Child Online Safety Starts with Real-life Dialogue and Trusted Relationships

Recently, EMPOWER’s Joe Amos (Head of Youth Work) joined an expert panel at a Pro Manchester and Bruntwood event on child online safety. Joining him on the panel were Gary Conner – Founder of OnSaCom, Marianne Morgan – Insight and Evaluation Lead at The Information Commissioner’s Office, Samantha Quinn – Head of Programmes at Agent Academy, and Sam Cooper – Cyber Prevent Officer at Merseyside Police, where the conversation covered a topic that touches every family and the central message was clear: the strongest protection we can give children online starts not with technology, but with relationships. 

There was a consensual agreement that online safety conversations should begin early and happen often, in the same way adults teach road safety: calmly, regularly and before children face risks alone. That means being willing to raise difficult subjects like sexualised content, bullying, harmful contact from strangers before problems arise, not after. Normalising these conversations makes it far more likely a child will speak up when something goes wrong.

Joe highlighted something at the heart of EMPOWER’s work; young people need adults who listen without immediately reacting, judging or blaming. A young person who fears punishment stays silent. Many will choose to confide in a youth worker, teacher or older sibling before a parent, and that’s okay too. The goal is a network of trusted adults around them, not just one.

Children today are often more digitally confident than adults realise, and that’s an opportunity. Parents and carers don’t need to be experts to start. Learning an app together, getting involved when a new device is set up, and making online life a shared topic rather than a hidden one builds the kind of trust that matters most in a crisis.

The threats are real and increasingly hidden in plain sight; grooming through gaming and social media, diversion to private messaging platforms, AI-generated content and deepfakes. Harm often escalates gradually, making early awareness and practical ‘what to do if…’ guidance essential. Responses from adults should help young people navigate risk, not shame them for encountering it.

We cannot control every risk online. But we can be present, prepared and proactive.

Parents and guardians can find some helpful resources on ICO’s website here – https://ico.org.uk/switched-on-to-privacy

Find out more about pro-manchester’s upcoming featured events here.