12.09.2022 Letter to parents

September Newsletter 

#WakeUpWednesday!

Online Safety: Online Identity, Online Bullying and Online Information

Stay Safe Online this Summer

The summer holidays are almost here! That means no school for over a month, more sunny weather to enjoy and extra chances to have fun online. Lazy mornings on Minecraft. Bonus time on TikTok. Days watching Disney Plus. Whatever your child enjoys doing online, this #WakeUpWednesday guide has some top tips for helping them to stay safe in the digital world this summer!

In the guide, you'll find tips such as reporting bad behaviour online, making time for other hobbies and not giving out personal information.

#WakeUpFriday!

Online Safety: Social Media, Mental Health and Online Identity

What Parents Need to Know about Equality Online.

12 Ways to Champion Equality Online

In terms of the esteem it’s held in, women’s football has made impressive progress in a short space of time. That’s a bit like the online world: it’s come a long way, but that doesn’t mean we should stop trying to make it even better. The Women’s European Football Championships are underway, and that’s a timely reminder of how important it is to give everyone the respect they deserve online – regardless of gender, race, sexual orientation, religion, or anything else.

In partnership with the Global Equality Commission the National Online Safety programme have developed this guide to help young fans kick online discrimination into touch!

In the guide, you'll find tips on a number of potential issues such as ‘pack mentality’, haters and discrimination.

Derbyshire Holiday Activity and Food Programme

Dear Parent,

We are excited to let you know that the popular holiday activities and food programme is back for
the summer holidays and is completely free of charge for children eligible for free school meals!

Visit www.itsaboutmederbyshire.co.uk now to find out more and book your free place for your child(ren)
so they can take part in a local club and enjoy our brilliant mix of fun action-packed days and tasty
food.

The holiday clubs are running across the county from Monday 25th July – Friday 2nd September, with
provision in every district/borough.

Clubs will run on average for 4 hours a day and each day your child will enjoy a fun-packed programme filled with a wide r ange of sports and games, arts and crafts, cookery, dance and music.

Programmes will vary depending on the type and location of each local club, but every day there will
be a delicious nutritious meal served up for free!

Book now: www.itsaboutmederbyshire.co.uk

Can’t get out this summer?

We have Holiday Activity Packs on offer which include lots of fun things to do and make, with all the
things you need!

To register your interest for a pack, please visit the website and click the ‘Activity Pack’ link.

Our website has loads of great ideas to keep kids of all ages entertained. We’ve got hundreds of downloadable games, activities and links to videos that you and your family can enjoy at any time and in any weather.

We hope you will take advantage of this great opportunity so your child(ren) can have a fantastic
summer break with their friends - and be fit and ready to return to school in the autumn term.

We hope to see you soon.

The Derbyshire Holiday Activities and Food Programme Team contact details:

Email: derbyshireholidayactivities@streetgames.org

Website: https://itsaboutmederbyshire.co.uk/

#WakeUpWednesday!

Online Safety: Gaming.

What Parents Need to Know about Steam

Steam is a computer gaming digital distribution platform and storefront. It is the biggest platform for desktop- or laptop-based gaming, with a range of more than 30,000 games available. The platform has become a lively social environment for many gamers, and allows people to trade, sell and buy gaming items for real money.

Valve, the developers behind Steam, have also released different hardware that works with the platform, including the Steam Deck – a hand-held console that lets users play their favourite games while away from their computer.

In the guide, you'll find tips on a number of potential risks such as potential scams, contact with strangers and in-app purchases.

Help with the cost of living 

#WakeUpWednesday!

Online Safety: Gaming!

What Parents Need to Know about Minecraft

Minecraft is a beloved classic of modern gaming. First released in 2011, this open-ended ‘sandbox’ game of building and exploration still has over 140 million players who happily return to play it at least once every month.

Minecraft has also been utilised for much more than just entertainment: it’s sometimes used in schools to teach children coding, and it's also employed as a tool for computer-aided design, which is another valuable skill.

Encouraging creativity and problem solving, Minecraft has plenty to offer gamers of all ages, and it's available on almost all video game platforms.

In the guide, you'll find tips on a number of potential risks such as in-game purchases, addiction and chatting with strangers.

Derbyshire Parent Forum

The future of the special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) and alternative provision system.

Dear Parents/Carers,

The government has published a green paper (discussion document) on the future of the special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) and alternative provision system.

DPCV are putting together a Derbyshire response with the views of parent/carers of children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities, evidenced through our survey (link below). Through this link families will have the opportunity to look at all the information, some of which is simplified from the 100+ page Green Paper document.

Hot topics include mandatory mediation and a tailored list of schools. Have your say on these and all areas impacting children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities. 

Derbyshire Parent Forums Survey Link

Your views are important. Many thanks in advance for completing this survey.

