We believe it is just as vital for every school and organisation working with children and young people to have an Online Safety Champion as it is to have a First Aider. That’s why we offer everyone who works with children and young people the European Pedagogical ICT (EPICT) Online Safety Qualification.
The EPICT qualification is an excellent opportunity to recognise your knowledge of online safety through an internationally recognised qualification that encourages you to consider ways to support children and young people in managing online risks and using the internet positively and safely. Although it is a qualification for an individual, it aims to focus awareness of everyone working in your school/organisation of the importance of safeguarding children online.
Why should I apply?
Obtaining the qualification can be rewarding from a personal point of view and beneficial to the children and young people you work with. Becoming an Online Safety Champion recognises your online safety knowledge and expertise and raises your profile as the ‘go to’ person in your organisation for questions and help on protecting and supporting children and young people online.
Alongside our multi-award winning 360 degree safe online safety self-review tool, the EPICT qualification demonstrates a commitment to online safety, with opportunities to enhance your own CPD and that of others, as well as the sharing of good practice with others in your community.
Effective safeguarding
With new changes to the Department for Education’s statutory guidance ‘Keeping Children Safe in Education’ coming into force in September 2018, the EPICT qualification offers an excellent opportunity to reflect on your own practice around safeguarding and empowering children and young people online. In particular with regards to contextual safeguarding - the importance of appraising young people’s social spheres and interactions (including online) to inform effective safeguarding policy and practice.
Being an Online Safety Champion is a role well suited to anyone who has specific responsibilities for safeguarding in their organisation.
What’s involved?
Becoming an Online Safety Champion involves around 20 hours of personal research and consideration. Assessment is made through an assignment that reflects on a practical project or piece of work that you have personally delivered on online safety.
A SWGfL assessor acts as a point of contact to provide advice and guidance, as well as assess the assignment. Study is flexible and dependent on pre-existing knowledge but should take no more than 6 months to complete.
How do I apply?
For more information about the EPICT qualification, what it means to be an Online Safety and to apply for the EPICT qualification please visit our EPICT page.
