eSafety Commissioner creates special resources for children 5-8 years to be safe online

The eSafety Commissioner has created a package of resources for educators, parents and carers to help children develop their online safety skills in the early to middle primary school years (typically aged between five and eight years).

Materials including professional learning modules, classroom activities, and home-based activities for families to complete together will be made available to download from today on the eSafety website. Four fun bush characters, the Mighty Heroes, are used to deliver four core online safety messages to children, namely: 

• I am responsible – I protect my personal information – Wanda the echidna
• I show respect – I am kind and caring to others – River the sugar glider
• I trust my feelings – I ask for help when something doesn’t feel right – Dusty the frilled neck lizard
• I investigate – I question what I see, hear and do online – Billie the bilby

Developed with Early Childhood Australia, and using feedback from educators and teachers working in the field, the modules are aligned to AITSL teaching standards and the Australian Curriculum.

The package is aligned to the Best Practice Framework for Online Safety Education and the free, self-paced, online professional learning modules for teachers include evidence-based advice and practical strategies for teaching online safety in the classroom.

Teachers will receive a certificate to download on completion for teacher identified or elective teacher professional learning hours.

“Our research shows 81 per cent of parents with children aged two to five years report their child is using the internet, so we have to start educating them at an early age,” explained eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant. 

The package aims to address this goal with age-appropriate, curriculum aligned content to prepare children for the increasing risk of exposure to online harm. Educators are encouraged to engage with the resources also, given the pivotal role they can play in helping children to develop digital skills to have positive, safe experiences online and develop good habits when using technology.

Today’s launch follows confirmation in the Federal Budget that eSafety will receive a boost to its base funding, delivering an additional $132.1 million over four years.

“The funding certainty provided by this Budget reflects the long-term need for eSafety’s work and will help us plan ahead to continue promoting safer, more positive experiences for all Australians,” Ms Inman Grant said.

All eSafety educator classroom materials are available free here.  

Resources are also available to help parents and carers have conversations with their children about online safety. Access them here.