This course is designed for professionals working in safeguarding, education, health, and social care roles who have responsibility for protecting children, young people, and vulnerable adults in online environments. As digital technologies evolve, artificial intelligence is increasingly shaping both the opportunities and risks present in online spaces e.g., messaging apps, social media etc.
Participants will explore the changing nature of online harm, with a particular focus on how AI is being used to create, manipulate, and distribute harmful or misleading content. The training examines how safeguarding practice must adapt to address emerging threats such as AI-generated imagery, synthetic media, and deepfake technology.
The course provides practical guidance on recognising, responding to, and reporting AI-enabled safeguarding risks, while strengthening professional confidence in managing complex digital safeguarding concerns. Participants will look at the online safety act 2023 and what has been implemented so far (2025 named as “the year of action”)
Learning Outcomes:
By the end of this course, participants will be able to:
- Demonstrate understanding of core online safety principles and their application in safeguarding children and vulnerable users in line with KCSIE (Keeping Children Safe in Education) and relevant safeguarding policy frameworks
- Identify and respond to a range of online safeguarding concerns, including grooming, exploitation, cyberbullying, radicalisation, and other forms of digital harm
- Apply organisational safeguarding procedures effectively, including recording, reporting, and escalation pathways in accordance with multi-agency safeguarding arrangements and filtering and monitoring systems (Working Together to Safeguard Children)
- Recognise the impact of emerging artificial intelligence technologies on safeguarding risk, including AI-manipulated images, synthetic media, deepfakes, and generative AI content
- Assess how AI-generated or AI-altered content may be used to facilitate harm, including coercion, deception, impersonation, and exploitation, deep web and dark web.
- Make informed professional judgements regarding threshold decisions and escalation in relation to both traditional online risks and AI-enabled safeguarding concerns
- Contribute to a safer digital environment by promoting appropriate online safety behaviours and providing guidance consistent with organisational safeguarding expectations.
Additional Learning Outcomes:
- Evaluate the reliability and authenticity of digital content, including recognising indicators of AI-generated or manipulated media that may impact safeguarding decisions
- Understand the limitations and risks of using digital tools and AI systems in safeguarding contexts, including potential bias, misinformation and false positives
- Apply critical thinking skills when assessing online disclosures, reports, or digital evidence that may involve synthetic or AI-altered content
- Support effective multi-agency collaboration by accurately communicating concerns involving complex online and AI-enabled harms
- Demonstrate awareness of legal and ethical considerations relating to data protection, consent, and digital evidence handling in safeguarding cases involving online or AI-generated material
- Recognise when to seek specialist advice or escalate concerns where AI-related risks or digital evidence increases uncertainty or complexity Reflect on professional responsibility in maintaining up-to-date knowledge of emerging online threats and evolving AI technologies within safeguarding practice