Changing Conversations: Empowering vulnerable children in a connected world.

Minott, Mark; Hammond, Simon; D’Arcy, Jeanette; Boswell, Freya; Krasniqi, Elona; Birkenhead, Jade

Abstract

Executive Summary:
There are millions of vulnerable children growing up in the United Kingdom (UK). For example, in England alone, there are over a million children registered as having special educational needs and approximately one in six children were reported as having a probable mental health disorder in 2021.
Vulnerable children experience significant benefits from being connected to the internet. However, they are also more likely to experience online risks and have these risks escalate quicker than their peers. Vulnerable children need greater support than their peers to learn how to make the most of connected technologies, to manage when things go wrong and to recover from these experiences – yet are likely to receive less. Current media literacy education training and guidance has a rigid and analogue focus, promoting safety via limitation and taking a universal rather than personalised approach. Limiting internet access alone is ineffective in an increasingly connected world.
This contrasts with approaches that aim to develop digital resilience. Child-centred and flexible support based on open dialogues and empowering children offers better protective factors, particularly for vulnerable children. However, this help can only be provided if the rainbow of professionals surrounding vulnerable children have the confidence, competence, resources and tools required to support this group in their connected lives.
A recent survey by Internet Matters found that vulnerable children are 81% more likely than nonvulnerable children to give away personal information and 58% more likely to experience bullying from people they knew via the internet. Furthermore, the percentage of vulnerable children who are gambling via the internet is three times higher than before the pandemic started, while the percentage giving away personal information has doubled.

Citation

Minott, M., Hammond, S., D’Arcy, J., Boswell, F., Krasniqi, E., & Birkenhead, J. (2022). Changing Conversations: Empowering vulnerable children in a connected world. Internet Matters

• Report Type: Research Report
• Publication Date: Mar 17, 2022
• Deposit Date: Mar 24, 2023
• Publicly Available Date: Feb 20, 2025
• Pages: 35
• Public URL: https://hull-repository.worktribe.com/output/4239583
• Publisher URL: https://www.internetmatters.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Internet-Matters-Changing-Conversations-Report.pdf
• Additional Information: Sponsored by Huawei Technologies.