Social Media Risks and Online Safety

Young people are spending more time online than ever before and with this comes increasing risks around exploitation, grooming, cyber bullying, harmful content, and mental health concerns. Vulnerable children, including children in care, are often at significantly greater risk of online harm.

This powerful and informative 2-hour safeguarding training course is designed specifically for foster carers, residential staff, parents, and professionals supporting vulnerable children and young people. This course can be helpful for parents.

The course provides a detailed understanding of today’s most popular social media platforms including TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram, Discord, WhatsApp, Roblox, and gaming communities, helping participants understand how young people use these platforms and the hidden dangers that may exist.

Participants will learn how online predators groom and manipulate children, the warning signs of exploitation and sextortion, the impact of cyber bullying and harmful online communities, and the psychological effects social media can have on developing minds, including anxiety, depression, poor self-esteem, body image concerns, and emotional vulnerability.

The training also offers practical safeguarding advice, including:

Signs and indicators to look out for
How to safely monitor online activity
Recommended parental control and monitoring apps
Privacy and safety settings
How to have open conversations with children about online safety
How to respond to concerns calmly and effectively

A dedicated fostering section covers the additional safeguarding responsibilities of foster carers, including:

Recording concerns appropriately
Preserving evidence
Informing the child’s social worker and supervising social worker
Following safeguarding procedures
Escalating concerns in emergencies
Contacting duty social workers or emergency services where immediate risk exists

This course is engaging, practical, and designed to increase confidence in safeguarding children in an increasingly digital world.

Suitable For
Foster carers
Kinship carers
Residential childcare staff
Parents and guardians
Youth workers
Social care professionals
Education staff
Anyone supporting vulnerable children and young people
Course Duration

2 Hours

Learning Outcomes

By the end of the course participants will:

Understand online risks and exploitation methods
Recognise warning signs and behavioral indicators
Improve safeguarding confidence
Learn practical online safety strategies
Understand fostering-specific safeguarding responsibilities
Know how to respond and report concerns appropriately

Safeguarding children online is everyone’s responsibility, this course helps provide the knowledge, confidence, and practical tools needed to keep vulnerable children safer in the digital world.