In class next week, class teachers will be using age-appropriate content to talk to your children about the risks of online grooming.

• Nursery, Reception and Years 1-4 will be using the 'undressed' resources from the London Grid for Learning
• Year 5 and 6  teachers will show and discuss ‘Maya’s story’ from IWF videos information: here Lesson plan here 

 

This is the second article in a series about online safety. Last week I wrote to you about the safe use of social media, such as instagram. This week I want to share with you some of the risks of online grooming.

 

As children continue to find new ways to connect with each other on a range of devices and platforms, it is increasingly important to help them make smarter and safer choices about who they talk to and what they share online, especially with an increase of groomers online. You may be thinking that you don't have to worry about this yet, it only happens to teenagers. While evidence shows that it happens to girls much more than boys, and most often girls aged 11 to 13 years old, some of our youngest children can also be at risk.

The Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) estimate that there are around 830,000 people in the UK who could pose a sexual threat to children. Children can be tricked into creating 'self-generated online sexual abuse content', this is when sexual predators trick young children into getting changed or undressed on camera by playing a ‘game’ or issuing a ‘challenge’ to see how fast they can get changed into different clothes or into a swimming costume. This might happen over video chat or livestreaming app, children often don't even know this has happened, videos are often taken and then circulated.

 

Watch this video: Home Truths - Make sure your home doesn't have an open door to child sexual abusers (YouTube, 1min)

 

Find out more about the research, risk and how to keep your child safe here:

• Make sure your home doesn't have an open door to child sexual abusers, Internet Watch Foundation
• Download the useful 'TALK' resource here

 

For more information on safeguarding take a look at our webpages:

• Safeguarding
• Online safety