Advanced Certificate in Online Safety for SENDCo's

About the Course

Duration: 101 mins (approx)

Children with special educational needs (SEN) and disabilities can face additional safeguarding challenges online. They often experience more online harms than their peers and can be vulnerable to online risks such as cyberbullying, online grooming and exploitation. SENDCOs play a central role in safeguarding pupils with SEND. They are a core element of ensuring relevant policies are adhered to, co-ordinating SEND provision and providing the necessary support that SEND and vulnerable learners need.

Our annual advanced certificate in online safety for SENDCOs has been created by experienced safeguarding consultant, mental health lead and online safety subject matter expert, Lorna Ponambalum. It will provide you with the core content you need to feel confident and empowered to tackle online safety issues head on.

Delivered in high-quality video CPD format that has been skilfully organised for busy workloads and is accessible on any device, anytime, anywhere, our online safety training has been designed to provide maximum learning potential in the leanest, most cost effective and most time-efficient manner.

The course has been divided into ten easy-to-digest modules and contains links to further learning and resources throughout, with a knowledge assessment at the end to help you evidence your compliance in online safety.

Designed in line with the following policies

Keeping Children Safe in Education 2020
Relationships Education, Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) and Health Education 2019
Teaching Online Safety in Schools 2019

Learning Outcomes

Understanding the roles and responsibilities of a SENDCo in relation to online safety and key safeguarding legislation and statutory guidance.
Recognising the need for developing robust and rigorous online safety policies to help mitigate risk and ensuring engagement and compliance.
Identifying and responding to different types of harm and abuse at a more senior level, managing disclosures and the role of contextual safeguarding.
Implementing a whole school approach and developing a culture of online safety.
Recognising your responsibilities around safeguarding remote learners, adapting policy and promoting effective online safety practice.

Modules

Module 1: What is the need for online safety?

Module 1 discusses why online safety is so important. It explores how children’s use of technology and the internet evolves as they get older and what kind of risks they may be exposed to online.

Module 2: Your responsibilities as a SENDCo in relation to online safety

Module 2 will discuss what you must be aware of and understand in your role as a special educational needs and disabilities coordinator. It will define your role and expectations as a SENDCO and your responsibilities in relation to safeguarding children online.

Module 3: Statutory guidance and the legislative framework in relation to online safety

Module 3 explores the statutory guidance that DSLs must be aware of around online safety in schools. It examines the key policy documents, including Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSiE) 2020, as well as curriculum requirements and guidance in relation to Ofsted.

Module 4: School policies including the online safety policy and the acceptable use policy

In module 4, you learn about developing and implementing policies which support your school’s online safety provision. You’ll consider the need to ensure policies are inclusive, transparent, relevant and reflective of the current environment.

Module 5: Understanding the risks children face online – unsafe communications

Module 5 looks at the dangers around who children might engage with online (and how they might do it), along with the different ways they may encounter harm. It provides advice and guidance on how schools can take appropriate action.

Module 6: Understanding the risks children face online – managing online information

In module 6, you’ll cover types of online content that children may have control over or access to. You’ll learn to identify the activities which can place their own online information in danger.

Module 7: Understanding the risks children face online – effects on health, wellbeing and lifestyle

In module 7, you’ll learn about some of the online activities that children may become involved in and how technology and social media can negatively impact on children’s mental health, wellbeing and lifestyle.

Module 8: Developing a safe online culture

Module 8 discusses your role in developing a whole-school approach to online safety. It explores reporting mechanisms, referrals, compliance promoting good practice, teaching online safety and providing the necessary support to children.

Module 9: Staff use of digital technologies

Module 9 explores your role in ensuring effective staff use of digital technologies, particularly in support of enhanced teaching and learning and in complying with relevant safeguarding requirements.

Module 10: Safeguarding remote learners

In module 10, you’ll cover what your responsibilities are in relation to safeguarding remote learners in line with DfE requirements. You’ll consider how to ensure children remain safe online through blended learning and in respect of adapted teaching and learning due to COVID-19.

Course Units

Introduction

Module 1: What is the need for online safety?

Module 1 discusses why online safety is so important. It explores how children’s use of technology and the internet evolves as they get older and what kind of risks they may be exposed to online.

Module 2: Your responsibilities as a SENDCo in relation to online safety

Module 3: Statutory guidance and the legislative framework in relation to online safety

Module 4: School policies including the online safety policy and the acceptable use policy

Module 5: Understanding the risks children face online – unsafe communications

Module 6: Understanding the risks children face online – managing online information

In module 6, you’ll cover types of online content that children may have control over or access to. You’ll learn to identify the activities which can place their own online information in danger.