Important Online Safety and Social Media Awareness for Families

Dear Residents,

We would like to take this opportunity to gently raise awareness of an important online safety matter, particularly for households with children and young people.

Recent reporting by BBC News has highlighted a concerning case in which a child was groomed through the online gaming platform Roblox. While Roblox and similar platforms are widely used and often considered age‑appropriate, the case demonstrated how individuals can exploit online spaces by building trust over time and encouraging children to move conversations onto private messaging apps outside of monitored environments.

Although incidents like this are thankfully rare, they serve as an important reminder that online spaces can present real‑world risks — even on platforms designed for children.

How Parents & Carers Can Help Keep Children Safe Online

Supervision & Boundaries

Be aware of which games, apps, and social media platforms your child uses

Where possible, keep devices in shared family spaces

Set clear rules about who children can communicate with online

Use Parental Controls

Enable parental controls on devices, gaming platforms, and home Wi‑Fi

On platforms such as Roblox, restrict chat functions, friend requests, and voice chat

Ensure your child’s account reflects their correct age, as safety settings depend on this

Encourage Open Conversations

Talk regularly with children about their online experiences — both positive and uncomfortable

Reinforce that they should never share personal information, photos, or move conversations to private apps

Reassure them they won’t be in trouble for speaking up if something feels wrong

Be Aware of Warning Signs Look out for:

Increased secrecy around devices or messages

Sudden new “online friends”

Requests to keep conversations secret

Mood or behaviour changes linked to online activity

Report Concerns Early

Use in‑app reporting tools immediately if something doesn’t seem right

Contact the police if you believe a child may be at risk of grooming

For support and advice, you can also contact organisations such as NSPCC or Childline

By working together and looking out for one another, we can help ensure children in our community remain safe both online and offline.