Safe and connected

Why online safety matters

Many young people in out-of-home care have experienced disrupted relationships, trauma and instability. This means they can be at higher risk of grooming, digital harm or people taking advantage of them. The internet offers connection and freedom, something we want them to have. But without guidance from a trusted adult, young people are left to navigate this complex digital world alone.

When young people are online, they can be exposed to

Grooming

When an adult builds a relationship with someone under 18 with the intent to exploit, manipulate or abuse them. It can happen in as little as thirty minutes, and perpetrators may be strangers or known adults.
Cyberbullying

When someone uses technology to repeatedly hurt, threaten or embarrass another person. It can happen on social media, in messages, or in online forums. Cyberbullying can have a serious impact on young people's health and wellbeing.
Sexting or image abuse

Sexting is sharing of sexual messages, images or videos. Even if it starts as a private or consensual exchange, it can turn into abuse, blackmail or bullying. Young people may feel pressured to share content that could hurt them later.
Harmful content

Being online gives young people access to lots of positive content, but it also comes with risks. They may be exposed to harmful content like unrealistic body standards, risky behaviour, violence as entertainment, stereotyping and discrimination.
Financial scams

Young people are often targeted by scams like payday loans and manipulative marketing. This can lead to long-term money problems, especially for those with limited financial knowledge or unregulated access to online lending.
Gaming or gambling

Gaming can provide connection, control and strengthen self-worth. But it also comes with the risk of unwanted contact, exploitation, exposure to harmful content, bullying and gambling addiction or financial loss.

Grooming

How to educate and support:

Build trust so the young person feels safe talking to you
Teach them to spot grooming red flags:
- Love bombing. Excessive attention, gifts or emotional validation.
- Requests for favours in return for promises or gifts
- Wanting to keep the relationship secret
Encourage regular, open conversations about online relationships
Help them understand why the law prevents sexual contact with adults

Signs to watch for:

Being secretive about online friends
Becoming unusually defensive or withdrawn
Spending more time online than usual
Receiving money or gifts from someone unknown

How to respond with care:

Stay calm and avoid blame. Create a safe space to talk, and remind them that groomers are skilled manipulators.
Preserve any evidence. Save screenshots or digital records if possible. Do not keep any nude or sexual images of the young person, as this is illegal.
Report the incident. Contact the appropriate child protection service and report to the Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation.
Seek professional support. Connect them with services that can support their wellbeing.
Continue to check in and offer support. Preserve and build trust and monitor their wellbeing over time.

Cyberbullying

Cyberbullying can affect young people in care differently to their peers:

Past trauma may make them more likely to believe hurtful messages. They might feel they deserve it and not speak up.
Abusive comments can echo things said by past abusers, making harm feel normal
Fear of losing access to devices, especially if they use them to connect or build self-worth, can stop them from reporting cyberbullying

Signs to watch for:

Being upset after using their device
Being secretive about their online activities
Becoming upset or withdrawn after using their device
Not wanting to go to school or avoiding their school friends
Difficulty sleeping or low self-esteem

How to respond with care:

Create a safe space to talk. Build trust so the young person feels comfortable coming to you if something happens.
Remind them it's not their fault. Reassure them they don't deserve this treatment and that they are not alone.
Report, block and adjust privacy settings. Support them to take steps that reduce risk and protect their wellbeing.
Preserve any evidence. Save screenshots or digital records if possible.
Seek professional support. Connect them with services that can support their wellbeing.
Rebuild their confidence. Encourage positive online connections and help them recognise healthy relationships that boost self-worth.

Sexting and image abuse

Young people in care often seek connection, acceptance and validation online, making them more vulnerable to sexting and image abuse.

Inexperience with safe, respectful relationships can make it hard to spot unsafe or manipulative requests
Past sexual abuse or early sexualisation can make inappropriate conversations feel normal
They may not recognise risk easily or might trust too quickly and share explicit content
Fear of judgement or past experiences with authority can stop young people from reporting
After image abuse, they may feel betrayed or ashamed and withdraw to avoid stigma

How to respond with care:

Stay calm and avoid blame. Create a safe space to talk and remind them that it's not their fault.
Discuss online consent and digital footprints. Educate them so they know that once something is shared, they no longer have control over how it is used.
Teach them to spot red flags. Help them understand what manipulative and unhealthy behaviour looks like.
Seek professional support. Connect them with services that can support their wellbeing.
Rebuild their confidence. Teach them how to recognise and engage in healthy relationships that are respectful, equitable, consensual and boost self-worth.

