Online safety and social media

Creating a safe environment can help keep children safer online whilst keeping in touch and staying up to date with your organisation.

We have developed the following steps to help you create a safer and more supportive online environment within your setting:

1. create a clear tone for your online content that is welcoming and accepting of all young people and their differences
2. have an online safety policy and an acceptable use statement, which includes the use of social media channels and online platforms for staff, volunteers, parents, children, and young people
3. reference your online safety policy within your safeguarding policy and make sure all staff are aware of your reporting procedures for online abuse
4. have specific procedures and specific codes of conduct for young people and staff to follow that outline what’s acceptable behaviour online and what is not

Online policies and procedures

What to include in your online safety and social media policy

• outline clear expectations and responsibilities for all involved, including coaches, volunteers, administrators, parents and children
• outline what standards your organisations will adhere to, for example the Data Protection Act 2018 and the UK General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)
• state how you will address any instances of misconduct online in accordance with your safeguarding policies and codes of conduct

Use our sample online safety and social media policy.

Acceptable use statement

Having clear guidelines in place for the use of social media and online platforms should include what is acceptable behaviour and what is not. These expectations should also be written into your codes of conduct.

Use our sample online acceptable use statement.

Codes of conduct

It’s important to develop codes of conduct that use age and role appropriate language and example behaviours for each audience.

What to include in your codes of conduct

• the expected behaviours that you want everyone to adhere to
• the rights of all staff and volunteers working with children in your setting
• the rights of children and parents and carers participating in your sport or activity

Use our samples codes of conduct  to help promote positive behaviour and to manage poor behaviour in your sport or activity.

Dealing with online safety concerns

Online safeguarding concerns should be dealt with in the same way as any other safeguarding concern, by following your organisations policies and procedures.

For further information see our dealing with a concern guidance.

Social media best practice

There are several ways in which sports organisations and activity providers can reduce the risk of harm to children and young people whilst using social media to promote their organisation or to communicate. 

Rules and expectations

• Include guidance in your online safety and social media policy and in codes of conduct for staff

Using images and video

• Set rules around which images and videos are appropriate for sharing and when it's okay to tag people. This should also include live streaming.

Communication

• Any online engagement with children and young people should be carried out on public pages/groups or via their parents and carers
• Online social groups should be age-appropriate and limited to only those involved with the organisation
• Do not communicate with young people on a 1:1 basis using encrypted platforms
• Agree parameters for staff and volunteers on accessing and communicating with young people on online platforms, such as hours of communication, device use and event rules. 

Staff, training and knowledge

• Ensure all staff or volunteers using social media have had training appropriate to their role
• Ensure at least two members of staff have access to your social media accounts and these channels are moderated by suitably trained staff regularly
• Equip young people with knowledge about the risks, how to deal with common issues and report any concerns. 
• Inform young people who they can contact if they need help or have any questions or concerns about social media

Technology

• Conduct risk assessments for all social platforms being considered or being used by the organisation
• Keep your social media apps up-to-date, use strong passwords and maintain privacy of all users

Sport management apps

Sport management apps like Spond and Teamo play a crucial role in organising and managing youth sports teams. While these apps offer numerous benefits, ensuring the safety of children using them is paramount. Here’s how you can keep children safe while still maximizing the benefits of these apps.

• Conduct a risk assessment for any sport management app being considered or being used by the organisation
• Ensure only authorised staff have access to communication features and permissions are up-to-date
• Educate parents, carers, staff and children about how to safely use the app and how to report any concerns
• Keep parental permissions and controls up-to-date
• Set appropriate age limits for groups and ensure communication is age-appropriate
• Set rules around which images and videos are appropriate for sharing 
• Keep the security features of the app up-to-date, use strong passwords and maintain privacy of all users

Live streaming and video conferencing platforms

Live streaming and video conferencing platforms such as Microsoft Teams and Zoom are increasingly being used by sport to deliver online sessions to young people. It is important that organisation and clubs think about these platforms when writing online safety policies and procedures.

This could include the following guidance:

• children and young people use video platforms with a parent present
• staff and volunteers have two members of staff dial in to virtual or video sessions (even if one is only observing)
• young people are kept safe from exposure to inappropriate content by password protecting sessions
• only the presenter can share their screen
• meeting invites should not be shared publicly

We’ve developed some guidance on remote teaching and coaching.

Instant messaging apps

Online messaging apps such as Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp can pose an increased risk to young people due to their privacy and encryption. These private messages could be used to bully or intimidate young people, expose them to inappropriate content or groom them for abuse.

Sports organisations and activity providers need to think about how they use these apps alongside public pages and profiles and how the use differs from those on public platforms. Messages should never be sent privately by a staff member to a young person.

