them in serious danger. It is vital, therefore, that professionals are appropriately trained to help children and young people develop the skills necessary to keep themselves safe online.

The Children's Commissioner has published these Top Ten Tips for Staying Safe Online for young people

To make sure they are fully aware of the opportunities and risks of the internet, and what to do if something goes wrong,  professionals in Barnsley who work with children, young people and vulnerable adults can access free training through the e-learning course provided by Barnsley Safeguarding Children Board. 

For more information see the e-safety policy map

Ofsted Guidance on their expectations in schools is available here

NEW

This year Safer Internet Day (SID) was on 11 February.  Thinkuknow has lots of free online safety educational resources that you can use with children and young people aged 4 - 17 and their parents and carers.  Visit the Thinkuknow Resources Area to download.

SID focuses on promoting the safe and responsible use of online technology and mobile phones for children and young people and associated activities are planned throughout the week.

This year's theme is 'Let's create a better internet together' encouraging collaborative ways of increasing young people's safety online and on mobiles.

On Thursday 13 February Thinkuknow will launch two brand new microsites, offering information and advice on sexual abuse and exploitation both online and off, directly to young people: Thinkuknow for 11-13s and Thinkuknow for 14+. Both sites will be mobile and tablet friendly

These new sites, developed in consultation with young people and subject area experts, will replace the current Thinkuknow site for 11-16 and will take a more tailored approach to better reflect young people's development in the messages. The new sites provide an opportunity to meet the needs of younger and older teens and to discuss more relevant and hard-hitting issues with an older audience.

The sites will focus on issues such as blackmail over webcam, online grooming, online dating, exploring your sexuality online, relationship abuse, 'sexting' and sexual exploitation, with the issues and their presentation varying across the two sites to reflect the audience. The sites will offer up-to-date information, advice and signposts to appropriate sources of support on each topic. They will also provide advice if young people are worried that their friend needs help with one of these issues. The sites will be kept fresh and relevant through updated 'Q&A' and news sections.

E-Safety Presentations

The presentations from the E-Safety Conference held at Shaw Lane Rugby Club in January last year are available here:

• Features of good and outstanding practice
• CEOP Presentation
• YHGfL Presentation
• Useful Internet Resources
• Initial  Presentation

Please contact safeguardingchildre[email protected]

Further training

If you need further training, you might be interested in the following external courses:

• SQA Internet Safety Qualification  This 20-40 hour unit can be completed entirely online at a relatively small cost per candidate
• CEOP Ambassador Training
• EPICT eSafety Awareness Certificate

Useful websites

Anti-Bullying Alliance	Brings together over 60 organisations into one network. They look to develop a consensus around how to stop and prevent bullying, influence policy, and work to develop and disseminate best practice
Child Exploitation and Online Protection (CEOP)	CEOP tackles the exploitation of children and works with children and parents to deliver the 'Thinkuknow' internet safety programme.
Childnet International	A non-profit organisation working with others to 'help make the internet a safe place for children
Insafe	A European network of awareness centres promoting safe, responsible use of the internet and mobile devices to young people
Internet Watch Foundation	Provides a hotline for reporting illegal content (specifically child abuse content hosted worldwide and criminally obscene and incitement to racial hatred content hosted in the UK) and works to take down such material
Kidscape	The first charity in the UK established specifically to prevent bullying and child sexual abuse
Know IT All	Childnet's multi award-winning suite of education resources designed to help educate parents, teachers and young people about safe and positive use of the internet
UK Council for Child Internet Safety	Brings together organisations from industry, charities, and the public sector to work with the government to deliver the recommendations from Dr Tanya Byron's report - Safer Children in a Digital World.

 Barnsley Safeguarding Children Board Policies and Procedures are available here