Online Safety Tips for Parents and Carers
| The best way to help your child to be a safe when using the internet is to talk to them and make sure they understand these simple rules: | |
| NICKNAME | Never give out personal details to online ‘friends’. Use a nickname when logging on and don’t share full name, email address, mobile number, school name and any photos. |
| FAMILY ROOM | Talk to your child about what they are doing online and who they are talking to. Get them to show you how to use things you are not familiar with. Keeping the computer in a family room means that you can share your child’s online experience, they are less likely to act inappropriately (i.e. via webcam) and their online ‘friends’ will see they are in a family room. |
| UPSET | If your child receives a message that upsets them, remind them not to reply, they should save the message and show you or another trusted adult. |
| STRANGERS | Don’t open files sent from people you don’t know. They could contain a virus, or worse – an inappropriate image or film. An online ‘friend’ is anyone you have not met in real life; no matter how long you have been friends with them. |
| LIES | Help your child to understand that some people lie online and that it’s better to keep online ‘mates’ online. They should never meet up with any online ’friends’ without an adult they trust. Spam and junk emails and texts are not true, don’t reply or send them to anyone else, just delete them. |
| BLOCK | Make sure they know how to block someone online and report them if they feel uncomfortable. |
| SOCIAL MEDIA | Did you know that for some social media sites there site regulations for a child under the age of 13? If a child lies about their age the privacy settings will adjust to those of an adult. |
| BLAME | Make sure your child feels able to talk to you, let them know that it’s never too late to tell someone if something makes them feel uncomfortable. Don’t blame your child, let then know you trust them. |
CEOP
https://www.ceop.police.uk/safety-centre
Report to CEOP
We can help and protect you. If someone has acted inappropriately online towards you or someone you know, you can report it directly to CEOP. It could be sexual chat, being asked to do something that makes you feel uncomfortable or someone asking to meet up
Common Sense Media
https://www.commonsensemedia.org/
Reviews that make it easier to choose high-quality age-appropriate, and diverse content for kids at home and in school.
UK Safer Internet Centre
https://saferinternet.org.uk/guide-and-resource/parents-and-carers
Lots of information for parents on how to support the safer use of different devices and apps.
BBC
Lots of video clips and quizzes on e-safety for children
Internet privacy settings
Internet Matters
Information for parents on how to keep safe on-line; provides helpful guides and videos.
http://www.internetmatters.org/
Parent Zone
http://www.theparentzone.co.uk/
The Parent Zone makes life easier for parents by developing information to help them make informed choices, and by finding out from them what they need.
Thinkuknow
useful site for parents
https://www.thinkuknow.co.uk/parents
A parents’ and carers’ guide to using the internet