Safer Internet Day

**PLEASE VISIT HERE TO READ MORE RECENT INFORMATION REGARDING SAFER INTERNET DAY** - 10th Feb 2017

Safer Internet Day 2016 is being celebrated globally on Tuesday 9th February with the slogan ‘Play your part for a better internet’. 

Coordinated in the UK by the UK Safer Internet Centre, the celebration will see hundreds of organisations get involved to help promote the safe, responsible and positive use of digital technology for children and young people. 

The online safety landscape has evolved significantly over recent years from a focus on creating a ‘safer’ internet to instead creating a ‘better’ internet. Whether we are children and young people, parents and carers, educators or social care workers, or indeed industry, decision makers or politicians, we all have an essential role to play. 

There are ways in which we can all contribute towards creating a “better” internet:

• Children and young people can help to create a better internet by being kind and respectful to others online, by protecting their online reputations (and those of others), and by seeking out positive opportunities to create, engage and share online. They can help to respond to the negative by being ‘helpful bystanders’: supporting peers if they encounter issues online, taking a stand against cyberbullying, and reporting any inappropriate or illegal content they find. Above all, children and young people should be encouraged to take their stand as digital citizens of the future – participating in debates on the future of the internet, and making their voices heard. 

• Parents and carers can help to create a better internet by maintaining an open and honest dialogue with their children about their online lives, by supporting them with their personal development online and helping them to deal with any concerns or issues, seeking out positive opportunities to engage with their children online, and helping their children to find and use good quality digital resources. They can help to respond to the negative by staying engaged with their child’s online activity (as appropriate to their age), by modelling positive online behaviours themselves, and by also reporting any inappropriate or illegal content they find. 

• Educators and schools can help to create a better internet by equipping children and young people with the digital literacy skills they require for today’s world, and giving them opportunities to use – and create – positive content online. They can help to respond to the negative by supporting young people if they encounter problems online, and by giving them the resilience, confidence and skills that young people need to navigate the internet safely. 

To download free resources to use to celebrate Safer Internet Day with children and parents, including classroom activities, videos and assembly content then visit: www.saferinternet.org.uk/safer-internet-day 

To celebrate Safer Internet Day 2016, The Kent online safety (e-Safety) policy template has been updated for 2016 by the Kent e-Safety Strategy Group to reflect the rapid changes in technology, guidance and legislation and also to promote good practice within schools, colleges and early year’s settings. 

The updated 2016 online safety policy template is supported with updated guidance to enable education leaders and mangers consider policy decisions and implement action which best suits the needs of their own community. 

The 2016 template builds upon the foundations laid by previous editions and incorporates new content and is provided as a framework to support schools and other settings when writing and updating online safety policies. The updated policy template and guidance is available electronically on Kelsi  

New content includes:

• New and updated discussion material for leaders and managers in relation to establishing appropriate policies and procedures.

• New content regarding the key online safety responsibilities for members of the school/setting community.

• New content regarding use of social media. 

• Updated content and guidance regarding the use of mobile phones and personal devices

• Updated information regarding local and national contacts and resources regarding online safety and updated information about relevant legislation. 

• Additional appendices with suggested procedures regarding common online safety concerns including sexting, cyberbullying, online child sexual abuse and exploitation, radicalisation and indecent images. 

Kent educations settings can consult with the Education Safeguarding Adviser (Online Protection) to discuss policies and procedures in relation to online safety responsibilities.

The Education Safeguarding Adviser (Online Protection) and e-Safety Development Officer will be sharing resources for Safer Internet Day throughout the week via Twitter (@esafety_Kent)  and on the Kent e-Safety blog  

We hope that teachers and schools throughout Kent will join with Safer Internet Day supporters across the globe on Tuesday 9th February 2016 – and beyond – to play a part in helping to create a better internet!