Harmful content

Not everything online is as it seems. Content is often edited to feel real, but can be far from reality.

Social media often promotes unrealistic beauty standards
Risky behaviour and violence may be presented as entertainment
Anonymity means people can reinforce negative stereotypes and discrimination without having face the harm of their actions

This distorted reality can effect young people in care more deeply:

They may compare themselves unfairly to others, leading to body image concerns
They might self validation online, reinforcing negative self-beliefs
They may struggle to tell the difference between curated content and real life, normalising harmful behaviours

How to respond with care:

Develop digital literacy. Teach them to be critical about curated online content and how to spot AI generated media.
Build emotional resilience. Give the young person tools to manage comparisons, boost self-esteem and positive identity and recognise their value beyond being online.
Create a safe space to talk. Encourage regular, open conversations about their feelings and what they see online.
Block and adjust privacy settings. Support them to take steps to reduce risk and protect their wellbeing.
Access to trusted support. Guide them to seek help from trusted sources like Headspace, ReachOut and Minus18.
Limit exposure to violence. Where possible, reduce interaction with content that encourages violence, risky behaviours or negative stereotypes.

Financial scams

Young people in care are more likely to be targeted by financial scams, payday loans, and manipulative marketing online. They may have limited financial knowledge or unregulated access to online lending.

Some common risks include:

Using Buy Now Pay Later services like AfterPay without understanding the repayment conditions
Falling for misleading advertising and making purchases they can't afford
Experiencing financial pressure or coersion from peers or adults online
Struggling with impulse control, leading to risky financial decisions

How to respond with care:

Build financial literacy. Teach them how to spot scams, understand lending terms and make informed choices.
Develop critical decision making. Help them manage impulsive behaviour by modelling healthy decision-making and building their confidence through positive, everyday choices.
Create a safe space to talk. Encourage open conversations about money, spending habits and online pressure.
Access to trusted support. Empower the young person by guiding to them trusted sources like Moneysmart.
Reinforce positive identity. Encourage self-worth beyond material possessions or online status.

Gaming or gambling

Online gaming is a common and often positive activity for young people. When used safely, it can be a great way to have fun and connect with others.

However, there are some risks to consider:

Unwanted contact from strangers
Exploitation of personal data and location tracking
Inappropriate or unsafe requests
Exposure to harmful or extremist content
Bullying or harassment
Gambling-like features such as loot boxes or token purchases

How to respond with care:

Support their right to connection. Gaming is a legitimate social outlet. For some young people, it’s a source of achievement and self-worth they may not find elsewhere.
Report, block and adjust privacy settings. Support them to take steps that reduce risk and protect their wellbeing.
Play online together. Strengthen your connection while gaining insight into their online world.
Talk about gambling mechanics. Teach them to recognise and avoid risks like loot boxes, simulated gambling, and in-game purchases.
Encourage balance. Support a mix of social and recreational activities alongside gaming.

Online safety toolkit

Practical, strengths-based tools to help you navigate general online safety with the young people in your care

Safe relationships

Strong relationships are the foundation of safety, on and offline. For young people in care, trust is built through consistency, empathy, and genuine care. When you prioritise connection, young people are more likely to seek your support when something doesn’t feel right.
Open communication

Make online safety part of everyday conversations, not just something you talk about when problems arise. Be curious and open about how young people use the internet. Use humour, relatable stories, and a positive tone to make tricky topics easier to explore.
Awareness and education

Young people in care often miss out on online safety education due to disrupted schooling. That makes you a key source of information. Acknowledge their digital expertise, learn together, and educate yourself on privacy settings, tagging risks, and device security.
Balancing risk and safety

Online safety isn’t about eliminating all risk. It’s about using a harm minimisation approach to empower young people to navigate it. Remember, phone confiscation is a last resort restrictive practice that can only be used after consulting with the care team.

White teen with dark curly lies on yoga mat on timber floor. They are looking blankly at the smart phone in their hands.

Responding to serious online harm

eSafety is Australia’s national authority for preventing and addressing serious online harm. They have the power to investigate and seek removal of the most harmful content online, including material involving child exploitation or abuse.

If a young person experiences cyberbullying, the first step is to report the harmful content directly to the platform or website where it was posted. In many cases, this is the fastest way to have it removed.

If the content is very serious or the platform fails to act, you can escalate the issue by reporting it to eSafety for formal investigation.

Go to the eSafety website