Stay Safe On Line
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For guidance on the online game ‘Fortnite’ click the link below:
Guidance for Parents
Keeping your child safe online
The internet is an amazing resource which enables children to connect, communicate and be creative in a
number of different ways and on a range of devices. However, the internet is always changing, and being able to
keep up to date with your children’s use of technology can be a challenge.
Issues that your child may encounter on the internet will vary depending on their age and online
activities. Some children make little distinction between life online and off. Their use of online games, apps
and services is increasingly playing a significant role in the development of their identities, friendships,
relationships, passions and aspirations. It is essential that we provide them with high-quality online safety
education to ensure their protection, and they become responsible users of technology.
So for parents and carers who feel their children know far more about the internet, our eSafety page will
help you to provide advice and protection in keeping your child safe online
We recommend these tips to help keep your family safe online.
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Keep computers in a central place. It makes it easier for you to keep an eye on your children’s activities.
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Know where your kids go online. If you have young children, you may want to navigate the Internet with them. For older kids, agree on where they can and can’t go before they log on. You can also check where your kids have been by looking at the browser history in your computer’s web browser menu.
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Teach Internet Safety. It’s impossible to monitor all online activity, all the time. As kids get older, they need to know how to use the Internet safely and responsibly when they’re on their own.
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Protect passwords. It sounds obvious, but remind your kids not to give out their online passwords and not to click on “remember me” settings on public computers, like at school or at the library.
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Beware of stranger danger. Teach kids to avoid in-person meetings with people they “meet” online, and not to share personal information with online strangers because people may not be who they claim to be.
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Teach kids to communicate responsibly. A good rule of thumb is: if you wouldn’t say it to someone’s face, don’t text it, email it, instant message it, or post it as a comment on someone’s page. Many of today’s most popular websites have easy-to-use tools that let users flag inappropriate content that others post online. It’s important for kids to know how to flag inappropriate content when they encounter it.
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View all content critically. Just because you see it online, doesn’t mean it’s true. Teach kids how to distinguish reliable sources from unreliable ones and how to verify information they find online. And make sure kids understand that cutting and pasting content right from a website may be plagiarism, and plagiarism is cheating.
- Useful links below to explore ideas in more detail.
You can watch these videos for more top tips and take a look at the CEOP website and the thinkuknow site.
Parent Top tips for gaming:
- Explore parental controls on games consoles. Most games consoles enable parents to apply settings that can help to manage a child’s online activities. For more information on enabling parental controls visit Internet Matters.
- Familiarise yourself with the blocking and reporting functions on the games your child plays, and ensure they know how to use these. It’s helpful to sit with your child and go through this together.
- Continue to have conversations with your child about gaming and their online activity. Reassure your child that they can always talk to you about anything that makes them feel uncomfortable- whether it’s the game content or something they’ve heard when chatting with other users.
- Learn more about gaming and the PEGI age ratings.
- Bullying is never okay. If your child is experiencing name calling or harassment while gaming, visit Childline for helpful advice on getting help and support.
