Navigating Digital Reality: How Trusted Relationships Build Online Resilience
Safeguarding practice is constantly evolving, and this includes both terminology and the practical realities professionals must respond to.
One of the most significant developments in recent years has been the way digital environments have become embedded within children’s everyday lives. Online spaces are now central to how children socialise, learn, relax and explore identity. As a result, professionals are increasingly supporting parents and carers to feel confident in understanding both the opportunities and the risks that technology presents.
Children’s online and offline lives are no longer separate; instead, they are interconnected parts of modern childhood. However, many parents report feeling uncertain about how best to manage digital issues, particularly given the speed at which platforms, apps and online trends evolve.
As we move towards measures, such as mobile phone bans, it is important to remember that conversation is also an effective control measure. As findings which formed the guidance from The Children’s Commissioner show, children emphasise that they are more likely to seek help when adults show genuine interest in their digital lives and respond calmly rather than reactively. This reflects wider safeguarding evidence that trusted relationships support disclosure and early intervention.
Importantly, the guidance draws directly on consultation with young people aged 13–18, alongside the Children’s Commissioner’s Youth Ambassadors and SEND panel. Rather than relying solely on technical restrictions, the report highlights the importance of ongoing dialogue to help children develop confidence in making safe decisions online.
These findings align closely with current safeguarding priorities, particularly in relation to technology-assisted harmful sexual behaviour, online exploitation risks, digital wellbeing and the need to strengthen partnership working between schools and families.
Interestingly, many young people involved in developing the guidance expressed the view that they would introduce smartphones later for their own children, recognising both the benefits and pressures associated with constant connectivity. The children described the value of clear and consistent boundaries, particularly where expectations are explained and applied fairly. This reinforces the importance of balance, where adults combine warmth and understanding with appropriate structure and guidance.
The report also highlights that online risk is not limited to exposure to explicit or harmful content. In consultation, children described the pressures associated with maintaining an online presence, the impact of social comparison, and the influence of algorithm-driven content on mood and self-esteem. Concerns about sleep disruption, distraction and the rapid growth of AI tools were also identified as emerging themes. These issues connect closely with safeguarding work, such as supporting mental health, identity development, peer relationships and resilience.
While the Online Safety Act strengthened expectations on technology companies to improve protections for children, legislation alone cannot eliminate risk. The role of parents, carers and professionals remains central in helping children interpret what they encounter online and develop the skills needed to navigate digital environments safely.
Although schools incorporate digital wellbeing within PSHE or RSE curricula, alongside online safety education, sharing accessible resources with parents is essential. This supports consistent messages between school and home, helping children experience clear consistent expectations across different environments.
As with all aspects of safeguarding, early preventative intervention is essential to support the wellbeing of children.
Children’s digital experiences will continue to change as technology develops, therefore ongoing training is essential to enable staff to facilitate early conversations about online behaviour, rather than waiting until concerns arise. Safeguarding practice must remain responsive to emerging risks, including AI-generated content, online exploitation pathways and new forms of peer influence.
SSS Learning
18 May 2026