{"id":9035,"date":"2022-07-07T16:36:10","date_gmt":"2022-07-07T15:36:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/beta.devon.gov.uk\/supportforschools\/?page_id=9035"},"modified":"2025-04-16T14:00:07","modified_gmt":"2025-04-16T13:00:07","slug":"autism-and-online-safety","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.devon.gov.uk\/support-schools-settings\/send\/areas-of-need\/communication-and-interaction\/one-minute-guides\/autism-and-online-safety\/","title":{"rendered":"Autism and online safety"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:25%\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-rank-math-toc-block\" id=\"rank-math-toc\"><h2>Contents<\/h2><nav><ul><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#introduction\">Introduction<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#potential-additional-difficulties-for-young-people-with-autism\">Potential additional difficulties for young people with Autism<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#strategies\">Strategies<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#useful-resources-links-and-further-reading\">Useful resources, links and further reading<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n\n\n\t<div class=\"dcc-documents-cpt-fixed dccdocs-sticky dccdocs-hidden\">\r\n    <div class=\"grid-container\">\r\n        <div class=\"grid-x grid-margin-x\">\r\n            <div class=\"cell medium-12\">\r\n                <a class=\"back-to-top hide-for-print\" href=\"#content\"><svg class=\"app-c-back-to-top__icon\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"13\" height=\"17\" viewBox=\"0 0 13 17\"><path fill=\"currentColor\" d=\"M6.5 0L0 6.5 1.4 8l4-4v12.7h2V4l4.3 4L13 6.4z\"><\/path><\/svg> Contents<\/a>\r\n            <\/div>\r\n        <\/div>\r\n    <\/div>\r\n\t<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:75%\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:41.333%\"><div class=\"document-meta-acf-block clearfix \" id=\"block_acf-block-67ffa9d513b87\"><div class=\" dcc-documents-meta\"><div class=\"dcc-documents-widget dcc-documents-widget-block\"><div class=\"dcc-documents-widget-box2\"><p class=\"dcc-documents-published\"><span>Published<\/span> <time datetime=\"2022-07-07T16:36:10+00:00\">07\/07\/2022 4:36pm<\/time><\/p><p class=\"dcc-documents-updated\"><span>Last Updated<\/span> <time datetime=\"2025-04-16T14:00:07+00:00\">16\/04\/2025 2:00pm<\/time><\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:58.666%\"><div class=\"document-download-acf-block clearfix \" id=\"block_acf-block-67ffa9d513bc7\">\r\n\r\n\t\t<div class=\" dcc-documents-downloads hide-for-print\"><div class=\"dcc-documents-widget dcc-documents-widget-block\"><div class=\"dcc-documents-widget-box2\"><div class=\"content-container\"><div class=\"content-column download-copy\"><h2 class=\"dcc-documents-title\">Document resources<\/strong><\/h2><p class=\"dcc-documents-intro\">These files may not be suitable for users of assistive technology.<\/p><\/div><div class=\"content-column download-button\"><ul class=\"dcc-documents-widget-dropdown dcc-documents-widget-menu\"><li class=\"dcc-documents-widget-is-dropdown\"><button class=\"button secondary dcc-documents-widget-noarrow dcc-documents-widget-button dcc-documents-widget-download-button\" >Download<\/button><ul id=\"\" class=\"dcc-documents-widget-vertical dcc-documents-widget-menu dcc-documents-widget-is-submenu\" data-disable-hover=\"true\" data-click-open=\"true\"><li><a href=\"https:\/\/devoncc.sharepoint.com\/:b:\/s\/PublicDocs\/Education\/EUmnwKlfShhPnHwtsDGiKhwByPbFVIz6RF4knlQsXVtTmg?e=2hr8yp\" rel=\"noopener\"><span class=\"dcc-documents-widget-text\"><span>Autism and online safety (Document)<\/span><\/span><span class=\"dcc-documents-widget-size\">479KB<\/span><\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-layout-flow wp-block-group-is-layout-flow\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"introduction\">Introduction<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Online access and presence amongst young people offers significant potential and opportunities to support their communication, social interaction and learning and this access continues to increase and expand, with the introduction of new apps, websites and platforms. However, alongside these positive elements come difficulties and risks \u2013 for all young people, but in particular for young people with additional needs, such as Autism.<br>Social cues can be even harder to read\/pick up on from behind a screen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"potential-additional-difficulties-for-young-people-with-autism\">Potential additional difficulties for young people with Autism<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Increased vulnerability linked to difficulties understanding safe and positive relationships<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Difficulty with \u2018Theory of mind\u2019 \u2013 understanding other people\u2019s beliefs and intentions, which becomes even more of a challenge in an \u2018online world\u2019<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Difficulties differentiating between fantasy\/reality<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Social isolation which may lead to an increased\/excessive online use<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Difficulty in accessing whole school teaching around online safety<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Difficulty in communicating if\/when something has happened online that they are not comfortable with<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>There are no definitive rules for every online situation which means that each potential situation needs an individual decision making process, which can be challenging<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"strategies\">Strategies<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Any whole school\/class teaching may need to be regularly reiterated\/differentiated to ensure understanding \u2013 parents and schools should liaise closely around delivery and content where possible<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Ideally keep a computer in a family room where access can be supervised<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Ensure that internet filters are in place and have appropriate restrictions \u2013 