Below is an article from the Education family Zone newsletter regarding cyber safety and keeping our children safe. There are many resources on their site for parents with great hints and tips for parents managing a cyber world.

As currently being reported in the media, New Zealand is experiencing a surge in child victims being blackmailed into sending explicit images via social media. Detective Sergeant Heath Jones comments,

"It's a far-reaching problem for anyone who has a device, therefore has unfiltered access to pornography, warped view of sex or peer pressure of the need to seek approval."

The process, known as catfishing, involves perpetrators using fictitious identities and multiple social media platforms to encourage children to send nude images of themselves. Without the right education, support and technology in place, your students are at risk of falling into these awful traps.

The role of the school community

It is true that many instances of online harm, such as the sending of explicit images, happen outside of school hours, so the solution requires a whole-of-school-community approach to cyber-safety. Family Zone provides you with cyber safety tools and materials, plus advice from world-renowned cyber experts, to educate, support and engage your school community - parents, students and teachers. With Family Zone, you can position your school as a leader and your parents as partners in providing a cyber-safe community.

Engage parents as active participants in your students’ digital journeys

The technology, resources and advice provided by Family Zone ensure parents are involved in their child’s online activity, and empowers them to effectively manage social media use and screen time. Our Mobile Zone app gives parents the opportunity to opt-in to your school’s cyber safety commitment by adopting your safety settings for home use, or creating their own rules and boundaries.

With Mobile Zone, your parents can apply age-appropriate, out-of-school-hours settings on BYOD or 1:1 devices, as well as their children’s smartphones. This protection shields them from distractions and dangers while supporting and educating them to make healthy choices online.

Become a community leader

Sadly, the online dangers facing your school community are ever-increasing. Therefore, as educators and duty of care providers, it is your responsibility to provide your students and parents access to the support, information and technology they need to ensure they can lead safe and happy lives online.

To find out how you can take a community leadership role in cyber safety, visit our Family Zone Community page for more information. Or to book a one-on-one discussion with a Family Zone consultant, to help you explore ways to create a cyber-safe community where your students can thrive.