The internet is an extraordinary force for good but it is not designed with children in mind. Now more than ever, the internet offers children unlimited opportunities to learn, to explore and to engage with others and this critical part of their lives will only continue to grow. With this rapid progression however, more parents and carers are feeling increasingly out of their depth and unsure about the impact this digital engagement is having on the lives of children.

Increasingly children inhabit a world dominated by near constant social engagement through digital means. They are growing up in a world of ‘selfies’ and ‘likes’ where they wield the power to communicate globally. Given children's extensive online engagement, more needs to be done to prepare them for the risks that they might face online and to ensure that the digital space in which they interact is as supportive as possible.

Offline, adults aim not just to educate their children as they grow up, but to help them develop resilience and the ability to interact critically with the world; recognising that without these ‘softer’ skills, they cannot grow up as enabled agents and citizens to lead healthy, rewarding and productive lives. Given the impact and importance of digital technologies in everyday life, the same level of care, attention and importance should be given to children's online education and digital resilience. This book enables anyone working with children to do so while ensuring children and young people's safety and wellbeing both online and offline.

This book is unique in its approach as it encourages parents, carers, social workers and other safeguarding professionals as well as all adults working with children or involved in safeguarding them, to consider online risks in a critical and systematic manner and in the context of enhancing children's digital media knowledge and skills and digital citizenship. Too many approaches have previously favoured restrictive measures that either limit children's digital opportunities and growth or aim to prevent them from accessing the internet or a smartphone. It is important to recognise that these approaches are inadequate and often when these methods are employed, children continue their risk-taking behaviour without adult supervision exposing them to added risks while the opportunity for positive digital engagement and learning is lost.