Keeping kids safe online can feel overwhelming, especially when the digital world shifts faster than most parents can keep up. In this episode, online-safety experts Jo Robertson and Holly Brooker from Make Sense break down what parents really need to know, and how to build digital resilience in everyday family life.

As researchers, advocates and mums themselves, Jo and Holly offer clear, practical guidance on where to start. They explain why online-safety education needs to begin early (long before a child gets a phone), what schools can realistically do, and why many parents overestimate how protected their kids are in classrooms and on ‘kid-safe’ platforms.

They walk through simple conversation starters for tricky topics like porn, grooming and violent content, and introduce Jo’s helpful Heart → Head → Hands framework for supporting a child who has seen something distressing. They also discuss how to stay calm when your child shares something shocking, and why your response determines whether they’ll ever come back to you again.

The episode also explores the limits of filters and parental controls, the importance of parental influence (not just enforcement), and how to support rangatahi who are already on social media, even if it feels “too late.” Throughout, Jo and Holly emphasise the role of identity, connection and family culture in helping young people navigate an online world that wasn’t designed for them.

This warm, honest conversation is full of practical tools for parents, caregivers and teachers - without judgment, jargon or overwhelm.

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