As part of our ongoing commitment to online safety, we are sharing the Group Chats Guide. This resource is designed to help us understand how group chats work, the potential risks they present, and how to support children in using them responsibly.
Group chats are a common way for children to stay in touch with friends, particularly through platforms such as WhatsApp, Snapchat, and Instagram. While they can be positive spaces for socialising and sharing, they can also lead to challenges such as:
Unkind messages or exclusion from conversations.
Pressure to respond or be constantly available.
Sharing of inappropriate content.
Involvement in large group chats with people they don’t know well.
The guide includes practical advice on how to help children manage group chats safely — from setting boundaries and knowing when to leave a chat, to understanding how to report or block harmful behaviour.
We encourage all parents to:
Review the attached guide.
Discuss with your child who they communicate with online.
Set clear expectations about kindness and respect in digital spaces.
Remind children that they can always come to you or a trusted adult if they see or experience anything upsetting.
Click here to download the guide Group Chats
