As a parent, it’s important that you know what your child is doing online. Tips to help you to manage online risks:
• Put your child’s computer in a family room where you can easily monitor online activity.
• Talk to your child about online safety including never giving their full name, address and contact details to people that they chat to on the internet. Show you are interested in what they are looking at, but understand their need for some privacy. Stress that they can talk to you if they are worried about something that has happened online.
• Use the ‘parental controls’ available from internet service providers.
• Discuss with your child that they must never meet someone they have chatted to online without your permission.
The resources listed below are useful for understanding what social media, apps and games your child is accessing, and for providing advice if you have any concerns.
Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre has advisors to support you if you are worried about online sexual abuse or the way someone has been communication with your child online – ceop.police.uk/Safety-Centre/
ThinkUKnow is an education programme run by NCA-CEOP for children, teens and adults. It is designed to protect young people from harm online – ceopeducation.co.uk/
NSPCC has reviewed the most popular social networks, apps and games used by children. They have prepared a guide that will inform you about each and steps you can take to make your child’s internet use safer. – nspcc.org.uk/keeping-children-safe/online-safety/
Support, advice and guidance suitable for children to view with parents.-
www.childline.org.uk/info-advice/bullying-abuse-safety/online-mobile-safety/staying-safe-online/