Keeping children and young people safe online can be a real challenge at times, especially as technology moves at such a fast pace. There is lots of support out there to help you keep your child safe online. Here is some important information to get you started.

Games, Apps and websites children use

There are some great games, app and website out there that children can access and love to interact with. It’s important that the children are accessing apps and areas of the internet that are age appropriate. The images below show the age limits for social media platforms and the gaming age classifications. It’s also important to be aware that some apps, games and websites have pop up adverts. These can sometimes be inappropriate for the age of child watching or playing.

It can be difficult to know how to start talking to your child about what they’re doing online, who they might be speaking to or discussing the potential risks and issues. Putting rules around technology and talking regularly with your child are the greatest tools to help keep them safe online. Talking regularly and making it part of daily conversation, like you would about their day at school, will help your child feel relaxed. Being consistent with the rules you have put in place helps your child understand them and build them as part of their routine.

More information

There is lots of information for parents to support their children to be safe when online. Below are some websites which can help you with any further information you might need.

https://www.internetmatters.org/

https://www.nspcc.org.uk/keeping-children-safe/online-safety/

https://saferinternet.org.uk/guide-and-resource/parents-and-carers

The NSPCC free "Keeping Children Safe Online" workshop helps parents and carers understand why young people go online and gives them resources to help keep them safe - Free online safety group workshops | NSPCC

Online Safety and the Curriculum

We want to teach children on what is acceptable and how not to be vulnerable online.

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Through the curriculum we teach how to use the Internet safely and responsibly, for finding information, exploring ideas, and find out more about a topic. We also teach them about how the internet can be used to communicate with people and how to do this safely.

We have online safety rules so the children know how to keep themselves safe online:

• We use the Internet to help us learn and we will learn how to use the Internet safely and responsibly.
• Adults are aware when we use online tools.
• We never give out passwords or personal information (like our surname, address or phone number).
• If we need help we know who to ask.
• If we see anything on the Internet or in an e-mail that makes us uncomfortable, we know what to do.
• If we receive a message sent by someone we don’t know we know what to do.
• We know we should follow the rules as part of the agreement with our parent/carer.
• We are able to look after each other by using our safe Internet in a responsible way.

Remember to be smart:

The teaching about safeguarding, including online safety, will be adapted in order to meet the individual needs of our pupils.

Resources to help you talk to your child about online safety:

• Jessie & Friends - Jessie & Friends (thinkuknow.co.uk)
• Lego’s Build and Talk Programme - Build and talk - Sustainability - LEGO.com
• Barnardos - https://www.barnardos.org.uk/get-support/support-for-parents-and-carers/child-abuse-and-harm/keeping-children-safe-online/how-to-talk-children-safe-online

Resources to help you set up your child’s device

Safe Internet – filtering content at home - Parental controls offered by your home internet provider - UK Safer Internet Centre

Parental Control Apple - Use parental controls on your child's iPhone, iPad and iPod touch – Apple Support (UK)

Parental Control Google - How to set up parental controls on Google Play - Google Play Help

Family Link - Family Link from Google - Family Safety & Parental Control Tools (families.google) 

Family Sharing (Apple) - Set up parental controls with Family Sharing on iPhone – Apple Support (UK)

Broadband Parental Control: Broadband Parental Controls: How To Keep Your Child Safe Online For November 2023 | Go.Compare (gocompare.com)