How to promote online safety in your parent and carer community

Online safety is paramount for schools and it must be communicated to everyone in the school community, including parents and carers 

CREDIT: This is an edited version of an article that originally appeared on ICT Evangelist

To build a secure online presence in your school, online safety must not just be taught to staff and students – to promote and communicate online safety information to your schools parent and carer community, follow these five steps.

• Regularly send out newsletters or emails to parents containing information about online safety, including tips on how to protect children from cyber-bullying, online predators and other risks. 

• Host digital parenting sessions or workshops that focus on online safety, and invite experts to speak on the topic.

• Create a dedicated section on the school’s website for online safety resources, including links to helpful websites and articles.

• Encourage parents to monitor their children’s online activity, and provide them with guidance on how to do so effectively – including the use of parental controls. 

• Be a role model for positive online safety. Communicate resources and relevant materials to your whole school community on your social media channels, such as your school’s Twitter account, to help provide additional resources and support for families.