Incident Description
Year 4 student was communicating with an AI bot about their low mood and wanting to self-harm. They also made a disclosure of a sexual assault.
Dad of the student reported these conversations to school staff and showed them screen shots of the conversations.
Guidance for Safeguarding Response
- School staff to spoke to the child as an initial fact find regarding these conversations and the disclosure.
- The child shared they were just curious about what they could ask an AI bot and what the response would be and confirmed they had not been sexually assaulted.
- Discussions with parents about parental controls on wifi & devices and monitoring child’s usage.
- Discussions with child to reinforce messages about keeping themselves safe online and talking to trusted adults
- School recorded the incident and facilitated regular 1:1 opportunities to allow the child to share their voice and build in any necessary support