Social media, young people and the importance of staying safe online…

“Ugh, Tik Tok – I hate it, and the security settings are really unhelpful. My foster child and I have a good relationship as far as social media is concerned. She will tell me if she has seen something funny; more importantly, she tells me if she has seen something controversial. She is very open to sharing, and she knows I monitor her phone, but she’s good about that.

I have to check her phone, but she knows I am not policing her. She knows I check her phone because she knows I trust her; it is something that I must do to protect her.

She uses Snapchat a lot, and all of her friends are on it. However, if she sees something that is controversial, she will always ask me what I think? Like most teenage girls, social media is a part of their everyday world; however, she knows we can talk about anything.

All children are different and have their own unique skills and their own personalities. Equally, this is true of adults. I am a calm person; many people say that I can stay calm in a crisis; it is my strength.

I tend naturally to be calm, and I reflect this calmness in everything I do. This strength helps when young people get worried and begin to be afraid; I can calm them down and reassure them that we can sort everything out, it will always be okay.”

Karen

Click here to read more about Karen’s fostering story…

Click here to enquire about fostering with Caritas Care

Rated Outstanding by Ofsted.

Special thanks to Verve Recruitment for their support in helping us find more foster carer for more children.