This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-42563173

The article has changed 6 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Schools 'should help children with social media risk' Schools 'should help children with social media risk'
(35 minutes later)
Schools should play a bigger role in preparing children for social media's emotional demands as they move from primary to secondary school, England's children's commissioner says.Schools should play a bigger role in preparing children for social media's emotional demands as they move from primary to secondary school, England's children's commissioner says.
Anne Longfield said she was worried many pupils at that stage were "ill-equipped to cope with the sudden demands of social media". Anne Longfield said she was worried many pupils at that stage became anxious about their identity and craved likes and comments for validation.
Her report said many children found it hard to manage the impact. Her study said children aged eight to 12 found it hard to manage the impact.
The government said it was working with schools on online safety education.The government said it was working with schools on online safety education.
The report into the effects of social media on eight to 12-year-olds claimed many children were over-dependent on "likes" and comments for social validation.The report into the effects of social media on eight to 12-year-olds claimed many children were over-dependent on "likes" and comments for social validation.
It said children approach a "cliff-edge" as they move from primary to secondary school, when social media becomes more important in their lives.It said children approach a "cliff-edge" as they move from primary to secondary school, when social media becomes more important in their lives.
Ms Longfield called on schools and parents to prepare children emotionally for the "significant risks" of social media as they move schools. Ms Longfield called on schools and parents to prepare children emotionally for the "significant risks" of social media as they move schools and meet new classmates - many of whom have their own phones.
"While social media clearly provides some great benefits to children, it is also exposing them to significant risks emotionally, particularly as they approach year seven," she said. "It's really when they hit secondary school that all of these things come together," she told BBC News.
"Failing to do so risks leaving a generation of children growing up chasing 'likes' to make them feel happy, worried about their appearance and image." "They find themselves chasing likes, chasing validation, being very anxious about their appearance online and offline and feeling that they can't disconnect - because that will be seen as socially damaging."
She also called for compulsory digital literacy and online resilience lessons for year six and seven pupils, so that they learn about the "emotional side of social media". Although most social media platforms have a minimum age limit of 13, the report said three-quarters of children aged 10 to 12 already had accounts.
Ms Longfield said social media provided "great benefits" to children but was also exposing them to "significant risks emotionally".
She called on the government to introduce compulsory digital literacy and online resilience lessons for year six and seven pupils, so that they learn about the "emotional side of social media".
Parents should also prepare their children, she said, by "helping their children navigate the emotional rollercoaster" of the negative aspects of social media.
The report spoke to eight focus groups of children aged eight to 12, and found some saying: