Students: Social Media
(asked on 17th July 2017) - View Source
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will establish a confidential helpline to offer students in England and Wales practical advice on the use of online services, risks to the person and safety.
Children and young people should feel able to approach staff at their educational establishment if they have concerns about any aspect of their well-being. The role of schools and colleges in England in safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children is set out in the statutory guidance Keeping Children Safe in Education. The equivalent document in Wales is Safeguarding Children in Education.
There are already several sources of online or phone line assistance for children and young people in the UK.
Childline is provided by the NSPCC. DfE provides Childline with £2 million funding a year. Assistance can be accessed by 24-hour phone line and there are message boards for peer to peer support. Their material includes staying safe online, including removal of offensive images, online grooming and sexting
Disrespect NoBody is a government campaign aimed at teaching young people what a healthy relationship should look like. Its website directs young people to sources of advice from a variety of charities and counselling services, on a wide range of issues, such as physical and emotional abuse, sexual assault and honour-based violence.
The UK Safer Internet Centre Advice Centre provides resources and tools on online safety for children and young people aged 3-19 in age-appropriate formats.
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/keeping-children-safe-in-education--2