LOMOND School in Helensburgh is urging parents to be vigilant to the risks of the internet during lockdown.
With the coronavirus pandemic, and social distancing guidelines, still imposing severe restrictions on people’s movements, children and young people are spending more time on their phones, computers, iPads and video games than ever before.
Children are more likely to be using the internet unsupervised and could be particularly vulnerable to cyberbullying and online scams as a result, according to Alister Minnis, the school’s deputy head teacher.
Mr Minnis said: “Open conversations with children about their activities online are more important than ever, ensuring they have the confidence to confide in you with any concerns they may have.
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“The reality is cyberbullying and exploitation can happen anywhere and it’s important to note that the risk was of course there before lockdown.
“However, with children moving a great deal of interactions to virtual platforms, they become more vulnerable to the dangers of the internet.”
Lomond School’s summer term began on April 20, with teachers and pupils making use of a range of remote learning methods to keep pupils’ education on track, even though the doors of the school have been closed.
Mr Minnis continued: “As a preventative measure, parents and carers should establish guidelines with their children to communicate boundaries and protocols to make sure kids have clear pathways to report any of their concerns, and to have the confidence to do that.
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“And although parents are preoccupied with work and home schooling, arguably as we are all at home it may actually be easier to identify what kids are doing online, how they’re spending their time and who they’re engaging with, optimising online safeguarding to its fullest potential.”
UNICEF states that 1.5 billion children and young people have been affected by school closures worldwide, while increased and unstructured time online may expose children to potentially harmful and violent content as well as greater risk of cyberbullying.
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