Dear Parent/ Carer,

At both Parent Council and in school, we have been discussing online safety for pupils, particularly those using social media. 

For those pupils with their own Smartphones, we are most concerned about the inappropriate use of WhatsApp.  Following discussion with pupils, it seems that some children are creating groups and sharing pupils’ contact details without permission.  Some children are reporting inappropriate behaviour of others online and material being shared that is not suitable for their age to be viewing.  Certain pupils seem to be on Smartphones for long periods of time, including very late at night, which impacts sleep.  

Whilst the concerns I am sharing are taking place outside of school, they are having an impact on school as children can be tired as well as being upset about content they have seen, which can lead to fallings out in school. 

Some pupils have told staff in school that they have not reported a lot of the concerns with their parents as they are worried about having their phones taken away at home. 

I have attached a PowerPoint presentation shared at our most recent Parent Council meeting around the impact the use of social media from a young age could be having on children.  I would recommend that all parents watch this as some of the statistics around the use of smartphones is of concern for all. 

There may be some parents who are considering an alternative to giving their child at Smartphone, the website link below is a useful place to find out more about a Smartphone free childhood: 

www.smartphonefreechildhood.co.uk

It is your choice as a parent whether to buy your child a Smartphone.  If you choose to buy your child a phone, setting some ground rules at home around when your child uses their phone, how much screen time you allow them each day and having an agreement in place with your child around checking their phone to ensure it is being used appropriately are really good ideas to help to keep your child safe online. 

I have attached some useful website links below to give you further advice around this. 

The Highland Council have created this page for parents, which has information on a range of concerns that relate to online safety:

Highland Online Safety Centre - For Parents

The links below take you straight to advice around the use of WhatsApp:

Highland Online Safety Centre - WhatsApp

What is WhatsApp? A safety guide for parents | Internet Matters

Is WhatsApp safe for my child? | NSPCC

WhatsApp

Staying SMART online

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