Welcome Back to Your June Newsletter!
Educate – Empower – Protect
For some, the school bells are about to ring for the final time this term and for others, the summer holidays are in full swing. While the summer calls for some much-deserved rest, we want to ensure you have the very latest safeguarding insights and tools at your fingertips at any time!
News and Alerts ℹ️
Key updates and alerts as seen on your app’s news feed.
What to do when the news is overwhelming
In an era of 24-hour news and instant digital updates, our media feeds can quickly become overwhelming. For young people, constant exposure to distressing headlines can weigh heavily on their mental well-being and it can be just as challenging for the adults supporting them.
To help guide these crucial conversations, read today for more information.
Summertime Screentime
With the summer starting, children and young people may be spending more time online to stay connected to their friends, but this can also heighten their exposure to online risks. Make sure you’re in the know about how to stay safe with summer screentime by reading our article below.
✨Read more within your Online Safety News section of the App.✨
Technical Support 👩🏼💻
Updates and tips from our Support Centre.
Getting access to DPC
The digital spaces young people explore are constantly expanding. From gaming servers to messaging apps, staying ahead of online trends can feel like a full-time job.
We are calling on all parents to take a proactive step with us this week. By spending less than an hour in the evening completing the Digital Proficiency Course inside your Safer Schools app, you will unlock practical tools to protect your child from contemporary online risks.
Learn the essentials of safety, bridge the digital generation gap, and lead the conversation at home. Access the course via your app today.
Community News and Updates 📢
The latest in the locality
The Safer Schools team on the road!
Our Head of Safer Schools, Colin, and Senior Service Specialist, Natalie, were recently in Bradford for the Online Harms Conference, connecting with educators to talk all things safeguarding.
Colin took to the stage to discuss building resilient communities in a digital world through the lens of our Educate, Empower, Protect philosophy. Natalie followed up with two brilliant sessions mapping out how local authorities and schools can use Safer Schools to strengthen their online safety strategies.
Want to bring these insights to your school network or local authority? Whether you are looking for expert speakers, workshop leaders, or interactive app demonstrations, we’re here to help. Reach out to the team to invite us to your next event!
Certified Safer Schools Status!
Our Safer Schools team travelled 500 miles to hand-deliver certificates to schools for the Certified Safer Schools status. These schools were awarded for their commitment to participating in the Digital Proficiency Course with a full school approach, involving their pupils, staff and parents/carers in the course and test. This means that everyone in the school community shares the same foundational knowledge when it comes to online safety, to be better protected against online risks and harm and feel empowered to enjoy the online world more safely.
Does your school have what it takes?
The Digital Proficiency Course remains open after the summer holidays for schools to take part and achieve the Certified Safer School status. The digital badge and certificate can be displayed on your school’s website, social media, email signatures or printed for your school walls.
This commitment to online safety can be included in future reports and inspections and used to show prospective students and families that your school values safeguarding in the digital world. We can’t wait to hear from you to get involved! Contact us if you want to find out more or check out our website. Log into your web or mobile app to explore the Digital Proficiency Course today.
Resource Highlight ✨
The ready-to-use, relevant resource you need
Protecting Children’s Images in the Age of AI Resource Package
The rapid evolution of Artificial Intelligence (AI) has fundamentally changed the landscape of online safety, introducing sophisticated new risks to how images of children are shared and distributed online. As a result, many school leadership teams are currently auditing their digital safety policies and asking a critical question: What advice should we be giving to our staff, parents, and carers right now?
To help you answer this, we have developed the Protecting Children’s Images in the Age of AI Resource Package. This resource has been designed to help schools, charities, faith organisations, sports clubs and other organisations working with children and young people understand these emerging risks and communicate practical, proportionate guidance to their communities.
What’s included:
The pack is free to access via the Teach Hub for professionals in schools who are registered with Safer Schools. For those who would like to access the resources in a different context, they are available to be purchased here:
Media News 🗞️
Safeguarding and Online Safety News
💬 WhatsApp to let people chat without swapping phone numbers – The messaging platform is introducing unique usernames to enhance privacy by hiding phone numbers. Concerns include heightened scam risks, Meta’s ongoing data tracking, and the UK’s upcoming under-16 social media ban.
👶️️ Impacts of Screen Time, Media and Technology Use on Under 2s – Greater screen availability, particularly devices in bedrooms, and higher parental screen use are associated with shorter sleep duration and later bedtimes in young children.
📱 Instagram tests more algorithm controls – Instagram is experimenting with new ways to give users greater visibility and control over its recommendation algorithm through its expanding “Your Algorithm” feature
🤖 Brands using AI-generated influencers to promote products on social media – Due to a lack of specific UK regulations, brands are using undisclosed AI-generated influencers to mimic real customers, leaving some consumers unable to spot the deception.
License, Links and Logins 🔑
All the relevant information you need to access the world of Safer Schools at your fingertips!
Have a wonderful, safe, and relaxing summer!
Did you know…
“Seven in ten (70%) children aged 11-17 had seen or heard some form of content harmful to children”
Source: Ofcom 2025
Make sure to follow us on social media for the latest updates and developments!
