4. Encourage your child to talk to you if they are worried about
anything they come across online. They can get into situations
online where they may feel uncomfortable or see something that
they don’t want to see. By being open with them they are more
likely to tell you about any risks that they encounter.
5. Know where to get help if you are concerned. The CEOP safety
centre provides access to a range of services. If you are
concerned that an adult has made inappropriate contact with your
child online you can report this directly to them.
You can also report any incidents of online bullying or any concerns
regarding potentially illegal materials. Visit this centre using the following
link:
www.ceop.police.uk/safety-centre
Bailiffe Bridge Junior & Infant School
INFORMATION FOR PARENTS –
KEEPING YOUR CHILD SAFE
ONLINE
For further help or advice you could also visit:
www.thinkuknow.co.uk/parents
If you would like to discuss the content of this leaflet or have any
concerns that you would like to raise with school regarding your child’s
use of the internet, please speak to Miss Proctor.
October 2012
As children grow up, parents have to teach them a variety of things to
ensure that they are suitably equipped to face the challenges of the world
in which we live. We naturally teach them about road safety, how to deal
with strangers and how to engage with other children and adults
appropriately in a variety of settings.
When our children go out to play we want to know where they are and if
they are safe. Using the internet is just the same.
The internet is a very valuable resource and children love to use it. They
can learn, play, socialise and express themselves in a variety of ways
including sharing photographs, videos, blogging, gaming and even
developing their own apps.
As parents you may feel daunted by your child’s use of technology.
It wasn’t like this when we went to school, was it?
You may worry about the risks your child faces online, such as bullying,
contact from strangers and access to inappropriate or illegal material.
Checklist
1. Ask your child to show you the sites that they use. By doing this
you are not only taking an interest but your child will be involving
you in their online life. You can then revisit the sites when you are
alone and set the appropriate safety features.
2. Make sure your child has set their profile settings to ‘PRIVATE’.
Social networking sites such as Facebook are used by children to
share information, photos and personal detail. Talk to them about
the information they post online. Potentially this information can be
copied and pasted anywhere without their permission. If it got into
the wrong hands, this could be very dangerous. Ask your child
about their online friends. We all know that people can lie online,
creating fake identities. Children need to understand this too.
Make sure they only accept friends online who are known to them
in the real world. If you have any doubt about the use of social
networking, don’t permit your child to use it until you have found
out more for yourself from www.thinkuknow.co.uk/parents.
During anti-bullying week children are made aware of the dangers of
accepting strangers as friends on social networking sites. As a result of
this, I have decided to put together a simple checklist to help you to keep
your child safe online.
3. Set appropriate parental controls on your child’s computer, mobile
and games consoles. By using these filters you can prevent your
child from viewing inappropriate and possibly illegal content. You
can activate and change levels depending on your child’s age,
abilities and understanding. They are often free and easy to install.
Speak to your service provider or visit the Child Exploitation and
Online Protection centre’s (CEOP) parents’ website for more
information. Be open with your child and explain why these
controls are necessary.