Welcome to our Online Safety Pages. In this section of our website you will find a wealth of information on online safety and how you can support your children to be safe in an ever-changing digital world.
The Internet is an amazing, inspiring and wonderful tool for our modern lives. It helps young people connect, communicate and be creative in a myriad of different ways. It is also always changing and keeping up with it can be taxing for any adult.
The reality modern parents face is that online safety is a challenging and ever-present concern. Children have access to technology more than ever before and that technology is evolving faster than ever before. Children of primary school age have access to the internet through a variety of different mediums and as parents, carers and guardian this can seem an overwhelming and technically complex part of life to navigate. Below you will find some useful advice, information and guidance that we hope will help you keep your child safe.
What to do if a problem arises:
- Don’t panic or get angry with your child.
- Use report buttons on websites and social media sites.
- Use Net Aware to inform social media sites. https://www.childnet.com/blog/net-aware-re-launch/
- Report concerns to appropriate support agencies such as the police, CEOP, Parent Port or Internet Watch Foundation – you can find this information at the bottom of this page.
- Talk to your child’s teachers or someone else at the school – WE ARE HERE TO HELP!
- Keep as much evidence as possible.
https://www.childnet.com/resources/the-adventures-of-kara-winston-and-the-smart-crew/
Internet Matters video link:
Advice for Parents:
- Talk to your child and listen to what they are saying to you.
- Explore the internet together, taking an interest in the websites they use and enjoy. Talking to them about what they do online gives you the chance to discuss safe behaviour.
- Agree a list of websites, games and apps that they can access.
- Encourage children to question what they read online, not just take it at face value.
- Explain how pictures, videos and comments are difficult to remove from the internet, and once posted can be shared widely with people they don’t know.
- Talk about using strong passwords to protect online accounts, and how important it is to keep passwords safe.
- Agree that you can look at your child’s phone and other devices from time to time.
- Agree to take regular breaks away from the screen and do something different.
- Be aware that other devices such as mobile phones and tablets also need to be supervised appropriately, considering your child’s age and ability.
- Encourage them to tell you if something they see online upsets them.
- Talk to them about the age ratings on apps, websites, games and videos. Make sure both of you understand what they mean and their value.
- Set up parental controls on all internet enabled devices (including phones, tablets, game consoles and smart TVs).
- Don’t give out your address, phone number, email address or which school you attend.
- Check privacy settings on all social media sites and devices regularly.
- Don’t arrange to meet an online friend in the real world without a parent being with you.
- Don’t accept emails, friend requests/ messages or files from people you don’t know.
- Think before you post anything on social media.
- Never post anything that is hurtful or rude. Remember the viewer can’t see a cheeky grin, so won’t know it’s meant to be funny.
- Don’t post pictures of yourself or others online: particularly any pictures that your parents would consider to be inappropriate.
- Think how what you are posting could be seen by any future employer.
- Don’t reply to upsetting or hurtful messages.
- If something upsets you, block or unfriend the person who sent it.
- Remember that what you are sharing with your friends on social media may also be shared by their friends, and you never know where it may end up.
- Learn from your mistakes.
Resources and information
https://www.childnet.com/resources/supporting-young-people-online/
Useful contacts:
CHILD EXPLOITATION AND ONLINE PROTECTION CENTRE
www.ceop.police.uk
INTERNET WATCH FOUNDATION
www.iwf.org.uk
CHILDLINE
www.childline.org.uk
Telephone: 0800 1111
PARENT PORT
www.parentport.org.uk
SAFER INTERNET
www.saferinternet.org.uk
NSPCC NETAWARE
www.net-aware.org.uk
Online safety helpline: 0808 800 5002
VICTIM SUPPORT
www.victimsupport.org.uk
Telephone: 0808 1689111
INTERNET MATTERS
www.internetmatters.org
PARENT INFO
www.parentinfo.org
CHILDNET
www.childnet.com
Current popular APPs and where you can find information:
TiK Tok
https://www.internetmatters.org/hub/esafety-news/tik-tok-app-safety-what-parents-need-to-know/
Twitch
https://www.nspcc.org.uk/keeping-children-safe/online-safety/livestreaming-online-video-apps/
Roblox
https://www.internetmatters.org/hub/esafety-news/parents-guide-to-roblox-and-how-your-kids-can-play-it-safely/
https://www.childnet.com/resources/supporting-young-people-online/
Useful contacts:
CHILD EXPLOITATION AND ONLINE PROTECTION CENTRE
www.ceop.police.uk
INTERNET WATCH FOUNDATION
www.iwf.org.uk
CHILDLINE
www.childline.org.uk
Telephone: 0800 1111
PARENT PORT
www.parentport.org.uk
SAFER INTERNET
www.saferinternet.org.uk
NSPCC NETAWARE
www.net-aware.org.uk
Online safety helpline: 0808 800 5002
VICTIM SUPPORT
www.victimsupport.org.uk
Telephone: 0808 1689111
INTERNET MATTERS
www.internetmatters.org
PARENT INFO
www.parentinfo.org
CHILDNET
www.childnet.com
Current popular APPs and where you can find information:
TiK Tok
https://www.internetmatters.org/hub/esafety-news/tik-tok-app-safety-what-parents-need-to-know/
Twitch
https://www.nspcc.org.uk/keeping-children-safe/online-safety/livestreaming-online-video-apps/
Roblox
https://www.internetmatters.org/hub/esafety-news/parents-guide-to-roblox-and-how-your-kids-can-play-it-safely/
