| Safeguarding Children Online |
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To access the full guidance click here. Every child and young person in Tameside should be able to participate in an enjoyable and safe environment and be protected from abuse and these same principles apply in the online environment. This is the responsibility of every adult in Tameside. The World Wide Web (the internet) has developed significantly over recent years from a medium predominately used to research and seek information to a medium used to socialise and interact with people from all over the world; this second generational use of the internet is commonly known as the Social Web or Web 2. The internet offers tremendous benefits and opportunities for children and young people and this procedure is certainly not intended to curtail any potential for fun, entertainment and learning. However, as with any social space, using the internet will pose some risks for children and young people particularly if they are unaware of the way that information / technology can be used by others (children / adults) with ill-intent to exploit or abuse them. Child abuse is a very emotive and difficult subject for everyone involved. When the abuse / harm occurs online it can be even more challenging because many people who are significant in the child's life may not be as knowledgeable about the technology used. Indeed it is likely that the child or young person may know more than the adults around them about how to use the technology. A child / young person could experience abuse / harm online without actually ever meeting the person causing the harm in 'real life'. The abuser could also remain anonymous or adopt a pseudo identify. Young people may be worried about confiding in adults about concerns or worries about things happening to them online through fear of the adult over reacting and / or confiscating their devise (such as mobile phone / laptop) as a method of safeguarding that child / young person. It is important to remember it is not the technology itself that is the source of harm but rather the behaviour of another person (child / adult) which causes harm whilst online. The arrangements in response to harm / potential harm experienced online should be same as the arrangements in response to harm experienced by a young person in the 'real world'. If at any point you have a concern about actual significant harm to a child or young person, or the risk of significant harm, then you should follow TSCB Child Protection Procedures contained in Tameside Safeguarding Children Framework.
This guidance should be used to inform existing single-agency procedures to ensure they are inclusive of e safety issues e.g. an anti -bullying policy should be inclusive of bullying which takes place online i.e. cyber bullying; a staff code of conduct should be inclusive of the expected code of conduct for staff behaviour both online as well as face to face. It should be read in conjunction with TSCB E Safety Scaffold - which provides guidance on writing acceptable use policies for staff / young people and parents / carers when using equipment to access the internet in your establsihment. What do we mean by 'online' mean?When this guidance refers to 'online' this means somebody using a devise to gain access to the World Wide Web or, as it is more commonly known, the internet. How somebody accesses the internet or 'goes on line' will vary massively especially as technology is changing so rapidly; the list below is a starting point of different means of getting online however this is certainly not exhaustive and will certainly change over time: - Computers, PCs, Lap-tops, I Pads, Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs) etc Mobile phones, Smart phones, 3G phones etc Through WIFI connections available in restaurants, cafes hotels etc I Pods, MP3s etc E mail, Instant messaging, Texts, Blackberry Messenger Social networking sites e.g. Facebook, Twitter Video hosting websites e.g. Youtube Games consoles e.g. X Box live, PS3 online, Nintendo DS online Chat rooms and Blogs Webcams
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