ARAs August begins, many children and young people will already be enjoying their summer break. It has been a tough year again for schools throughout the UK and no doubt the summer enjoyment is much needed. But as children and young people step away from the school grounds, it’s common for internet usage to go up around this time, especially around social media.
That’s why it’s important for parents and carers to promote online safety as much as they can throughout the summer break. Luckily, there’s plenty of resources, guidance and tools available to use at home. Not only that, professionals throughout the UK can get a head start on their teaching plans throughout this time. Jump into some of the resources below and get the information that’s right for you!
Resources and Tools
ProjectEVOLVE
Get a head start on your teaching plans for September by exploring the new knowledge map feature from ProjectEVOLVE. The innovative cartoon concept generator is there to help you spot gaps in your students’ knowledge about essential online development. The analytics will help guide you towards what material to prioritise for your class whilst highlighting where strengths and weaknesses lie.
Inclusive Digital Safety Hub
The Inclusive Digital Safety hub is packed full of resources, guides, research and a forum to provide tailored advice for parents, carers and professionals to help children most at risk to thrive online. Resources and advice support LGBTQ+.
Social Media Checklists
In the dark about Tiktok? Not sure what Roblox is? Worried about content on Netflix? Luckily, SWGfL along with leading social media giants have created these handy downloadable checklists that tell you everything you need to know about using social media apps safely. We offer Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, Instagram, Roblox, Tiktok and Netflix. Download them today!
Swiggle
Swiggle is the easy-to-use, ad-free search engine designed specifically for kids! Powered by Google, Swiggle encourages children to use the internet responsibly. Harmful content and inappropriate material is consistently filtered with educational resources being prioritised in online results. Parents can set Swiggle as their default home page to ensure children are safe in their online activity whilst actively promoting education.
Online Safety Guidance Leaflet
Online spaces, games and media form a large part of young people’s lives. It offers a platform to connect with others and learn about new things. If you understand the situations they encounter, you’ll be better placed to offer them advice on how to deal with them. We have developed a printable, pocket size leaflet that gives parents and carers points to consider when it comes to understanding and dealing with online situations.
Resource Page for Parents
With so many new bits of information being published about online safety, it can be difficult to keep track of where everything is! SWGfL have put together a page designed specifically for parents and carers, ensuring every piece of guidance is easily found. Resources include advice on video conferencing and data security.
Helplines
We operate three specialist helplines, each designed to deal with a specific area of online safety, The Revenge Porn Helpline, Professionals Online Safety Helpline and Report Harmful Content. Not sure which helpline to contact? Not to worry, we’ve put together a handy flow chart to help you decide who to talk to if you have any issues or concerns over the Summer break.
As always, have a fantastic summer!