Kind regards

The Derbyshire Parent Carer Voice team

#WakeUpWednesday!

Online Safety: Gaming!

What Parents Need to Know about Esports.

British Esports describes ‘esports’ as “competitive gaming, human-v-human, usually with a spectator element to it”.

In recent years, the esports industry has grown significantly – and is expected to reach an overall worth of $1.2 billion, with around 30 million monthly viewers, by the end of 2022.

This rapid evolution has presented even more opportunities … but, of course, opportunities usually come with a risk.

Highlighted in the leaflet are some of the potential hazards within the esports industry and suggested ways to help young people stay safe so they can make the most of this exciting space.

In the guide, you'll find tips on a number of potential risks such as in-game purchases, inappropriate content and possible exploitation.

#WakeUpWednesday!

Online Safety: Streaming and Gaming!

What Parents Need to Know about Twitch.

Twitch is a livestreaming service which tends to focus on gaming. Users can publicly broadcast their gameplay and commentary online for other users to watch. It's a community-driven platform where viewers can support their favourite streamers’ channels through PayPal donations, "Bits" and more. Each streamer or group creates their own community for fans to interact with each other. Twitch has more than 15 million daily active users and includes non-gaming topics such as music, cooking and art. Anyone can create a channel to livestream or watch videos.

In the guide, you'll find tips on a number of potential risks such as inappropriate content, private chat rooms and strangers.

#WakeUpWednesday!

Online Safety: Gaming and Technology.

What Parents Need to Know about Virtual Reality.

Virtual reality (VR for short) has existed for decades, but it’s only in the last 10 years that the technology has really become publicly available. With VR’s rapid rise as a gaming and educational medium, there are plenty of unknowns regarding its use – for adults and children alike. Is it safe? How long should someone use VR for? How expensive is it? What’s clear is that VR is becoming ever more ubiquitous in everyday life: from companies using it for training to at-home fitness. Knowing what the technology is capable of is more useful than ever.

In the guide, you'll find tips on a number of potential risks such as physical accidents, premature exposure and eye strain.

#WakeUpWednesday!

Online Safety: Online Platforms and Social Media.

What Parents Need to Know about Cross-Platform Sharing of Inappropriate Content

Creepy characters like Slender Man or Huggy Wuggy. Dangerous online challenges. Songs or videos that aren’t suitable for youngsters.

When things like these begin trending online, it can be difficult to prevent children accidently stumbling across them – especially if they use a range of platforms, like online games, social media, streaming sites or messaging apps.

A trend can originate in one online space and rapidly spread to other platforms or via chat apps. The frightening Huggy Wuggy character, for instance, first emerged as part of a game on Steam; now there are parody songs on TikTok, videos on YouTube and more than 45,000 results for #huggywuggy on Instagram.

In the guide, you'll find tips on a number of potential risks such as accidental exposure, inappropriate language and unsuitable videos.

 #WakeUpWednesday

Online Safety: Gaming and Online Platforms.


What Parents Need to Know about the Metaverse

‘Metaverse’ is a relatively new term to many, however the concept has been around for some time. Videogames, for example, use many aspects of the metaverse; avatars, digital currency, mini-games, and open communication.

A metaverse can also take many forms; Fortnite can be seen as a metaverse, as is Roblox. Put simply, a metaverse is an online environment where people interact, play games and express themselves. Away from traditional videogames, there are newer and more ‘dedicated’ metaverses such as Decentraland, The Sandbox and Somnium Space which are akin to Second Life.

In the guide, you'll find tips on a number of potential risks such as anonymity, psychological impact and unsafe areas.

 #WakeUpWednesday!

Online Safety: Gaming, Online Bullying and Online Platforms

What Parents Need to Know about Discord!

Discord is a free app which allows users to communicate in real time via text, video or voice chat. Available on desktop and mobile devices, it was originally designed to help gamers cooperate – but has evolved into a more general networking platform for a range of online communities, discussing topics like TV series, music, Web3 and more.

Discord is organised around closed groups, referred to as ‘servers’. To join a server, users must be invited or provided with a unique link. It’s a space for users to interact with friends, meet others with shared interests and collaborate in private online — but it’s also a place where young people can be exposed to risks if the right precautions aren’t taken.

In the guide, you'll find tips on a number of potential risks such as cyberbullying, predators and inappropriate content.

SEND Green Paper

The government has published a green paper (discussion document) on the future of the special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) and alternative provision system.

You can read the proposals here (Over 100 pages long)

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/send-and-ap-green-paper-responding-to-the-consultation/summary-of-the-send-review-right-support-right-place-right-time 

Here you can read shorter summaries:  

IPSEA

https://www.ipsea.org.uk/news/government-publishes-send-review-and-invites-peoples-views

National PCF

https://nnpcf.org.uk/2022/03/29/send-green-paper-response-from-the-nnpcf/

DPCV are collating parent/carers views via a short survey which includes 10 questions, focusing on themes relevant to parent/carers.

