Mobile Phones: The Challenge of Keeping Children & Young People Safe Online

Restricting children’s access to inappropriate content on their mobile phones has been widely discussed in the media over the last week. Schools in England have been given guidance this week to stop pupils using mobile phones while on the premises, but mobile phone addiction amongst children and young people remains a huge challenge for parents and foster carers outside of school hours.

With online bullying on the rise and inappropriate content more accessible than ever before, what is the best way for parents and foster carers to protect young people from these dangers? How can you tell if the child you are caring for is being exposed to or engaging with inappropriate messages and content?
Baljit Kaur, Fitzgerald Fostering’s Therapist & Social Worker, says, “Keeping children safe online is a continuous challenge; developing your relationship with the child is an important factor in achieving this. If you can keep communicating and exploring the challenges, but also the rewards of online life, the child will be more able to share and be open about their online activity.’

Caring for children and young people can be challenging at times. At Fitzgerald Fostering, we are here to support our foster carers every step of the way, with practical and emotional support available 24 hours a day. We believe the best way to create happy and thriving children in foster care is to offer tailored, meaningful and long-term support to their foster carers.

We are committed to supporting our foster carers every step of the way, ensuring that you are equipped to provide the best possible care.

Reach out to us today if you would like to learn more about becoming a foster carer.