E-Safety

Tips for Encouraging Open Discussions about

Digital Lives

Next Tuesday (7 February) is Safer Internet Day: the annual event to promote the safe, responsible and positive use of digital tech among children and young people. This year’s title is ‘Want to talk about it? Making space for conversations about life online’ – giving young voices a platform to shape the kinds of online safety support that they receive.

Simply checking in with children regularly about their experiences – both good and bad – in the digital world is a brilliant way to engage with what they’re currently into online, while also acting as a valuable early warning system about potential issues. To support Safer Internet Day, this week’s #WakeUpWednesday guide has some top tips for initiating these helpful catch-up chats.

open discussions about digital lives.pdf

The internet is a fantastic resource and can be helpful to children and young people in lots of ways, but they can put themselves at risk without realising it.

Parents need to know the GOLD rules:

G - Ground Rules: parents must have ground rules.

O - Online safety: activate security settings.

L - Location: keep the computer in the family room. Prevent your child from using tablets in his/her bedroom, alone. Set time limits.

D - Discuss: talk to your child about what they are doing on the internet.

Children are taught the SMART rules:

S- SAFE- Don't give out your own information

M- MEET- Only meet people you have met online with your parents

A- ACCEPTING- Only open emails & texts from people you trust

R- RELIABLE- Some people online tell lies, only talk to real world friends and family

T- TELL- Tell a parent or adult you trust if something you see online makes you feel uncomfortable

Parent Control Apps

All devices (typically using Windows10, Apple iOS, and Android operating systems) provide for parental control apps. The Internet Matters site allows you to select the type of device you have and shows you how to set parent controls. https://www.internetmatters.org/

Key websites for parents

Click on the following links below to download and print off this list of key websites to ensure your child/ren are safe while using their electronic device.

Please click the links to find more internet safety information.

https://www.vodafone.co.uk/mobile/digital-parenting

The Think U Know website is a great place for children and parents to find out more about keeping safe online.

https://www.thinkuknow.co.uk/

Cyberbullying

We hear more and more about cyberbullying in the news all the time. The internet and smartphones have changed the way kids can be bullied. In this Newsround special Ricky investigates cyberbullying. He speaks to those affected by it, and those who have overcome it.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/26136189

Using parental controls

https://www.thinkuknow.co.uk/parents/articles/Parental-controls/

Reporting to Social media sites

https://www.thinkuknow.co.uk/parents/articles/Reporting-to-social-media-sites-/

Online Safety Policies

You can find our Online Safety polices and other policies relevant to Online Safety under ‘About us’ or by clicking here.

REMEMBER:

Sharing inappropriate text, images, videos, can create problems for you. THINK first!!
Other people sometimes lie about who they are & what they want.
With many apps there is NO moderation at all, but most will remove offensive material.
If you see something that offends or upsets you, find the button on the site & report it!!

tictok national online safety guide.pdf