Going back to school can be an exciting time for carers, parents and pupils alike, but it can also be a challenging period, full of uncertainties and unknowns. In this guide to the back-to-school need-to-knows, we take a look at some of those concerns from the perspective
The way children and young people use social media is changing. Ofcom reported earlier this year that younger generations are posting less on popular platforms like YouTube and Instagram because they are dominated by superficial posts from influencers and celebrities. Children and young people want to engage with
As young people across the U.K. receive their exam results, we’ve created this guide to help you support them before, during and after exam results day. You’ll find advice of things to do and say, as well as learn some of the signs of exam results-related stress
As this year marks the inclusion of esports in the Commonwealth Games, we’ve created this guide to esports to help you understand what they are, why they’re growing in popularity, and if there’s any safeguarding risks to children and young people. We also understand that a topic
For this year's International Friendship Day, we look at why young people are making friends online, what the risks are and provide top tips for you to follow to help keep the young people in your life safer with internet-based friendships. Whether
This guide to deepfakes explains not only what deepfakes are, but also outlines the risks they could pose and provides practical, helpful advice on how to help protect the children and young people in your care. We’ve all had that wow moment when something
Header Image ©yoti.com With the recent announcements that both Yubo and Instagram will be partnering with Yoti as part of their new strategy to verify users’ ages, our online safety experts took a closer look at what Yoti is, and whether photo age verification
We have received reports from parents and young people around a new feature found in popular app Snapchat. This feature allows users to obtain directions to another user’s exact location and address. Since its release, many users have expressed their outrage and have called out the platform for including it without
Today’s children and young people are engaging with content that would have seemed unbelievable when their parents were their age. It can make it difficult for their parents and carers to decide what is ‘age appropriate’ and what is not. This is especially true for horror,
It’s summertime and holidays are well and truly upon us, whether that be at home, abroad, or just a change of scenery. While we can’t guarantee sun time, we can predict high levels of screentime for our children and young people during the school holiday season.
According to the latest Online Nation report by Ofcom, only 14% of young people (13-17 years old) are reporting and flagging potentially harmful content or behaviour they see online. This article investigates why our children and young people aren’t reporting online abuse and inappropriate content and
It has never been more important to stay up to date with the latest advancements in the digital world. As headlines about virtual reality (VR) and the metaverse become more commonplace, one platform is beginning to rise in global prominence. Meta have recently released their virtual
It's Pride Month in the UK, which marks the celebration of and focus on LGBTQ+ communities. It is also an important time to shed light on the difficult everyday situations which many young people who are exploring their sexuality or who identify as LGBTQ+ find themselves
In our digital world, there are many apps and platforms created to help us stay connected to those we love and find new connections with people from all over the world. Children and young people are growing up in a time where instant messaging and video calls are equal to in-person
When we think of ‘missing’, and in particular missing children, many of us gravitate towards abduction and the ‘snatched-from-their-beds' scenarios. The reality is much broader than that – it’s not always a complex tale with twists and turns like that of a five-part TV drama. However, whether a case is
In the last few years, battle royale style games like Call of Duty: Warzone and Fortnite: Battle Royale have become global hits with children and young people. One videogame, however, has taken a different approach to the genre by creating a diverse and interesting world for gamers to explore and enjoy. We’ve taken a deeper look at the popular game Apex Legends to help parents and
Thursday the 19th of May is Global Accessibility Awareness Day (also known as GAAD). It’s a day to reflect, discuss and learn about digital access and online inclusion. In a time in which we rely on online spaces and technology more than ever, it’s important that
This year, the 15th-28th of May marks Foster Care Fortnight: an annual campaign which highlights the power of fostering and the fostering community. These two weeks offer a chance to consider the passion, dedication and commitment that is practised by foster carers everyday whilst also highlighting the need for more people to consider giving
We understand that the world of FIFA (and gaming in general) can seem overwhelming and unfamiliar as a parent or carer, especially if a child knows everything about the game. Our online safety experts have taken an extensive look at the popular game to help you better understand exactly what the child in your care
Passwords are the first line of defence when it comes to protecting your personal information. Think about how many of your details are stored online. Things like your address, date of birth, credit card details, and both work and personal banking information are used for things
While tech companies are constantly releasing new updates and features for mobile phones, laptops, and tablets, one of Apple’s upcoming releases is getting a lot of attention from safeguarding professionals as well as parents and carers. We’ve taken a look at the ‘Communication Safety in Messages’
Ofsted have published their new strategy which outlines their focus and aims for 2022 to 2027. Their corporate strategy sets out eight new strategic priorities for Ofsted and the plan for how they will be met in education and children’s social care. Following the disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic on
While we are seeing social media platforms introduce features that focus on curating content for your ‘close friend’ groups, another trend is seeing a resurgence in popularity with children and young people in the UK. A ‘finsta’ (a slang term that combines ‘fake’ and ‘Insta’, a popular
With the launch of the new TikTok Stories feature, we take a look into what social media stories are and why young people use them. Long gone are the days of buying disposable cameras - capturing moments with friends on school holidays to bring in and show around to classmates on the morning back to
There seems to be ‘an app for everything’ now. With the simple push of a button, we can now order our groceries, listen to an entire album, play complex videogames... The list is endless. It makes sense that some companies have begun to try and use this