A new online safety portal has been launched for parents of 91大神 Flinders Anglican College to coincide with celebrations around on Tuesday, 11 February, a global initiative to make the internet a safer, more positive space for everyone.
The new Flinders Online Safety Hub provides parents with trusted resources on digital safety across diverse topics, from parental controls to creating screen routines at home, modelling healthy digital habits and spotting fake online accounts.听听
The aim is to strengthen the partnership between the College and its families, which is the theme of this year's Safer Internet Day 鈥撯�淐onnect, Reflect, Protect鈥� 鈥� to encourage school and home to work together to empower young people with skills and knowledge to navigate the online world safely and confidently.
The notes that research reveals 45% of kids aged 8-17 have been treated in a hurtful or nasty way online.
Principal Michelle Carroll said students at Flinders were continually learning about cyber safety and healthy technology use through interactive workshops, classroom learning and the school's bespoke how-to guides and policies.
鈥淎t Flinders, we have a responsibility to guide our students in safely exploring the online world鈥檚 vast opportunities for learning, innovation and connection, yet we are also acutely aware of the devastating influence it can have on young people鈥檚 wellbeing," Ms Carroll said.
鈥淭ake the recentthat valid cyberbullying reports to eSafety increased from 536 in 2019 to 2,978 in 2024鈥攁 455 per cent increase over the five-year period.
鈥淲e know that our parent community also need support, as many are concerned by the research and find it challenging to navigate the fast-paced nature and complexities of the online world.听
"Our new Flinders Online Safety Hub is a meaningful resource to support parents in taking an active and informed approach to teaching their children about the digital space.
鈥淭he Hub provides a central resource for everyone鈥檚 cyber safety needs and questions to guide our young people as users of digital technology.听
鈥淚nitiatives like Safer Internet Day are also a timely reminder for our staff to learn new skills and our parents to better understand what positive digital habits look like in the home environment.
鈥淭ogether, we can learn how to use technology to learn, work and connect in safe, healthy and respectful ways.鈥�
Cyber Safety Education in the Curriculum and Programs at Flinders
Head of Learning Futures in the Secondary School, Mr Patrick Morrow says, 鈥淭he new Flinders Online Safety Hub will be regularly updated by who provide online safety education to students across Australia.听
鈥淎nd, as part of our commitment to online safety, Flinders is excited to have YSafe experts visiting in mid-February to work with our students from Years 5 to 12 across four interactive workshops on how to make cyber-smart choices,鈥� Mr Morrow said.
Mrs Laura Bain, the Head of Future Learning and Academic Operations in the Primary School, is also supporting teachers with dedicated classroom activities for students inspired by Safer Internet Day.
Mrs Bain said, 鈥淧romoting digital safety is not just about protecting our students from online risks鈥攊t鈥檚 also about equipping them to be skilled and critical users of technology, armed with the tools to engage responsibly and positively in the digital space."
鈥淭he College utilises industry-leading internet filtration and monitoring services, and has a managed and controlled student app library as well as providing tools for teachers to monitor student devices during their lessons.
鈥淎lso, in the Primary School, we have refined our homework practice; iPads will no longer be sent home in Years 5 and 6, allowing for a stronger focus on pen-and-paper tasks that foster active learning while also addressing parents鈥� screen-time concerns.
鈥淭hrough our holistic approach to online safety at Flinders, our students are supported to become informed, healthy and respectful digital citizens.鈥澨�
How Families Can Support Digital Safety
Parents and carers play a critical role in guiding their children to make wise online choices. Safer Internet Day is the perfect opportunity to start鈥攐r continue鈥攊mportant conversations about technology use, online safety and respectful digital behaviour.
Steps you can take to support your child:
- Have open conversations about what they do online, who they interact with, and the apps or games they use.
- Set boundaries and guidelines around screen time and internet use, ensuring they understand your family鈥檚 expectations.
- Encourage critical thinking by teaching your child to question the credibility of online information and make informed choices.
- Model positive behaviour by demonstrating respectful and responsible technology use yourself.
Resources to Help Families
To assist families in navigating these tricky online spaces, the eSafety Commissioner provides a wealth of resources tailored for parents and carers along with Safer Internet Day , which include:
Young people:
- Advice for : Targeted advice for young people to help them stay safe online.
Families:
- : Explore and use our family tech agreements to set rules that suit the age and needs of children and young people, about how devices, like smartphones, tablets, computers, TVs and gaming consoles are used at home.
- : Download the poster for your home.
- : Learn how to maximise online safety in your home.
- : Free Webinars for parents and carers.
