18 October 2024
Dear Parents,
I hope this newsletter finds you well.
This week, we had the incredible privilege of welcoming Luke Lamprecht, a renowned psychologist and leading expert on child safety in South Africa, to Clifton. Luke spent time engaging with our children, management team, staff, and parents. He has been instrumental in developing our school's safeguarding programme, which began over a year ago.
It was a powerful reminder of some key principles in ensuring our children’s safety, not only from the physical dangers of the world but also from the growing risks in the online and virtual spaces. Luke emphasised the importance of actively engaging with our children during critical phases of their development. As the adults in their lives, we must do everything we can to help them navigate these stages successfully.
What resonated most with me was the urgent need for us to unite in taking a firm stand, especially when it comes to the unsupervised use of mobile phones and devices. Until we, as a community, make these tough decisions, the safety of our children remains at risk. The "tough decisions" would be to set stricter boundaries and limits around our children's use of devices, particularly in unsupervised settings. These decisions could include restricting access to certain apps or websites, limiting screen time, delaying the age at which children are given smartphones and devices, adhering to age restrictions, or even removing devices from children when necessary.
These actions are difficult because they can lead to resistance or "pushback" from our children, who may feel frustrated or isolated without their devices, but they are essential to protect them from the severe risks of online abuse and inappropriate content. Did you know that the chemical response in the brain from physical abuse is identical to that from online abuse? The brain doesn’t differentiate between the two, meaning the emotional and psychological impact is the same. In discussing this with my own children, I realised how unaware they are of the real dangers posed by exposure to inappropriate content online, content they are not yet equipped to process.
As parents, I invite you to join us, the Clifton staff, in this collective effort to protect our children’s innocence and safety. Let’s work together to make safeguarding an integral part of our approach to parenting and education. If we all join forces to enforce the same smartphone and device rules, we will be stronger in our shift back towards a more play-based childhood.
If you have any questions or need further assistance, please feel free to reach out to Luke directly through his website: www.lukelamprecht.co.za.
