The Inclusive Digital Safety, created jointly by Internet Matters and online safety charity SWGFL, provides resources on online harms for parents, carers and education professionals supporting the UK’s most vulnerable children.
The hub contains content designed for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), those currently or previously in care, and children in minority groups as well as young people who identify as LGBTQ+.
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Professionals will also be able to access a moderated online forum to discuss issues and experiences related to online harms. It will initially be supported by SWGfL specialists to ensure any questions are responded to when it's first launched, the charity said.
The launch, supported by safeguarding minister Victoria Atkins MP, follows a spike in demand for support from both Internet Matters and SWGfL during the Covid-19 pandemic. Parents of vulnerable young people told Internet Matters that their child’s time online had increased by 20 per cent during lockdown.
Data gathered in May by the charity, based on concerns submitted by parents and professionals, indicated that for vulnerable children and young people contact with strangers was up 40 per cent, sexting was up 25 per cent and gambling was up 83 per cent compared with the same month in 2019.
Of the calls that the UK Safer Internet Centre Helpline, run by SWGFL, managed from those working with SEND children during lockdown, a significant proportion related to sexting incidents.
In response, SWGfL has created a version of its ‘So You Got Naked Online…’ resource specifically for SEND children to provide accessible information to help support young people with particular vulnerabilities in the event that they have shared intimate images.
Atkins said: “We want the UK to be the safest place in the world to go online, which means it has to be the safest place for everybody.
“It’s important every child can enjoy the internet safely and having adults understand what risks different children may encounter is the first step to ensuring risks do not turn into harms.
“I’m delighted to launch this innovative hub and would encourage parents and professionals working with children to explore the advice on the Inclusive Digital Safety Hub.”
Carolyn Bunting, chief executive of Internet Matters, added: “We know that the single most important factor in keeping children and young people safe online is for them to have conversations with the trusted adults around them.
“This is even more important for young people most at risk of harm, so equipping the rainbow of adults around vulnerable young people with the evidence, resources and tools they need to have meaningful conversations, is a vital part of enabling all young people to enjoy the benefits of connected technology.
“Having those conversations early enough can help lower the risks of serious online harms later on. This way, we can help ensure that every child can benefit from connected technology safely.”
