Safer Internet: Keeping Children and Educators Safe Online

27th February 2025 All Posts

Safer Internet: Keeping Children and Educators Safe Online

As early years professionals, we work hard to keep children safe in the real world—but what about online? Young children are increasingly using tablets, watching YouTube videos, and exploring the internet, often before they can even tie their shoelaces. According to Ofcom, over half of 3—to 4-year-olds go online for nearly nine hours a week!

With the Department for Education reviewing safeguarding guidelines, now is the perfect time to ensure your setting is ready for any upcoming changes. Instead of scrambling to adjust in six months, why not get ahead and create a safe, tech-friendly environment now.

Even if children don’t use devices in your setting, they’ll likely be exposed to technology at home, with friends, or in public spaces. That’s why it’s so important for us to role model safe, responsible online behaviour. The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) and the Early Years Inspection Handbook already highlight online safety, so making it part of our everyday practice is key.

Using tablets and other devices in the early years can be fantastic for learning if done correctly. A well-planned activity can enhance children’s understanding of the world. However, technology can create challenges without suitable planning.

In this article, we will explore how we make sure we’re safeguarding both children and professionals online.

The online risks for early years children

Many young children have access to tablets outside of nursery and often use them to watch videos, cartoons and play games. This seems innocent enough, but the reality is with just a few accidental taps, they could stumble upon something inappropriate, upsetting, or even dangerous.

The UK Government’s guidance on safeguarding children in early years settings highlights three key areas of online risk: Content, Contact, and Conduct. Let’s break these down:

1. Content – what they might see

Young children are naturally curious, but they may not always know what’s safe or appropriate online. Risks include:

Coming across scary or upsetting videos, pictures, or messages.
Copying dangerous or inappropriate behaviour they see online.
Accidentally finding unsuitable content – sometimes even by using voice-activated searches.
Unknowingly allowing apps or websites to track their location or share personal details.
Making in-app purchases (without realising they’re spending real money!).

2. Contact – who might communicate with them

Even if children don’t use social media, other platforms such as online games, video chats, and messaging apps can put them at risk of:

Being contacted or groomed by strangers.
Experiencing online abuse – even from people they know.
Sending messages, images, or information without understanding the risks.

3. Conduct – how they might behave

Technology can shape a child’s behaviour, and not always in a good way. Some potential issues include:

Developing unhealthy screen time habits.
Being unkind to others online, such as using mean words or excluding friends.
Repeating inappropriate language or behaviours they’ve picked up online.
Engaging in unhealthy relationships.
Exploring natural curiosity about their own and others’ bodies in ways that could lead to unsafe behaviour online.

The role of early years educators in promoting online safety

Technology isn’t going anywhere—in fact, it’s only becoming a bigger part of how children learn, play, and explore the world around them. As early years educators, we have an important role in making sure children can benefit from the digital world while staying safe. This means putting the right measures in place to manage safe online access, model responsible behaviour, and educate both children and families about online safety.

Screen time can be a fantastic tool for early childhood development, but it also comes with challenges. Research shows that digital engagement can have both positive and negative effects on young children.

The benefits of screen use in early years

When used purposefully, technology can be a great addition to a child’s learning journey. Some of the key benefits include:

Encouraging creativity and learning: interactive apps, videos, and digital storytelling can inspire imagination and problem-solving skills.
Supporting language development: hearing and interacting with words online can improve vocabulary and communication skills.
Improving numeracy and literacy: well-designed educational content can help young children grasp letters, numbers, and patterns.
Helping children understand the world: virtual experiences can introduce them to different cultures, places, and ideas beyond their everyday surroundings.
Developing digital skills: as technology becomes a core part of life, early exposure (in a safe, guided way) can help children build confidence in using it effectively.

The challenges of screen use in early years

While there are clear benefits, it’s equally important to be aware of the potential downsides, such as:

Reduced physical activity: too much screen time can take away from active, hands-on play, which is crucial for motor skills and health.
Impact on social interactions: excessive screen use might limit face-to-face communication and the development of social skills.
Exposure to inappropriate content: without the right controls, children may come across upsetting or harmful material.
Unhealthy screen habits: overuse of technology at a young age could lead to difficulties with self-regulation and attention span.
Privacy and security risks: children may unknowingly share personal information or interact with online features that aren’t designed for their age.

As educators, we must find a balance—using technology to enhance learning while ensuring that children’s safety, social interactions, and overall wellbeing come first.

The role of a nursery manager in ensuring online safety

A nursery manager plays a key role in keeping children, staff, and families safe online. It’s so much more than having policies in place, managers must actively create a culture where online safety is recognised as a key safeguarding responsibility.

This means ensuring that:

Online safety is embedded in safeguarding policies: the Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) should take the lead on all online safety concerns.
There is a clear process for reporting concerns: any online safety issues must be logged, actioned, and taken seriously.
Children feel safe to voice concerns: even at a young age, children should be encouraged (in an age-appropriate way) to talk about anything online that makes them feel uncomfortable.
Policies are in place and accessible: these should cover the use of personal devices, mobile phones, cameras, wearable technology, and social media. Policies must be easy for staff and parents to find, for example, on the setting’s website.
Staff and parents are involved: consulting with families and staff when developing policies helps ensure everyone understands and follows them.
Policies are regularly reviewed: the management team must ensure all policies remain up to date with current guidance.

Supporting staff in online safety

As well as having strong policies, nursery managers must ensure that all staff understand their responsibilities when it comes to online safety. This includes:

Understanding their safeguarding role: every staff member must be clear on how online safety fits into their daily responsibilities.
Maintaining professional boundaries: communication with children and parents should only take place through official work channels (e.g., work emails and phone numbers).
Keeping communication open and transparent: any interactions should be open to scrutiny, with clear boundaries.
Avoiding social media connections: staff should not accept friend requests or private messages from children or their families (past or present). If an existing relationship exists, they must discuss this with the DSL or manager for guidance.
Reporting online safety concerns: any worries about online safety, whether involving children, staff, or parents, should be reported in line with the child protection policy.
Knowing what to do if they are targeted online: if a staff member experiences cyberbullying or harassment, they must report it to their manager. Managers can refer to the DfE’s guidance on cyberbullying for additional support.
Following reporting procedures: staff should always escalate concerns through the DSL, who will assess and manage the situation appropriately.
Accessing whistleblowing procedures: staff must know how to report concerns via the nursery’s whistleblowing policy or the NSPCC whistleblowing helpline if needed.

Online safety isn’t just about policies, it’s about creating an environment where children can explore the digital world safely, staff feel supported, and parents understand their role in protecting their child. By staying informed, proactive, and involved, nursery managers can make a real difference in ensuring online safety is a priority, not an afterthought.

For further guidance, the UK Government provides extensive resources to support nursery managers in safeguarding children online:

Learn more about Connect Childcare

We know the early years sector is facing some big challenges, and with that in mind, we completely understand that nursery management software might not be at the top of your list—but if you are looking, we have a budget-friendly solution that could help.

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About the Author

Content Marketing Executive at Connect Childcare

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