THE work of the NSPCC is constantly evolving to ensure we can continue to keep children and young people as safe as possible from emerging threats.

Online gaming has become a significant part of the lives of thousands of children. It’s a brilliant way for young people to connect with others who share their interests, but as with any online arena, there are those who use it to target the vulnerable. Around 89per cent of young people in the UK play video games, and NSPCC data shows an 82per cent increase in online grooming against children over the last five years, so it’s vital that the online gaming community is a safe environment for children.

Last year, after more than five years of campaigning by the NSPCC, the Online Safety Act was passed by the Government, which mandates video games and esports organisations take their safeguarding responsibilities seriously. This month the NSPCC is proud to be officially recognised as safeguarding partner of the British Esports Federation; we can work together to help keep children safer in online gaming. Together, we'll create a guide to esports helping parents and carers know how to help keep young people safer online, work in tandem to develop safeguarding initiatives which can be shared by streamers and offer coaching guidance to suggest best practice. And that’s just in the next six months. In the longer term, we aim to build on each organisation’s specialist knowledge to put children first and educate young people. We want to progress towards a global standard which enables esports organisations worldwide to put the wellbeing of children at the forefront of coaching, tournaments, and other activities.

Recently, the NSPCC and British Esports launched the inaugural Game Safe Festival, which included the first Safeguarding in Esports Conference. More young people are getting into competitive gaming, so the need for safeguarding in esports is greater than ever. But it’s a rapidly evolving online world, so the NSPCC and British Esports are well placed to be leaders in the space, putting the wellbeing of children at the forefront of esports. Working together, we can seek out children’s views and consider their perspectives and needs. We can offer education to young gamers and parents, provide ‘guard rails’ so they know when something might not be right and what to do if. This is just the start of our official relationship with British Esports, but the NSPCC website has knowledge and guidance around the online world.

Speak openly to your children about how they spend their time online. By showing an interest in what they’re doing and who they’re speaking to, and listening without judgement, you’ll help them realise they can turn to you with concerns.