Child Safety Online 

Children and young people need regular reminders about staying safe online.  

This week the Senior School Student Representative Council discussed the creation of a Charter of Commitment to Online Safety to support the existing Student Charter and Learn@Home Charter.  

The New Child Safe Standards, applicable from 1 July 2022 to all schools and organisations that work with young people, place a significant focus on the importance of student voice in all aspects of physical and online safety.  

Standard 3 relates to child and student empowerment and the importance of young people being informed and actively participating. This priority is in keeping with St Catherine’s Towards 2025 Strategic Plan: Wellbeing Intent, which promotes student agency and leadership through the VOICES Program. 

An important aspect of online safety is the need for parents to be informed and to discuss the potential impact of their child’s decisions and practices online.  

This week’s weThrive Parent Special Report is on the topic of ‘Sextortion’ and includes links to resources and videos on ‘sexting’ or ‘sending nudes’ as it is more commonly known by young people. The Report explores how sharing nudes can place young people at risk of image-based abuse, which is the sharing of intimate images without consent.  

Cyber Safety expert, Ms Susan McLean warns that sharing nudes can also put young people at risk of sexual extortion, a type of blackmail when someone threatens to share intimate images unless you give into their demands.  

McLean notes that since the beginning of 2022, there has been a 400% increase in this type of crime being reported to police in Australia alone, with these figures replicated in most western countries. The incidence of organised criminal gangs across Eastern Europe, Russia, and Africa connecting to victims via social media, chat apps, instant messaging platforms and online games is increasing with many young people being targeted.  

Parents are encouraged to emphasise the importance of only engaging online with people they know, not someone they think they might know. Despite the numerous benefits of technology, managing devices can be difficult especially with older teens, but it is important to be aware of the risks. 

Parents are reminded that resources for a range of other topics can be found on the weThrive Parent Wellbeing Resources page on mystcatherines.

If you have any concerns about your child, please contact the School Psychologist or Head of Year for further information or to seek support.