The Education Minister has written to all school Principals and Leaders to welcome the launch of The SBNIs Online Safety Hub. The Hub, developed in partnership with Ineqe Safeguarding Group, has been delivered as part of the Executive’s “Keeping Children and Young People Safe: An Online Safety Strategy”, led by the Department of Health.

The Minister stated:

Furthermore, the minister thanked school principals and leaders for their continued support and dedication to protecting our children and young people.

In his letter, the Minister reminded schools that the Hub was accessible through the Safer Schools NI App and encouraged schools who are not already using the App to consider registering on the Safer Schools NI Website.

Colin Stitt, Head of Safer Schools, said:

Delivered in partnership with Ineqe Safeguarding Group, the Safer Schools NI App is funded by the Department of Education and available at no cost to all statutory education settings. It seeks to help school staff, parents, carers, and pupils to manage a wide range of safeguarding issues. The App also provides schools with a range of effective communication tools, safeguarding training courses, and teaching resources for the classroom and at home. With over 800 schools now registered, Safer Schools NI has been created to help and support you, as together we educate, empower, and protect our school communities.

A range of resources are available for schools to launch Safer Schools NI from webinars, presentations and downloadable graphics and letters.

At the start of the academic year, approximately 600 school staff registered to attend our Online Safety Training for Schools. Funded by Ineqe Safeguarding group and supported by the Department of Education, the Education Authority and the Safeguarding Board for Northern Ireland, the training took place across 11 council areas. The training was designed to increase staff’s knowledge, awareness and confidence in Online Safety risks, trends, and threats; understanding and practical use of the App and Communication portal; and the training, resources and classroom lessons available to them.