Safer Internet Day (SID) is an EU wide initiative to promote a safer internet for all users, especially young people. Safer Internet Day 2025 takes place on Tuesday February 11th 2025.
https://www.saferinternetday.org/
https://www.webwise.ie/saferinternetday/
Learning about Internet safety is vital for all children’s health and wellbeing. Even if you feel that your child doesn’t have much access to the internet right now, it is still vital that they are equipped with important skills to stay safe online. All classes will be learning about internet safety this week and next week. More information about the key messages that we are teaching each class level is explained below. Please take some time to read this information.
The five rules are:
1. Always ask a grown-up for help if you see anything strange or unusual.
2. Don’t download or install anything without asking a grown-up first.
3. Remember, not all games and videos are for children.
4. Don’t talk to strangers online and don’t tell them where you live.
5. If you are ever unsure what to do, remember Buddy’s song, and always ask for help!
In a world where technology is changing regularly and where we are all using technology and in particular the internet to stay connected, for entertainment and for day to day living it is very important that we think about how we want our children to behave and interact with others online. Our message to the children is that we treat people the same online as in the real world and the same problem solving steps that we use in real life apply online too!
If children face problems online they should know that they are supported and that they can talk to the grown ups in their life about it. As part of their homework this week and next week Senior infants to second class will be asked to name 5 key people in their lives that they can talk to if they need help online. Please take some time to talk to your child about this during the week.
Children’s learning about internet safety begins at a very young age and there are a number of things that grownups can do to support children in staying safe online and in developing healthy habits towards technology and online platforms. Grownups in school and at home can help by:
– Establishing clear and healthy boundaries around screen time
– Setting a good example in relation to online communication with others
– Monitoring the platforms, games and online environments that children have access to
– Helping children to understand that we treat people exactly the same way in the virtual world as we do in real life
If internet safety is something that you would like to know more about, Barnardos hold parent courses: To register and find out more information, please follow this link. https://www.barnardos.ie/learning-development/training/online-safety-programme/