ONLINE safety is an issue close to the hearts of parents across Wales and it’s easy to see why. According to recent research, one in three internet users is a child and 92 per cent of children and young people had accessed a social networking site by the age of 13.

Those are incredible figures. And they’re growing all the time.

The internet is an invaluable resource for a child’s development but – with 11,000 calls to ChildLine last year focusing on online abuse – we need to do far more to ensure it’s a safe world for our children and young people. That’s why the NSPCC has just launched innovative proposals to boost online safety.

After next month’s Assembly election, we want the new Welsh government to produce a comprehensive digital action plan, strengthen online safety lessons for children, create a digital advisory group for ministers and – crucially – speak to the big social media providers about what they’re doing to keep our children safe on their platforms.

Whether that’s Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat or any other emerging company; let’s get out there and open a dialogue. If the next Welsh government takes these recommendations on board, Wales could take a UK lead in fighting online abuseOur 2016 manifesto is online and we want all Assembly candidates to back it.

For children, the online world is as immediate and real as the one offline. And a wrong decision could be just one click away.

Let’s do everything we can to make sure that doesn’t happen.

Des Mannion

NSPCC Cymru

Cardiff