How to use Barnardo's online risk guide in practice
Search if you hear something you don’t recognise
If a young person talks about a digital risk and you don’t recognise the word or phrase, you can use the online risk guide to search for it.
The guide includes other names that digital risks might be known as. This can help you link the language that young people use with your knowledge as a practitioner.
Install the site on your phone
If you are use the online risk guide on your phone, you can add it as a shortcut to your home screen for easy access:
- open the site in your mobile browser
- tap the share icon (usually an arrow)
- select 'Add to Home Screen'
An icon will appear on your mobile phone home screen. You can access the site directly from there in the future.
Use the online risk guide to inform sessions
You might run individual, group or parent sessions as in your role. The ‘What you can do’ section on our articles can help you identify relevant discussion points.
You can use the ‘In their words’ section to show how young people:
- feel about an issue
- want to be spoken to about online risks
Share information with other professionals
You can use the online risk guide as part of best practice and share links and articles with other professionals working with children and young people.
Maintain professional curiosity
The internet is always changing and apps and tools you’re familiar with bring out new features regularly. You can use the online risk guide, alongside other resources, to help with ongoing learning and research.
You can use the ‘Read more about’ links in articles to find out about digital risks in more detail.
Think about young people as individuals
When you’re reading about online risks, it’s important to balance the risk in the context of a young person’s lived experience. Use your knowledge with an individual’s risk and protective factors.
If you’re not sure about a situation, you should follow your organisation's safeguarding procedure.
Stay balanced about the online world
Online spaces carry risks, but they also provide opportunities and benefits for young people.
As a professional practitioner, you’re familiar with how to respond to risks. Use your common sense and take time to understand and balance the benefits and risks of online spaces.
Reflect age and stage in conversation
The information in the online risk guide is useful. You can use it alongside your professional knowledge to help young people to:
- develop healthy online habits
- build digital resilience
When you talk to young people, do so in a way that’s appropriate for their age and stage of life.
Balance digital risks with the rights of the child
Barnardo's online risk guide is a tool and does not replace any existing policies and procedures that you follow.
It's designed to work to help you make appropriate decisions to support the safety of the young people in your care.
Flag something we've missed
We welcome your feedback. We would love to hear from you if there is information that you think is missing from the guide, or any emerging online risks that we should be looking into.