Online safety for families and children with SEND

We have partnered with Ambitious about Autism to bring online safety tips, advice and activities specifically for parents and carers of children with SEND. We spoke to parents of children with a range of special educational needs such as dyslexia, autism and speech and language difficulties.

Letting your child go online can be intimidating; you might worry about the different spaces they explore, the people they meet digitally and the potential for things going wrong.

Being online can be positive for children and young people, including those with additional needs. So much of our communication now happens online, either by messages, in a game or through a video call. Sometimes online platforms like the apps, social media sites and games your child accesses can help them connect and make friends with new people that they might not know offline.

As a parent or carer, you play an important role in helping your child to have positive experiences online. If your child has additional needs, then this role can be even more important, and it can feel like a lot of responsibility when you hear about some of the risks young people face online.