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
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
Communications regulator Ofcom has released its latest Media Use and Attitudes Report 2022 looking at the recent online trends and attitudes of children and parents across the UK. The report provides a clear snapshot of parents, children, and young people’s current media habits that can help us understand the emerging trends,
A horror game character from ‘Poppy Playtime’ named Huggy Wuggy has been raising concerns amongst parents, police and safeguarding professionals. WARNING: This contains images and details some people may find disturbing. This should not be shared with young children.
Research shows that disabled youth, especially those with autism, are at increased risk for bullying compared to their neurotypical peers. At Ineqe Safeguarding Group, we believe that all young people should have safe and equal access to the digital world. Social media and the online world can be a difficult place
The lifestyle of being a carer is often a lonely one and for young carers any isolation can be tough to cope with. In honour of Young Carers Action Day 2022, here’s our guide on how to spot, support and stand with the young carers in your
As a global community, we have faced a turbulent few years, ruled chiefly by the COVID-19 pandemic and the restrictions it brought. Now as we enter Spring 2022, the recent Russian invasion of Ukraine has taken over media attention and national concern. We live in a time
This article features a case study which includes details that some readers may find upsetting. Please note: this article should not be shared with children and young people. With Facebook changing its name to ‘Meta’ and news outlets releasing investigative reports around the
In the last few years, as the impact of social media influence continues to grow, there has been a growing concern over the link between influencers and eating disorders. Websites that encourage disordered eating have been around almost as long as the internet has existed. In the 90s, ‘pro-anorexia’ sites (often
Over the course of the pandemic, mental health in the UK has worsened by 8.1%, with young people and women most affected as the groups who already had been struggling with mental health issues prior to the outbreak of COVID-19. We know from emerging research that self-harm referrals and presentations at
Snapchat have recently announced the release of a new feature: Snapchat live location sharing. It will allow users to share their real-time location with friends via the app, expanding their existing Snap Map feature that launched in 2017. What is Snap Map? The Snap Map is a
As we get further into 2022, many of today’s top social media apps and platforms have started rolling out new features with the intention of protecting their users. Instagram’s new features mainly focus on screen time limits, account security, and content control - areas that its
For this year’s Random Acts of Kindness Day, we want to share some of our resources that can help take kindness beyond just today and into the everyday. We believe that by educating and empowering children and young people to be kinder online and offline, we can help create a
Bumble, Hinge, Badoo, Tinder. This may sound like a list of nonsensical words with no connection, but that is exactly what they all have in common – they are all about connection. These are just a few of today’s most popular dating apps. While many of
This week marks Children’s Mental Health Week across the UK. After nearly two full years of a pandemic, the newest research indicates it has taken a heavy toll on children’s mental health. Between the social impacts, education and home life adjustments, and the stress and uncertainties of