By Samantha Lawrence, NSPCC CPSU Senior Digital Content Editor
In this blog, Samantha talks about best practices learned while recording the latest NSPCC CPSU podcast episode, which focuses on applying the harm reduction principle to keeping children and young people safe online, all within sport and physical activity.
The blog includes:
- Introduction
- Importance of setting boundaries
- Photo consent and appropriate use of images
- Creating safe spaces in sport and online
Keeping Children and Young People Safe Online in Sport
I first met Louisa Street while working in Active Cornwall, when I was looking into youth engagement and supporting mental health in children and young people. Louisa is a youth worker, a PhD candidate and a member of the HeadStart Kernow Digital Resilience Project in Cornwall. Ever since I learned about the project, which puts children at the centre of their insight, I’ve been following its development. When I was looking for guest speakers for our most recent online safety podcast mini-series, Louisa was the first person I approached.
In the latest episode, titled Online Safety Part 5: How to Keep Children and Young People Safe, Louisa and I launch into four questions around online safety common in the sport and physical activity sector. We discuss practical ways to apply the harm reduction principle and reduce harm online for children who participate in sport.
The harm reduction principle was originally used in drug and alcohol services but has been adopted by Headstart Kernow for use in building digital resilience. Digital resilience empowers children and young people to make informed decisions and maintain their wellbeing online.
The questions Louise fields revolve around promoting top athletes and clubs on social media, choosing appropriate images, managing instant messaging and responding to online bullying.
Importance of setting boundaries
Throughout our conversations, the importance of setting boundaries has come up time and again. We know that setting boundaries is important, but Louisa emphasises the need for boundaries to not only protect children’s time, but also to make it easier for staff and safeguarding leads to challenge inappropriate or potentially harmful behaviour.
Photo consent and appropriate use of images
We also delve into the tricky world of photo consent and what is an appropriate and healthy image for promoting your club or organisation. Louisa emphasises the need for informed consent and how it's important to help children and young people to understand the risks associated with images they share online.
We also delve into the tricky world of choosing photos for social media engagement versus a true representation of your sport and critically thinking about photos using a safeguarding lens. I reflect on my time with a dance club and how there are ways in which we can celebrate sport without forgetting our duty of care to safeguard our participants.
Creating safe spaces in sport and online
As adults and staff, we cannot know everything about online risks, nor can we shield children from every harm. But throughout our conversation, it’s clear that creating safe spaces where children can talk to someone about their worries, from cyberbullying to image use, is a vital part of safeguarding in sport.
Another important part of creating that safe space, is talking to children and young people about what is important to them and how they want a club or organisation to manage and deal with situations. If we could recommend one step, it would be putting youth voice and young people first in the decisions a club makes about how to keep children safe online.
It’s been a great opportunity for me to have Louisa on our CPSU podcast, not only reconnecting with someone who is passionate about putting children first, but also to offer practical help for our sector.
Huge thank you, Louisa.
Take a listen, and if you would like to learn more about the harm reduction principle, listen to Online Safety Part 4 and follow the Digital Resilience podcast, hosted by Louisa herself.
