Summary

As a parent helping a child with a disability, online environments can be fraught with complexity and emotional turmoil.

•  Remember that effective communication can be incredibly helpful. Communication should be respectful, positive, constructive and informed.
• Reducing judgement and imposition of personal perceptions is helpful, as well as avoiding young people feeling undervalued and patronised.
• Understand your child’s perception or fear of “punishment” via device or platform disconnection. A collaborative approach with a pro technology lens when addressing online safety education is helpful.
• Increase your awareness of reporting, privacy and safety settings within games and platforms, as well as parental control tools to limit access to inappropriate content and children’s access to certain technology.