Staying safe this Summer: a guide to digital safety
As we come to the end of another academic year, we’d like to thank all our families for their continued support. With the summer holidays fast approaching, children and young people will naturally have more free time, greater independence, and increased access to phones, tablets, games consoles and social media. While this brings many opportunities for fun and connection, it is also an important time to revisit conversations around staying safe, both online and in the real world.
Know what they're doing online
Many young people spend a significant amount of their free time gaming, chatting and using social media. Taking an interest in the apps, games and platforms they use can help you understand who they are communicating with and what they are experiencing online.
Simple questions such as:
- “Who do you usually play games with?”
- “What’s your favourite app at the moment?”
- “Have you made any new friends online recently?”
can open positive conversations and encourage children to talk openly if something worries them.
Online friends are still strangers
It’s important to remind children and young people that people are not always who they say they are online. Someone they have been chatting to for weeks or months may still be a stranger.
Children should never:
- Share personal information such as their address, school or phone number.
- Send photographs or videos they wouldn’t want others to see.
- Arrange to meet someone they only know online.
- Keep secrets from trusted adults about online conversations.
Encourage them to speak to you or another trusted adult if anyone makes them feel uncomfortable or asks them to keep something secret.
Meeting up? Think again
If your child mentions wanting to meet someone they know through gaming or social media, take this seriously. Young people can sometimes believe they know someone well because they speak regularly online, but this does not mean they are safe.
Remind them that they should never meet someone from the internet without the knowledge and involvement of a trusted adult.
Staying safe when out and about
As children become more independent during the summer, it’s important to talk about personal safety away from home too.
Encourage young people to:
- Stay with groups of friends where possible.
- Tell someone where they are going and when they expect to return.
- Keep their mobile phone charged.
- Trust their instincts if something doesn’t feel right.
- Avoid isolated areas, particularly after dark.
- Seek help from a trusted adult, shop, or public place if they feel unsafe.
If approached by someone they do not know, children should be cautious. They do not have to engage in conversation and should move away to a safe place or towards other people if they feel uncomfortable.
Keep communication open
Perhaps the most important message of all is that children should know they can always talk to you. Young people are more likely to seek help if they know they won’t be judged or have their devices immediately taken away.
Regular conversations about online life and personal safety help build trust and confidence, making it easier for children to come forward if they encounter anything worrying.
Useful resources
For further advice and support:
- Thinkuknow – https://www.thinkuknow.co.uk
- NSPCC – https://www.nspcc.org.uk/keeping-children-safe/online-safety/
- Internet Matters – https://www.internetmatters.org
- Childline – https://www.childline.org.uk
- CEOP (Child Exploitation and Online Protection Command) – https://www.ceop.police.uk
Final message
As this is our final parent blog of the academic year, we would like to thank all our families and carers for their continued support throughout the year. Although there are still a few weeks of term remaining, we know that many young people are already looking forward to the summer holidays and spending more time with friends, both online and offline.
By keeping conversations open, taking an interest in their digital lives, and reminding them of the importance of staying safe when out and about, we can all help ensure that children and young people enjoy a happy, fun and safe summer.
Thank you for being part of our school community, and we look forward to sharing more updates and blogs with you in the new academic year.
Thank you for reading
Written by Natalie Hollins,
Parent Support Associate
Find it all on
your Parent Hub
Your central space for live events, updates, and everything that supports you.
Latest Tute updates
Keep up to date with what’s happening – explore all our news and blogs.