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Thrive Education Partnership

Keeping your child safe online

 

From Mr White, Headteacher _ December 2025

Dear Parents/Carers

I am writing this letter as I want to share some important information about keeping your child safe online, particularly when using social media and group chats, which we have seen a significant increase in the use of this year among our students.  Daily, we are having to intervene in situations that have taken place outside of school. I am aware that children are in group chats, phone calls etc, where I believe they are at risk. Personal information, including phone numbers have been shared, images and possibly adults have been added to these groups.

Children with special educational needs or disabilities (SEND), in particular autism, can face additional safeguarding challenges both online and offline. These can include being more prone to peer group isolation or bullying, communication barriers, difficulties in managing or reporting challenges, being unable to understand the difference between fact and fiction in online content and repeating content/behaviours seen online in the community.

Online group chats, for example WhatsApp, can be particularly risky as they may expose young people to harmful content such as inappropriate material, misinformation, harmful contact with other users including peer pressure, adults posing as young people, harmful conduct such as online bullying and the sharing of explicit images. 

As stated above, we have seen an increase in group chats being talked about in school and these are causing disagreements which are being brought into the school environment and distracting from learning. 

We encourage you to have regular conversations with your child about their online activity, help them understand how to recognise and report concerns and work together with us to keep them safe. 

Practical tips for parents/carers:

  • Have regular conversations with your child about their online activity, who they're talking to, and what they're sharing. Often, people they do not know are being added to groups, along with students across multiple year groups. 
  • Check privacy settings together on all social media accounts and apps your child uses.
  • Set up parental controls on devices and home internet to filter inappropriate content.
  • Agree boundaries around when and where devices can be used (for example, not in bedrooms at night).
  • Look out for changes in behaviour, mood or sleep patterns that might indicate online issues.
  • Create an open environment where your child feels comfortable coming to you with concerns.
  • Know how to report concerns, save screenshots of concerning content with dates and times and report to police if necessary.

Helpful resources for parents/carers:

Please do not hesitate to contact me if you need further support to keep your child safe online once in your home environment.

Kind regards,

Mark White

Headteacher

 

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