Keeping Safe Online

There are huge benefits to being online, including staying connected with friends & family and supporting learning, but with more children online than ever before, it is important that we understand the risks and how to help them stay safe.

The Government recommends that families have regular conversations about staying safe online and that parents encourage children to speak to them if they come across something worrying online. Support for parents and carers to keep children safe online – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

The resources listed on the Government link above are set and below and these will support you when talking to your child about a range of online safety issues, including setting up home filtering in a child-friendly way and setting up age-appropriate parental controls on digital devices:

• Thinkuknow has resources for parents and carers and children of all ages to help keep children safe online
• Childnet has developed guidance for parents and carers to begin a conversation about online safety, as well as guidance on keeping under-fives safe online
• Parent Info is a collaboration between Parent Zone and NCA-CEOP – support and guidance for parents and carers related to the digital world from leading experts and organisations
• National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC) – guidance for parents and carersto help keep children safe online
• UK Safer Internet Centre– tips and advice for parents and carers to keep children safe online – you can also report any harmful content found online through the UK Safer Internet Centre
• Inclusive Digital Safety Huband Online Safety Hub, created by South West Grid for Learning in partnership with Internet Matters – support and tailored advice for young people with additional learning needs and their parents or carers
• Parents’ Guide to Age Ratings explains how the British Board of Film Classification rates content, and gives parents advice on choosing online content well
• The Children’s Commissioner has published advice for parents on talking to your child about online sexual harassment specifically, based on input from children themselves

We have regular discussions with the boys in school about online safety and it is important that this is supported at home.  The boys should feel able to discuss the issues in school, at home and between friends, and understand who to speak to if something feels wrong.

In addition to the support available on the Government website, the websites listed below provide additional support for families:

• Internet Watch Foundation is the UK’s hotline for reporting illegal online  It deals specifically with child abuse images hosted worldwide and criminally obscene adult content hosted in the UK.
• Internet Matters.org offers advice on how to keep children safe online when using apps.
• Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre enables adults and young people to make reports of actual or attempted abuse online.
• Vodafone Digital Parenting offers guidance on how to set up parental controls and gives advice on internet safety for younger children.
• Parent Info offers support for parents and families with information about staying safe online.
• O2 Internet Safety for Kids is designed to help parents have more regular conversations with their children about online safety
• Keeping children safe online | NSPCC has a range of tools for helping to keep children safe online, including age appropriate advice and activities for learning about online safety.
• The parents’ guide to teaching your teen online safety | MyTutor pulls together the top social media platforms, with the relevant online safety advice.
• Virgin Media O2 wants children of all ages to be able to access the internet safely.  They have developed the Children’s Internet Safety Test to help you keep on top of what you need to look out for.
• What Game Should I Play? is a useful tool for parents to find age-appropriate games for their children.
• Safety Net is a unique educational resource and training programme designed to provide the tools and confidence to engage children and their parents, in a concerted effort to encourage safe online practice in the home.

If you have any concerns about your son’s safety online, please do speak to a member of staff.