The Internet is a fantastic tool but children need educating and supporting in how to use it safely.

Click on any of the links below to take you to advice to support parents at home.

 

Using the Internet At Home

As a parent you’ll know how important the internet is to children – they use it to learn, play, socialise and express themselves. It’s a highly creative place of amazing opportunities. However, the technology children use every day can seem a bit daunting and you might worry about the risks your child can face online – such as bullying, contact from strangers or the possibility of them seeing illegal or inappropriate content.

To best help support your child, we ask that parents engage with their children regarding their use of the internet while at home.

Here are some conversation starter ideas from www.childnet.com

  • Ask your children to tell you about the sites they like to visit and what they enjoy doing online.
  • Ask them about how they stay safe online. What tips do they have for you, and where did they learn them? What is OK and not OK to share?
  • Ask them if they know where to go for help, where to find the safety advice, privacy settings and how to report or block on the services they use.
  • Encourage them to help. Perhaps they can show you how to do something better online or they might have a friend who would benefit from their help and support.
  • Think about how you use the internet as a family. What could you do to get more out of the internet together and further enjoy your lives online?
  • You can download the Department for Education advice for parents on cyberbullying by clicking here

You can access the Department for Education online parents support website, called Parent Zone by clicking here.

 

Internet Safety Resources for Parents

To try to support parents, there are a few sites detailed below which offer excellent guidance to help keep your child safe whilst online.

  • Facebook – Advice for parents whose children want an account
  • Switched on to Privacy [UK Information Commissioner’s Office] – resources to help parents and carers of 4-11 year-olds talk to their children about online privacy, just as they would with road safety or speaking to strangers
  • CEOP Education  [National Crime Agency] – internet safety advice for those aged from 5 to 10, along with parents and teachers, this site is produced by CEOP (the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre)
  • KidSMART [Childnet] – Self empowerment is at the heart of the website and it offers a wide range of opportunities for young people to educate themselves about important issues online including social networking, digital footprints, privacy and different technologies
  • Kidscape [Thomas Coram Foundation for Children] – An organisation which helps to prevent bullying and child abuse; advice for young people, parents/carers and educators
  • Childline [NSPCC] – ChildLine is a free resource for children and young people in the UK
  • UK Safer Internet Centre –  online safety tips, advice and resources for adults
  • NSPCC Online Safety – information and resources to help adults understand online safety and talk about it with children and young people
  • Childnet International – Help, advice and resources for parents & carers
  • ParentSafe [National Grid for Learning] – Keeping children safe, online and beyond
  • Common Sense Media – this site categorises a very wide range of media including films, computer games and books. It gives recommended ages and a review of why they give the rating and what to watch out for. A great resource to turn to before watching a film or giving a game