Helping your child / the child you care for to stay safe online
It’s important to remind children that the things they put online can be seen by lots of people and might stay online forever so they understand the internet and its dangers.
You can help them do this by talking to them about the following key points:
- People you don’t know are strangers – they may not be who they say they are
- Keeping personal information private. Let your child know they don’t need to tell people their full name, age, school or address
- Trust your instinct - If your child gets an ‘uhoh’ feeling in their tummy about something that is happening online or on social media tell an adult that they trust or report it.
- Be nice to people, the same as you would in school or out and about
It is important as a parent that you know how to keep your child safe online by using parent controls and a age settings to blocking upsetting or harmful content they may see.
It’s never too early to start taking action and talking to your child to keep them safe online.
As soon as your child starts talking about or exploring the online world, you should start conversations with them about their online activity and put support in place as they explore the online world.
Parents and carers can support children to develop positive – and lasting – digital good habits from an early age.
More information is available at thinkuknow
Having a calm and open conversation is one way for you and your child to explore anything that you are concerned about in an honest and supportive way.
There’s advice on the website https:/
Discuss your concerns with someone you trust, for example a friend, partner or your child’s school.
You can also talk to a professional at the NSPCC helpline on 0808 800 5000. Talking about it will help you decide the best action to take to ensure your child is safe. If you are concerned that a child has been, or is being sexually abused, you should report it. You can report directly to CEOP or your local police force. If you think your child is in immediate danger call 999.
This information has been provided by the School Nursing Service and Thinkuknow, a guide to internet safety at www.thinkuknow.co.uk