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Child Safeguarding Statement
Some resources and activities may prompt a child to remember and potentially share an experience of harm. Make sure you’re familiar with your school's safeguarding policies and procedures so you can confidently report safety and well-being concerns.
Prepare students for the session by discussing: their right to be safe and respected; what to do if discussing online safety makes them feel uncomfortable or unsafe; and how to seek help if they feel or have felt unsafe. Use this resource available on the website.
Tips & Resources
Transitioning from Digital Licence+ and Media Literacy Lab to new eSmart programs
The eSmart Digital Licence+ and Media Literacy Lab programs have now concluded - here’s what’s replacing them
The eSmart Digital Licence+ and Media Literacy Lab programs have now concluded and are no longer available for use within classrooms. Thank you to every educator who used them. Both programs played a formative role in how Australian schools taught online safety. New programs are now available for upper primary and secondary students. The new eSmart programs prioritise the needs of today's students by empowering educators to facilitate engaging experiences that equip learners with the skills to navigate a dynamic online environment.
Key takeaways
The trusted eSmart approach is still here. Six years of program delivery, research, and co-design with educators shaped our current approach.
The approach has changed, but the principles haven't. The new programs move away from self-paced eLearning toward discussion and inquiry. The core ideas of respect, critical thinking and healthy habits stay the same.
Your students are ready for more than the basics. By secondary school, most already have a working knowledge of online safety. What's here is built to meet them there and go deeper.
The goal is conversation. You'll find tools here to open meaningful discussions in your classroom and let students do the thinking.
Introducing the 4Cs of online safety
The programs on this page are built around the 4Cs, eSmart's research-backed framework for a cohesive, rounded approach to online safety education.
The 4Cs identify the four risk areas young people encounter online and give educators a consistent language for addressing them across year levels and curriculum areas.
Digital Licence+ and Media Literacy Lab used similar approaches to organising online safety content. You'll see the 4Cs mentioned throughout this page.
- Content what students encounter and consume online, including misinformation and age-inappropriate material
- Contact how students interact with others online, including unwanted contact and managing privacy
- Conduct how students behave online and the effect their actions have on others
- Compulsion how students manage their relationship with technology and build healthy digital habits
Primary school resources
The eSmart Digital Licence covers each of the 4Cs through four structured lessons that educators select from a growing library.
There are resources available specifically for Years 5 and 6. It's curriculum-aligned, free for all Australian schools and supported by the Australian Government.
Browse Years 5 and 6 lesson plans
If you were using Digital Licence+
Digital Licence+ supported online safety education from Foundation to Year 6. The new eSmart Digital Licence picks up where it left off. Our transition guide for Years 5 and 6 educators maps the new lessons to the themes you already know, including self-regulation, kindness, vigilance and empathy.
Read the guide: Transitioning from Digital Licence+ to the new eSmart Digital Licence
Programs for secondary schools
Secondary students learn best through conversation
Secondary school students are living through one of the most dynamic periods of technology change in history. By the time they reach Year 7, most already have a working knowledge of online safety basics and are likely to disengage from content that covers ground they feel they already know. They often know the platforms better than the adults in their lives.
What works at this level is bringing students into the discussion rather than delivering content to them. These programs are built around building critical thinking skills and helping students develop the judgment to handle changes in technology that none of us have seen yet.
The core principles at the heart of online safety aren't new. They're the same values you already teach. These programs help you apply them to the digital experiences your students are actually having.
Some online safety conversations can bring up personal disclosures. This is especially true for topics around harmful content or difficult contact. While these discussions might feel hard, approaching them in a structured way can help you build a realistic picture of where and how your students need support, and where appropriate safeguards are needed. Before running any of these programs, read your school's safeguarding policy so you feel prepared if something comes up in class.
The Alannah & Madeline Foundation has developed a dedicated resource to help educators prepare for sensitive discussions. Read it here
The Digital Health Check helps secondary students reflect on their digital habits and experiences. Structured around the 4Cs, it runs as a student-led self-assessment with an educator guiding the process. The goal is to give students a framework for thinking about their online experiences, and to give you the context to respond.
Learn more
The Youth Advocacy Project (YAP) supports students in Years 7 to 10 to explore and take action on digital issues that matter to them. Students attend Foundation-facilitated workshops to build skills in online safety, research and advocacy, then pitch a proposed solution to a panel. Selected teams work with the Foundation to co-design and deliver their ideas, with support from a professional creative agency.
Register your school's interest
The Youth Engagement Program (YEP) connects young people aged 16 to 25 with opportunities to contribute directly to the work of the Alannah & Madeline Foundation and Dolly's Dream. Participants act as advisors, collaborators and creators, helping shape the Foundation’s programs, resources and advocacy from the inside. YEP runs outside of school settings. Share it with senior students and recent graduates who have a genuine interest in child safety or youth advocacy.
Learn more
Secondary resources from the eSafety Commissioner
eSafety Commissioner: digital literacy for under-16s
A practical reference for educators on building digital literacy skills at secondary level. Includes curriculum connections across Media Arts, HPE, HASS and Digital Technologies.
eSafety Commissioner: professional learning for educators
Free webinars and self-paced modules for secondary educators on current online safety issues, including AI-generated content, online manipulation and exposure to harmful content.
If you were using Media Literacy Lab
Media Literacy Lab helped students develop the skills to question, evaluate and engage critically with what they encounter online. Those skills sit within the ‘Content’ area of the 4Cs and remain just as relevant for secondary students today.
The resources below cover the same ground.
- Detective Training Day A game-based lesson plan where players practise spotting misinformation and evaluating digital content. Designed for upper primary, the concepts carry well into lower secondary. L
- eSmart ‘Content’ lesson plans The eSmart lesson plan library includes plans covering media literacy, misinformation and critical thinking online. Filter by year level to find what fits your class.L
- eSafety Commissioner: classroom resources A filterable library of classroom materials for secondary students covering online content, misinformation and AI-generated content. Filter by education level and topic.
Not sure where to start?
Every school is different, and every classroom looks different. If you'd like guidance around which program or resources are the right fit for your students, the eSmart team is ready to help you find the best starting point.
Questions about digital safety education for your school? Our team is here. Please email esmart@amf.org.au