eSafety and the digital learning environment

There are many positives to using digital technologies within an educational setting, but they also pose unique risks. Therefore, eSafety needs to be an integral part of any child protection and safeguarding policy and procedures. It should also be something that you regularly discuss, in age-appropriate contexts, with children. 

Definition: eSafety eSafety refers to support for practitioners and children to ensure they are aware of potential dangers, risks and the actions to take if there are concerns, especially where online digital platforms, software and technologies are being used and accessed.

Some considerations around eSafety are:

• ongoing risk assessments to focus on potential issues, looking at internal technological infrastructure and considering whether appropriate systems are in place for filtering and monitoring.
• your centre’s eSafety provision needs to be part of your approach to teaching and learning. You should provide opportunities for children to consider their own behaviour when using digital technologies and the impact their actions can have on others. 
• young children should be supported to understand that unexpected things sometimes happen when they are using digital tools and that, rather than trying to correct or hide the issue, their response should always be to stop what they are doing and to tell a responsible adult. Children should receive praise when they respond to unexpected events in this way.
• eSafety should be an integral part of your safeguarding and child protection support for your practitioners and children.
• parents and carers need to be fully engaged with promoting eSafety within social and home settings. You can support them in this by providing the correct support, resources and guidance.

Cambridge recommends that all centres have an acceptable use policy which describes in detail what teachers and children should and should not do once they are given access to the centre’s computer network. If concerns arise, teachers should follow the policy, including contacting local child protection and law enforcement agencies if appropriate. This should include concerns that arise from anything that a child says about their experiences of technology away from the centre.

Children should feel safe and be safe in their learning environment. eSafety is one element of this safe learning environment. It is important that children consider the physical safety of themselves and others, and the devices they use, in your early years setting and at home.

You can model eSafety in your early years setting by making sure that:

• cables cannot be accidently pulled, tripped over or trodden on
• plug sockets are not overloaded, even in situations where a single workstation contains several components (computer, screen, printer) that require a power source
• seating is appropriate to the type of device that is being used
• modelling a suitable response when something unexpected happens on screen, such as a pop-up or the software freezing.

Children need to understand that they are working with electronic devices that are fragile and potentially dangerous if they are not used with care. You should display visual safety messages in areas where computers are used. The messages could be in the form of pictures and highlight, for example:

• not walking around while using digital devices
• keeping liquids away from devices
• being aware of cables
• appropriate treatment and handling of devices
• the importance of taking rest breaks away from screens.

All these messages should be covered by your centre’s acceptable use policy and be reinforced as children progress through the Cambridge Early Years Programme.