The internet is such an integral part of children’s lives these days. It opens up so many educational and social opportunities, giving them access to, quite literally, a world of information and experiences.

Whether on a computer at school, a laptop at home, a games console or mobile phone, children and young people are increasingly accessing the internet whenever they can and wherever they are.

As you would protect your child in the real world, you will want to make sure that they are safe whatever they are doing. Like learning to cross the road, online.

E-Safety skills are skills for life. If your child understands the risks and can make sensible and informed choices online, they can get the most from the internet and stay safe whilst doing so – particularly from those people who might seek them out to harm them.

See what we are advising Children/Young People

The internet is always changing, and being able to keep up to date with your children’s use of technology and managing potential risks can be a challenge. When children start to get their own computers for doing homework and playing games, it becomes more difficult to work with them to ensure they were visiting appropriate websites and not talking to strangers online in the privacy of their bedrooms.

Read here for Ten Apps Teens are Using that Parents Need to Know About

Social media plays a big part in the majority of young people’s lives and quite often makes up a high proportion of young people’s time spent on the internet. Whilst Social Media has it’s positives – such as connecting with friends and family, sharing stories and increasing young people’s sense of belonging to others – it can also pose risks for young people. Some of these risks centre around what young people see and what they do online, for example they may get involved in the sharing of violent, sexual or pornographic content or they may use Social Media actively or inactively to get involved in bullying or displaying harmful behaviour to others. The use of Social Media can also pose risks to young people through who they might meet via the platform. Some of these individuals, that young people can encounter, use Social Media to bully and intimidate others, or try to sexually harm and groom young people. Please see further guidance on how you can protect your child from experiencing harm from their use of Social Media.

 

Also, see these useful websites for advice on how you can keep your child safe online:

• Internet Matters www.internetmatters.org
• UK Safer Internet Centre www.saferinternet.org.uk
• Safety Net website www.safetynetkids.org.uk
• Think U Know www.thinkuknow.co.uk/parents
• Parenting in the Digital Age www.pitda.co.uk
• Childnet www.childnet-int.org
• BBC Webwise – Your kids Internet safety
• Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre www.ceop.police.uk/safety-centre
• NSPCC Online Safety NSPCC Online Safety 
• Government Child Safety Online Practical Guide for Parents and Carers