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About

Barnardo's online risk guide is a website for practitioners and youth workers that tells you about:

  • different types of online risk
  • where risks happen
  • how young people experience life online

We want to make it easier for practitioners to improve the lives of children and young people. Each of the articles on Barnardo's online risk guide supports you to help young people:

  • understand where they're at risk online
  • learn from their experiences online
  • know where and how to seek help for their situation
  • access support to help them recover

One of our principles is that we do the research so that you don't have to. We do this by providing researched content on online risks that is:

  • high quality
  • appropriate
  • useful

To create our content we:

We want to hear from you and learn from your experiences. Help us by contributing to Barnardo's online risk guide.

Use the Digital Resilience Framework

Barnardo's online risk guide uses the Digital Resilience Framework. The Digital Resilience Framework is a policy paper by the UK government. The framework helps us create services that help young people use it safely

Develop content standards and criteria

The content designers on Barnardo's online risk guide make sure that the content meets quality standards.

This means that before it's published, all the content on Barnardo's online risk guide has been checked to make sure that it's:

  • easy to read
  • accessible
  • accurate
  • evidence-based
  • trauma informed

We work with experts from a range of backgrounds to make sure that the content on Barnardo's online risk guide is:

  • accurate
  • objective
  • unbiased

Track how online risks emerge and evolve

Things on the internet change fast. Keeping track of online risks can take up a lot of time.

We know that apps are always bringing out new features. We keep an eye on new features to see how young people use them and if they pose new risks to young people.

We also track new technologies and the risks they pose to young people. We want you to have what you need to be informed and proactive in your professional practice.

Work with trusted partners

Using practical expertise from Barnardo’s, digital expertise from Parent Zone, and funding from Nominet, when we create the content for Barnardo's online risk guide, we:

  • work with partner organisations we can trust
  • analyse sources for credibility and trustworthiness
  • review sources against objective criteria

Work with young people

We want to let young people speak for themselves. We're working with young people to make sure that:

  • their experiences of online life are reflected in Barnardo’s online risk guide
  • practitioners understand what support young people need
Visit the main Barnardo's site
A young person high-fiving an adult

Barnardo's

Barnardo’s is the largest children’s charity in the UK. We have worked with social and youth work practitioners across the UK to provide practical expertise to create and maintain the Barnardo's online risk guide.

Visit the Parent Zone site

Parent Zone

Parent Zone is a social enterprise who have provided expert advice and knowledge. We have worked with Parent Zone to identify existing and emerging online harms.

Visit the Nominet site

Nominet

Nominet are a public benefit company that are a force for good in the UK’s digital economy. They have given funding to Barnardo’s for this project.

Work with young people

We want to let young people speak for themselves. We're working with young people to make sure that:

  • their experiences of online life are reflected in Barnardo's online risk guide
  • practitioners understand what support young people need