In today’s digital age, protecting children from online harms requires a genuine partnership between school and home. Parents are the first line of defence when it comes to keeping children safe, but schools often cite the challenge of engaging effectively with parents. Barriers can include parents feeling judged by staff and other parents, issues relating to access and inclusion of parents in your school environment and community, staff confidence in keeping up with fast-changing apps and risks, and managing sensitive topics such as GenAI, 'screentime', smartphone use, exposure to sexual content and bullying. Read on for tips to support staff and empower parents and carers to start those key safeguarding conversations.
Children’s online lives are complex and fast-changing, with evolving risks emerging alongside new platforms and the latest trends. According to Ofcom’s Children and Parents: Media Use and Attitudes Report 2025, nearly 50% of teenagers use all of the top 5 apps - YouTube, WhatsApp, TikTok, Snapchat, and Instagram - while 55% of children under 13 use at least one social media app or site despite being below the minimum age. From 2023 to 2024, Instagram use among 8–9 year olds rose from 8% to 14%. Worryingly, a third of 8–17 year olds admit to giving a fake age to access apps and websites, and up to a quarter have changed their date of birth since setting up their profile, with 8–12 year olds most likely to do this on Snapchat.
It's not what you do, it's the way that you do it. Most parents cite feeling significantly judged for any decisions they make relating to their child's technology use. Therefore, it is really important for schools to adopt a relational approach to working with parents, adopting empathy, unconditional positive regard and curiosity. When parents feel judged and blamed, they are unlikely to engage with you on this topic - or more widely. Take a look at our free resources and support about what relational practice means and how to embed it in your school - relationalpractice.lgfl.net.
A drip-feed approach can be effective when it comes to raising parents’ awareness of online safety, as the topic is wide and can feel overwhelming. Find out what children are doing online and what parents need support with, and then incorporate specific and tailored messaging into events such as coffee mornings, parent evenings and celebration days rather an relying on one-off events, such as Safer Internet Day. Co-presenting alongside children is very valuable; they provide parents with an ‘insider’ view - sharing their firsthand experiences and knowledge of the latest trends, and can also be the ‘tech-experts’ demonstrating how to set privacy settings and controls on devices.
Schools can also keep families informed with clear, consistent communication – from newsletters and parent portals to messaging apps. Parents may not always understand the latest risks around gaming, social media, or GenAI, etc, and they may too have been influenced by disinformation. So the key is to make sure all communication is factual (rather than emotive), evidence-based (check what you are sharing is based on trusted sources, such as the NSPCC or Internet Matters), jargon-free, accessible and practical. The most important safeguard for children's online safety is having proactive engaged parents who are confident to talk regularly to them about their technology use. The information schools provide to them, therefore, needs to help increase parents' awareness and confidence. Explaining trends in simple, relatable terms and sharing easy-to-use guides and resources help families continue the conversation. You can find our curation of resources for parents at parentsafe.lgfl.net.
As well as supporting parents to spot early warning signs and respond appropriately to signs of online harm at home. A joined-up approach with schools and families is essential when concerns arise. Schools should reinforce clear procedures for reporting issues, whether they occur inside or outside the classroom.
Staff should encourage a two-way, non-judgemental dialogue, ensuring parents feel heard and involved. Monitoring systems can alert staff to potential online safety risks involving pupils, but timely and sensitive communication with parents is crucial to ensure concerns are acted on quickly and appropriately.
Use our collated resources at reporting.lgfl.net to share with parents about how to seek support for any online safety concerns.
The most effective approach comes when school and home are aligned. Policies should reflect the same principles being shared with parents, with both sides modelling the safe and responsible use of technology. By celebrating positive digital behaviour together and framing safeguarding around empowerment rather than fear, schools can build a culture of trust and genuine partnership with families.
To help schools, we have developed a free, comprehensive and ready-to-use practical resource. The Parent Online Safety Toolkit combines the latest research on young people’s online use and risks, with clear tips, conversation starters and resources for parents. It helps families keep up to date with new trends, apps and games, manage settings and controls, and talk to children about issues such as bullying, image sharing, AI chatbots, screen time, and staying safe from exploitation and grooming.
This resource is not meant to be delivered in its entirety. Instead, select the topic(s) and relevant slides from the menu to personalise your parent session. You will find practitioner notes, interesting facts and prompts to support your discussions. Why not get your pupils to present alongside, share their knowledge and experience of the latest trends or demonstrate how to use privacy settings? You can also watch our webinar where we take you through the resource and share best practices for delivery at parentonlinesafety.lgfl.net.
Remember, you do not need to be a tech expert to get these safeguarding messages across. It’s ultimately about communication, staying informed and being proactive.
By working together, schools and families can form a strong safety net that ensures concerns are picked up early, responses are swift, and children are supported both at home and in the classroom. Effective communication, consistent messages and shared responsibility are the cornerstones of this collaboration, helping to create a culture where young people are empowered to navigate the online world safely and with confidence.