make sure these are applied to mobile internet too such as mobile phones and\/or tablets<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Establish family ground rules which you are comfortable with and meet your child\u2019s needs \u2013 use visuals and social stories to support this process where appropriate<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Use role play to \u2018practice\u2019 situations with your child that might arise<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Support children to search and find out about their special interests using well know and established sites, rather than random Google searches \u2013 for example National Geographic site; agree on a list of sites that can be used independently (supported by visuals)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Adults should make themselves aware of the different sites that young people use and the common acronyms used during internet talk<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The use of \u2018scripts\u2019 that can be used in different situations so that the young person is clear around what steps they need to take.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Develop a non-verbal strategy with your child for them to identify if something has gone wrong online for them as expressing this verbally may be too tricky for them. E.g. A printed picture of a laptop that they can put on their parent\u2019s bed if they need to talk. The adult can then start the conversation.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The use of flow charts to provide steps to take for different situations e.g. friend request from someone unknown, displayed near where the internet is used.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"useful-resources-links-and-further-reading\">Useful resources, links and further reading<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/cerebra.org.uk\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Mencap \u2013 Learning Disabilities, Autism and Internet Safety<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.commonsense.org\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Parental guides for YouTube and other programmes<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.friendlywifi.com\/\" rel=\"noopener\">This government initiated guide<\/a> explains where open Wi-Fi services meet a minimum filtering standard (useful when out and about if children want to log onto an open Wi-Fi network)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.internetmatters.org\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Guidance around safer internet use<\/a>, including terminology that young people may use that parents may not be aware of<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.childnet.com\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Guides for parents and carers to support around children\u2019s \u2018digital well-being\u2019<\/a> \u2013 there are guides split into age ranges from 7-18 years, along with the STAR SEN toolkit<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>National Autistic Society\u2019s publication \u2018Safeguarding Young People on the Autism Spectrum\u2019 includes sections around online safety<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.connectsafely.org\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Parent guides to help with understanding some of the most popular sites\/apps such as Instagram and Tictoc<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.wizcase.com\/blog\/internet-safety-guide-for-people-with-autism-spectrum-disorders\/\" rel=\"noopener\">An external blog<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/eur02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.wizcase.com%2Fblog%2Finternet-safety-guide-for-people-with-autism-spectrum-disorders%2F&amp;data=05%7C02%7CSharon.Roberts%40devon.gov.uk%7Ced01a0b2dbfa4bb522d508dd0584f766%7C8da13783cb68443fbb4b997f77fd5bfb%7C0%7C0%7C638672790827123793%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=7nLeKBxrPxSKi%2FF1bT5xoCCNqEDLSENMmhiHW8o6P8A%3D&amp;reserved=0\" rel=\"noopener\">Internet Safety Guide for People With Autism Spectrum Disorder<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Introduction Online access and presence amongst young people offers significant potential and opportunities to support their communication, social interaction and learning and this access continues [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2436,"featured_media":0,"parent":8109,"menu_order":2,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"longdocument-template.php","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"class_list":["post-9035","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":{"updated":"","dccdocs_documents":null,"section-guidance":"","sections":null},"publishpress_future_action":{"enabled":false,"date":"2026-05-12 00:34:35","action":"change-status","newStatus":"draft","terms":[],"taxonomy":"","extraData":[]},"publishpress_future_workflow_manual_trigger":{"enabledWorkflows":[]},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.devon.gov.uk\/support-schools-settings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/9035","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.devon.gov.uk\/support-schools-settings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.devon.gov.uk\/support-schools-settings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.devon.gov.uk\/support-schools-settings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2436"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.devon.gov.uk\/support-schools-settings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9035"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.devon.gov.uk\/support-schools-settings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/9035\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":32010,"href":"https:\/\/www.devon.gov.uk\/support-schools-settings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/9035\/revisions\/32010"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.devon.gov.uk\/support-schools-settings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/8109"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.devon.gov.uk\/support-schools-settings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9035"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}