We want to ensure all young people have strategies they can take to ensure they thrive online. Both encountering inappropriate content and the amount of time spent online can have a negative impact on a young person’s wellbeing. This section of the toolkit aims to empower young people to reflect on their own digital wellbeing and understand how to respond to certain situations if they or someone they know encounters them online. It also encourages young people to use the internet for good by taking action and making a positive difference online and through technology.
The internet can be an empowering place for young people with SEND as it allows them to have a voice and offers experiences which they might not otherwise be able to have. However, the things they do online can have a very real impact on their lives offline, both positively and negatively. Young people with SEND will need further help and support in understanding the choices they have online. Young people with additional needs will also need support understanding or recognising appropriate action to take online. Focus should always be put on actions which have a positive outcome rather than no action at all.
- An introduction and advice for educators on teaching this topic
- Key vocabulary to share with learners
- Starting point discussions to introduce key concepts
- Teaching point activities designed to deliver key messages in a variety of styles
- A quiz for recap and assessment
- Ways to revisit and extend the learning
- A document to share beyond the classroom (with parents, carers and residential staff)