You can complete the survey HERE

Closing date: Thursday 26th May 2022

#WakeUpWednesday

Online Safety:Online Platforms.

Online Safety for Under 5s: 10 Top Tips for Parents and Carers

According to Ofcom’s most recent research, a significant proportion of children are already online by the time they start school, with 17% of 5-year-olds owning their own mobile phone and 50% using messaging platforms. As becoming familiar with technology is generally encouraged in younger children – and has been essential for education during the pandemic – it is essential that trusted adults recognise both the benefits and the risks of infants and toddlers going online. Here are some compiled top tips to help the under-5s start their online safety journey.

In the guide, you'll find tips such as managing screen time, block in-app purchases and using devices together.

#WakeUpWednesday

Online Safety: Mental Health

Loneliness Online: What Causes It and Ways to Feel Better

Does a child you know ever feel lonely when they’re online?

In a study by the UK’s Office for National Statistics, 14% of 10–12-year-olds said that they DID often feel lonely – so any child experiencing those feelings is, sadly, far from unusual.

To support Mental Health Awareness Week – which this year has the theme of ‘loneliness’ – The National Online Safety Group spoke to some children and teenagers, who told them some of the things that make them feel isolated when they’re online. They also suggested some ways they use technology to make themselves feel better when that happens, and this has been compiled into a loneliness-busting guide.

In the guide, you'll find tips such as taking breaks, playing single-player games and listening to your favourite audiobooks.

#WakeUpWednesday

Online Safety: Social Media, Online Bullying, Online Information and Online Relationships.

What parents need to know about: Group Chats

Occurring through messaging apps, on social media and in online games, group chats are among the most popular ways that young people engage with their peers online. Involving, by definition, three or more individuals, these groups allow users to send messages, images and videos to everyone in one place. While they are useful for helping friends, people with shared interests or members of a club to communicate and coordinate activities, they can also leave young people feeling excluded and bullied – as well as providing opportunities for inappropriate content to be shared and viewed.

In the guide, you'll find tips on a number of potential risks such as bullying, inappropriate content and unknown members.

#WakeUpWednesday

Online Safety: Social Media

What parents need to know about: Spotting Ads on Social Media

Can young people always recognise when what they’re seeing on their social media feed is an advert?

The evidence suggests there’s a good chance they might not.

What often complicates matters is that many ads are virtually indistinguishable from a regular social media post. They’re frequently designed to be funny, exciting or cool, which distracts younger users away from the reality that they’re being sold something.

Our #WakeUpWednesday guides has some top ideas for helping youngsters to spot ads like a pro!

In the guide, you'll find tips such as paying attention to the account name, studying the hashtags for clues and being savvy with high numbers of likes and shares.

#WakeUpWednesday

Online Safety: 

What parents need to know about Facebook Messenger
 
Facebook Messenger is the all-time second most downloaded software from the App Store (behind only its parent platform, Facebook itself). Discounting China – where the app remains banned – almost one in every five people on the planet who is old enough (and a good few who aren’t) use Messenger. 
 
Among the estimated 260 million new conversations that start on Messenger every day, however, are occasionally the sort of exchanges that would give parents and carers cause for concern. Contact from strangers. Hurtful taunts from online bullies. Encrypted chats only visible on certain devices. 
 

Check out the #WakeUpWednesday guide to the potential risks of Facebook Messenger.

#WakeUpWednesday 

Online Safety: Social Media, Online Bullying and Streaming.

What Parents Need to Know about The Ofcom Children and Parents: Media Use and Attitudes Report 2022. 

Ofcom’s annual ‘Children and Parents: Media Use and Attitudes’ report offers a detailed rundown of how young people used and experienced the internet during the previous year. Like its immediate predecessor, the 2022 edition will be particularly revealing because its findings again reflect the continuing impact of the pandemic on young people’s online activities. 

This special #WakeUpWednesday guide presents some of the report’s most relevant points in an accessible infographic format.

In the guide, you'll find stats including the percentage of young people who own a mobile phone (and at which ages), the most-used platforms by children in 2021, and the main online safety concerns of parents and carers.

Holiday Food and Activity Programme Easter 2022

This Easter, Derbyshire County Council is providing 26,000 free holiday activity places at 95 venues across the county.

The sessions, available throughout the Easter holidays, are all free for families who claim benefit related free school meals. Places may also be available to children in other vulnerable groups, including children with SEND, who are not currently in receipt of benefit related free school meals.

Please see the attached letter for more details.

Place2Be: Parenting Smart - Parenting advice from child mental health experts