‘Digital passports’ launched to help tackle online harm for children in care

For many children, it’s the only way of connecting with friends and family – yet insight from care experienced children suggests they are at greater risk of encountering online harm.

Over one in 10 children in foster care experience multiple placements every year, rising to one in five of 12- to 15-year-olds and each placement brings a requirement to renegotiate digital access. Foster parents told us they often know very little about the online lives of the children in their care and weren’t always sure how to start a conversation about it.

Designed by the UKCIS Vulnerable Users Working Group, the ‘Digital Passport’ will act as a communication tool between foster parents, social workers and their children to help keep them safe and happy in their online world.

It has been created to facilitate frequent and supportive conversations and agree proactive steps they can both take to keep children safer online, record any safeguarding or concerning incidents, as well as celebrate what they enjoy online.

What does it offer?

• Help enable the child’s digital life in a positive and supportive way

• Provide carers with a tool to clarify and support a discussion and understanding about online life

• Help negotiate agreements about internet access and device use between carer and child.

• Provide consistency if a child or young person has to move to another placement or home environment.

• Create a record to improve safeguarding and make the most of what technology offers

How will it work?

The Passport can be used as a way of recording agreements made, as well as checking whether they are still working for the child. Talking about the Passport can also help develop new agreements and give children in care a way of opening up a conversation about how they can be best supported.

The Digital Passport has two main sections. One brings together information for the foster carer and other professionals about the digital life of the child. The second is for the child to express their wishes and feelings, hopes and interests.

Why do we need it?

We know that the most effective way of keeping children safe online is for their carers to be interested in and supportive of their online lives, and for conversations to be meaningful and regular.

We also know that many foster carers are tech-hesitant and may default to removing devices and restricting digital access, when for many young people in care it is the only way they have of connecting to friends and, where appropriate, family.

The Digital Passport serves as a resource to support foster carers in managing the crucial conversations that will help them understand, support and safeguard their child’s online life.

Social workers and foster parents are able to download the Digital Passport from the Internet Matters website from today: www.internetmatters.org/ukcis-vulnerable-working-group/ukcis-digital-passport/

For more information and resources on keeping children and young people safe online, visit internetmatters.org 

For professionals working with care experienced young people: Care-experienced children and young people (CECYP) - 7-18 | Internet Matters & SWGfl

For children and young people with SEND: Connecting Safely Online | Internet Matters

Claire Levens is policy director at Internet Matters