NetSupport is pleased to announce that eCadets, the UK-based school online safety peer empowerment programme, founded by Henry Platten, will be working with NetSupport to enhance its online safeguarding toolkit for schools.

The constantly changing landscape of safeguarding trends and policies, combined with an increasing need for digital citizenship awareness and implementation is a pressing matter for schools. Safeguarding topics that students may be searching for online (e.g. suicide, eating disorders, radicalisation and so on) vary hugely from school to school, but so does the terminology used to describe them – making it difficult for school staff to keep track of exactly what is being discussed and whether or not it should be a concern.

Supporting schools with this challenge is NetSupport’s safeguarding toolkit (within network and IT management solution, NetSupport DNA) which contains a range of proactive and reactive tools such as keyword and phrase monitoring, internet controls and online resources. Working with eCadets, which has a wealth of safeguarding and digital citizenship knowledge from helping millions of children across the UK and internationally to stay safe online, NetSupport will ensure that its tools continue to remain up to date with new trends and terms to support students and teachers. eCadets will also support the creation of helpful guides and articles with hints and tips for schools to further support their policies and approach.

Al Kinglsey, MD of NetSupport comments: “A safe learning environment is key to a student’s wellbeing and learning experience – something we value highly at NetSupport and strive to ensure is constantly being achieved. Working closely with Henry will provide real insight into students’ behaviour, and will allow us to further hone our own tools to ensure we can help schools cover all aspects of eSafety and digital citizenship.”

Henry said: “We’re excited to work more closely with NetSupport as I’ve long been an admirer of their innovative safeguarding tools within school IT management software, NetSupport DNA. At eCadets we have our finger on the pulse of the issues that are important to children and are committed to providing the very best solutions for our schools in helping to enhance a safe learning environment and foster good digital citizenship. “

About NetSupport

NetSupport is an award-winning software developer (based in Peterborough, UK) providing a complete solution to schools to help them manage their technology. NetSupport DNA not only provides network and IT management tools, but also helps to promote a culture of good digital citizenship both in the classroom and across the school with its unique features, including: keyword and phrase monitoring tools; age-appropriate internet controls; and the ability for students to report concerns to trusted staff and access self-help resources. It allows teachers to demonstrate appropriate online behaviour while helping schools to stem and address the increasing instances of cyber-bullying, radicalisation, grooming, racism and more.

About Henry Platten

Henry is the founder of the award-winning eCadets programme (Bett finalist, Nominet and Internet Matters winner for Making the Internet a Safer Place and Best Innovation in Online Safety). The former police sergeant created the eCadets with a team of digital teachers to provide the UK’s first structured online safety peer empowerment programme. More than 3,300 eCadet licences have been sold since launching in 2012 and the eCadets HQ team benefits more than 1.2 million pupils in schools across the UK and internationally. 

Henry has also recently founded a safe social media platform called GoBubble that allows young children (under 13) to take advantage of the best bits of social media without any of the negative aspects. The web and app version of GoBubble is available free to schools (www.GoBubble.School).