Safeguarding Newsletter for

Parents and Carers

February 2026

*********NEW COURSES FOR PARENTS/Carers and Young People *********

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We have been made aware that some of our students are participating in some social media trends that are around at the moment. One in particular involves young people holding their breath for as long as possible. Tutors have been asked to speak to students in their form groups about the dangers associated with such trends. We ask that you also have these discussions at home too. There have been well documented concerns around such trends and unfortunately there have been deaths of young people nationally and worldwide who participate in such trends, so it is a serious matter.

Please get in touch with a member of the safeguarding team if you are concerned.

A psychologist’s tips for raising digitally resilient teens - BBC BitesizeAs part of the BBC Bitesize Solve the Story campaign, clinical psychologist Dr Martha Deiros Collado gives parents advice on ensuring their teenager understands the complexity of the digital world they may live in and the risks and uncertainties of life online.

The Gender Gap: Understanding & responding to girls' & boys' online experiencesUnderstanding girls & boys online experiences | Internet Matters. Explore what research says about the benefits and harms online.

Warning over man targeting Trafford schoolboys on WhatsAppSchools have urged parents to check their children's phones for "suspicious activity".

UAE parents: 7 things you are now legally required to do before your child goes onlineDiscover the new UAE Child Digital Safety Law that mandates parents to actively supervise their children's online activities. Learn about the seven key responsibilities, from using parental controls to educating kids on digital safety, ensuring a secure online environment for the young ones.

Lemon8 App: What Parents Need to Know About the TikTok-Linked Social PlatformWhat is Lemon8? A parent guide to the Lemon8 social media app from TikTok’s creators. Learn about features, privacy and risks

Popular Apps and Games - A Handy Guide for Parents | e-Safety AdviserA free download for schools, parents and carers showing the popular apps and games used by children, along with the available parent features.

'What I wish my parents or carers knew…': A guide for parents and carers on managing children’s digital lives | Children's Commissioner for EnglandParenting today can feel overwhelming — especially when childhood looks so different from what we grew up with. There’s no manual, and it can be hard to

‎The Adventures of Algo and Rhythm‎Kids · 2026

Google emailed my youngest child today to tell him he is almost 13 and eligible to remove parental controls. Read that again. Slowly. A trillion dollar corporation is directly contacting every… | Melissa McKay | 722 commentsGoogle emailed my youngest child today to tell him he is almost 13 and eligible to remove parental controls. Read that again. Slowly. A trillion dollar corporation is directly contacting every child to tell them they are old enough to “graduate” from parental supervision. The email explains how a child can remove those controls themselves, without parental consent or involvement. Google is asserting authority over a boundary that does not belong to them. It reframes parents as a temporary inconvenience to be outgrown and positions corporate platforms as the default replacement. Call it what it is. Grooming for engagement. Grooming for data. Grooming minors for profit. In nearly ten years as an online safety advocate, this is among the most predatory corporate practices I have seen. Absolutely reprehensible. Corporations should stay the hell away from our kids. | 722 comments on LinkedIn

Google Enhances Parental Controls for Teen Accounts | Kate Charlet posted on the topic | LinkedInAt Google, we build supervision tools that are transparent by design and give parents the ability to decide what is right for their families. We are continuously evolving our products to provide age-appropriate experiences and enhance parental controls. Currently, Google emails both children and their parents before the minor reaches the age of digital consent to help ensure the transition to a teen account is a collaborative family decision. Under our planned policy update, any supervised minor will have to get parental approval before they can turn off supervision. These changes better ensure protections stay in place until both the parent and teen feel ready for the next step. As always, many of our safeguards are automatically enabled for everyone under 18, regardless of whether or not they are under parental supervision. Our focus remains on empowering families with the tools they need to navigate the digital world safely. #KidsSafety #ParentalControls #FamilyLink | 33 comments on LinkedIn

Learn and ThriveLearn all about Learn and Thrive, a UK national charity providing high-quality, educational resources for children and young people with Down's syndrome and other special educational needs (SEN). The Teach Me Too project is for early years, and Learning for Life is for older children up to young adults. Everything we do is FREE for all to access. Visit our website for more information: https://www.learnandthrive.org.uk

ChatGPT to carry adverts for some usersOpenAI is also expanding its cheaper subscription tier, ChatGPT Go, to all countries where it operates.

4.7M social media accounts deactivated since Australia's youth ban | CBC NewsSocial media companies have collectively deactivated nearly five million accounts belonging to Australian teenagers just a month after a world-first ban on under-16s took effect, the country's internet regulator said on Friday, a sign the measure has had a swift and sweeping impact.

Announcing PlayStation Family App for parental controls and family managementAvailable on the App Store and Google Play Store starting today.

Police arresting 1,000 paedophile suspects a month across UKNational Crime Agency says rise in child sexual abuse being driven by technology and online forums

Khaby Lame Sells Company In $975 Million DealThe equity-driven deal will see Lame becoming a controlling shareholder.

From Social Media to Social AI; A Youth & Teen Paradigm ShiftPublic debate and legislation still fixate on Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat, but youth are already moving on. Teens are shifting from scrolling feeds to talking with social AI that listens, responds, remembers, and feels easier to engage with. As social AI reshapes how young people connect and cope, age-gating laws built for yesterday’s platforms risk missing today’s reality.

Set up safe guideA simple guide to setting up devices safely by layering parental controls and having regular conversations, shaped around children’s needs.

Survey Reports and Findings

The Com: Gamifying harmSky News investigates sadistic online groups where children trade harmful content for status

#WakeUpWednesday

Workshops for Parents/Carers and Young People

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