top of page

Online Safety

Keeping your children safe online

Children and young people today have access to a range of technology, including games consoles where they can play online with others, computers, tablets and mobile phones. They are a way of keeping in touch and communicating with their friends.

If used safely they give children good opportunities to share information, communicate and learn. However, every parent needs to understand the possible dangers, and more importantly what to do if they are worried about their child’s use of the technology or the people they are contacting on it.

​

As part of our role as parents, teachers and school staff, we have to talk to our children about keeping safe online and the dangers there are and how to protect themselves. The clear message is that the world changes but children don’t. They can be at risk from online activity, including social media, texting and sites such as Instagram, as well as computer games they are playing, and this may all happen from inside their own home where we presume they are safe.

Child on Tablet

Reporting concerns about online activity and safety

If you have a worry or concern about being safe online, as a child or parent, you can click on this button and report it to trained experts who will deal with your concern. This relates to ANY website or online concern, including social media and online gaming. See the CEOP website for further information.

​

www.ceop.police.uk/ceop-reporting/ has lots of information for children and parents about online safety, how to stay safe and what to do if you are worried. If you have been a victim of online abuse or you are worried about someone else, report it through CEOP.

​

CEOP also have information on thinkuknow.co.uk for children from 5-19, and for parents, carers and school staff.

​

If you are not ready to make a direct report about an online safety concern, you can speak anonymously to Childline as a child, young person or adult via the website childline.org.uk or ring 0800 1111

ceop.png

The Breck Foundation

The Breck Foundation is raising the awareness of playing safe whilst using the internet. ​They tell you to always remember that the friends that are made online are not like your real friends and have lots of information on their website www.breckfoundation.org on how to stay safe online and useful resources for parents and children.

Be Aware

Opening files, accepting emails, IM messages, pictures or texts from people you don’t know or trust can lead to problems  – they may contain viruses or nasty messages

Report

Tell your parent, or trusted adult if someone or something makes you feel uncomfortable or worried, or if you or someone you know is being bullied.

Educate

Someone online might lie about who they are and information on the internet may not be true. Always check information with other websites, books or someone who knows. If you like chatting online it’s best to only chat to your real friends and family.

Communicate

Meeting someone you have only been in contact with online can be dangerous. Only do so with your parents or carers permission and even then only when they can be present. Remember online friends are still strangers even if you have been talking to them for a long time.

Keep Safe

Keep safe by being careful not to give your personal information when you are chatting or posting online. Personal information includes your email address, phone number, password, location.

NSPCC – keeping children safe online

What are the risks of online games?


Being bullied


Trolling, griefing and scams


In-game purchases


Talking to people they don't know

​

Advice for parents to understand the risks and help your child play online games safely.

nspcc.png

The VSC Hub - Videogame Rating Council

The Video Standards Council Hub post informative articles and videos about games, games ratings and online safety.

​

Articles topics inclue, loot boxes, parental controls, parental tools, positive gaming, rating games, spending in games and a few more.

Screenshot_2021-03-21 The VSC Hub VSC Ra

Online Advice for Parents

From the UK Safer Internet Centre

What to do if your child sees something upsetting online: advice for parents

​

The UK Safer Internet Centre also has a lot of advice from setting up Playstation 5 parental controls to comment features in TikTok.

Screenshot_2021-03-12 Advice for parents

Google Family Link

The app helps parents set online guidelines for their children and stay on top of their child’s online activities as they explore the internet using an Android device.

By using Family Link, parents can help manage the apps their child can use; approve or block the apps the child wants to download from the Google Play Store, keep an eye on screen time, see how much time they spend online with weekly or monthly activity reports, set device bedtime, see their child’s location and remotely lock the device.

The app is available for children’s android devices, but the parent controlled app is available for both Android and iPhone. To find out more, click here.

Screenshot_2021-03-12 Google Family Link
bottom of page