It’s important that clear boundaries are set for adults on how they can use these apps to communicate with young members, and also how to respond to reports of bullying from other children. This guidance should be written into your online safety and social media policy and your acceptable use statement for children.

Digital resilience is crucial for navigating the connected world safely and confidently. It empowers children and young people to make informed decisions and maintain their wellbeing online.

What is the Harm Reduction Principle?

The harm reduction principle focuses on reducing the harm associated with certain behaviours rather than trying to stop the behaviours themselves. By focusing on building digital resilience rather than preventing all risks for children and young people, we can help reduce harm and keep young users safer online. 

Here are the eight principles of harm reduction and how they can be applied to the digital world:

1. Acceptance of Reality: Recognise that our world includes online risks and this is the world our young people are growing up in. 1 in 5 internet users in the UK are children. Instead of trying to prevent all risks, focus on preparing them to handle these situations safely.

2. Understanding Complexity: The digital world is complex and we should be talking to young people about it’s complexity. Some online behaviours are safer than others. 

3. Abstinence: Sometimes we need boundaries around online behaviour, and sometimes a total ban is appropriate. The goal is to improve the overall wellbeing of children and young people online. For example, try to encourage positive online interactions within your groups and platforms, set online policies and age-appropriate behaviour. 

4. Non-judgmental response: If a young person has come to you with a worry, they feel safe with you, so try not to be judgemental in your response. Create a safe space where they can discuss their online experiences without fear of punishment or criticism.

5. Give young people a voice: Listen to young people's concerns and understand their wishes. Their input is important for creating safer spaces that they can relate to. This also supports the Play Their Way child-first coaching principle. 

6. Primary agents of change: Children and young people need to be on board with the changes we want to see, because only they can change their actions. Provide them with the tools and knowledge to protect themselves and support their peers in doing the same. Childline offers resources and support for children and young people to learn more about keeping themselves safe online. 

7. Inequality affects vulnerability: Recognise that factors such as poverty, social isolation, and discrimination can affect online vulnerability. Challenge your own unconscious bias regarding who might be vulnerable online and learn to recognise the signs. 

8. Not minimising harm: It’s not about saying the digital world is harm-free and safe, but we need to recognise and respond to concerns. 

The internet offers incredible opportunities for managing clubs, connecting with participants, and enhancing your sport and physical activity offer, but it also presents risks. By adopting the harm reduction principle and focusing on building digital resilience, we can create a safer online environment for children and young people, empowering them to make informed decisions and seek help when needed.

Download resource sheet

The digital world is rapidly evolving – here, we highlight sport-specific resources for safeguarding children online, and point you towards the parts of the NSPCC website where you can keep up with what you need to know about online safety.

CPSU resources

• The impact of social media use on young athletes' body image - 2024 podcast
• Online safety series podcast
• Photography – guidance and advice on risks, policies and procedures
• Sample online acceptable use statement – ask children to sign-up to and follow this statement to help them understand the risks online
• Sample online safety and social media policy – use this sample policy to create your own for your club or organisation
• WhatsApp go to guide for sport - a guide to help support sports if you're thinking of using or are already using WhatsApp

Further NSPCC resources for professionals

• Online safety | Guidance and resources | NSPCC Learning – NSPCC Learning's online safety resources, guidance and training designed to help you create and maintain safer online spaces for children.

Resources for young people and parents

• NSPCC's online safety hub – information for parents and carers on talking to children about staying safe online
• Childline's online safety hub – Childline's advice for children and young people on using the web
• Report Remove Tool – Childline tool to help young people report a naked image of themselves online
• Sexual abuse online – helping my autistic child – Ann Craft Trust resource to help parents and children understand various online risks
• Thinkuknow's home activity packs – to help parents learn about online safety at home with their children 

Other useful websites

• Child Exploitation and Online Protection command (CEOP) – a UK law-enforcement command dedicated to tackling sexual exploitation of children, which also provides education and awareness resources on the CEOP Education website
• Internet Watch Foundation - helps to protect child from sexual abuse by tracking down and removing any online record of the abuse.
• UK Safer Internet Centre – offers a wide range of advice and resources on how to stay safe online, whether you are a young person, a parent or carer, or are working with children

Publications

• Cyberbullying and its impact on young people’s emotional health and well-being research. The Psychiatrist 37(5): pp 167-170 – Helen Cowie (2013)
• Sexting in schools and colleges – responding to incidents and safeguarding young people – a guide produced by UKCCIS on responding to disclosures, handling imagery, preventative education and working with parents
• Victims’ voices – the impact of online grooming and sexual abuse research (PDF). Universal Journal of Psychology 1(2): pp 59-71 – Helen C Whittle, et al (2013)