“The Online World – Keeping your child/teenager safe” Many children, young people and adults with additional needs can spend many hours of their day online. Whether this is using chat rooms, online gaming, social media or through sites of interest, the dangers the individual faces can be massive and widespread. However, often the online world can be a person’s only real social outlet. So how can parents, carers and professionals enable the individual to utilise such a useful tool such as the internet whilst keeping safe? Within this workshop, Mark will explore the internet and some of the many hazards. Mark will also explore potential tips and ideas on what everyone can do to minimise the risk to an individual with additional needs whilst enabling them to stay safe online. Mark has worked with children and adults with learning disabilities, autism and many other neuro-developmental conditions for over 30 years in many different capacities, which has included managing a residential long-stay home for adults with behavioural difficulties. Mark specialises in working directly with children, adolescents and young adults who have a range of diagnoses, and who are all struggling with challenging and/or socially inappropriate behaviour. Many of the young people he works with have difficulties in interpreting the boundaries of acceptable and unacceptable sexual behaviour, and this work has led him to developing an enhanced sex education course specifically designed for those who may otherwise be at risk of displaying sexually inappropriate behaviour. Mark completed his PhD at the University of Kent in 2019, with his thesis titled “I wish I had learnt to keep safe – sexuality and relationships education (SRE) for pupils with Autistic Spectrum Condition”.