Tameside SCB

Children and young people often know more than their parents/carers do about the use of modern technology, such as social networking, mobile phones etc. Therefore for adults it can feel quite scary. But there is plenty of advice and guidance available and much of this can be accessed via the Safeguarding Library.

The TSCB has guidance for practitioners, available on the TSCB website:

Safeguarding Children in the use of Electronic Media

E-safety Scaffold  - Guidance on writing E-safety/acceptable use policies for schools and other agencies that work with children and families

Guidance for Setting up a Facebook Group targeted at young people 13-18 years. Creating a Facebook group is becoming a popular way for organisations to engage and communicate with the young people they provide services for. Whilst we should embrace this opportunity to engage with young people through a medium with which they are comfortable and familiar, organisations considering this option should also give full regard to their duty of care.

Advice on Child Internet Safety

The Department for Education has published guidance for all organisations and Internet Service Providers (ISPs), compiled by members of the UK Council for Child Internet Safety (UKCCIS), on child internet safety. Issues covered include chatting online, sharing information online, gaming and networking.

‘Munch, Poke, Ping’ is a report produced for the UK Government's Training and Development Agency (TDA) in 2011. It considers the risks which vulnerable young people, excluded from schools and being taught in Pupil Referral Units (PRUs), encounter online and through their mobile phones. It considers what specific advice, support and safeguarding training staff working with these vulnerable young people need when it comes to understanding social media and mobile technology. 

There is also a range of resources available on the internet and here is a sample of them.

KidSmart - is a practical internet safety programme website for schools, young people, parents, and agencies, produced by the children's internet charity Childnet International.

The Child Exploitation and Online Protection (CEOP) Centre is dedicated to eradicating the sexual abuse of children. That means that CEOP is part of UK policing and very much about tracking and bringing offenders to account either directly or in partnership with local and international forces.

CEOP has particular expertise and resources on keeping children safe in the so-called 'virtual world' of the internet. This includes advice and guidance for parents on CEOP's Thinkuknow website here.