Click here to download and view the leaflet NSPCC – Tips to help keep your child safe online or view below.
Tips to help keep your child safe online
Helpful tools and advice you can use to keep your child safe when they use the internet at home, at a friend’s house or at school.
The internet is great for learning, sharing, connecting and creating. So try and balance how you guide your child on online safety with an understanding of why they want to use it. You don’t want your child to feel they can’t come to you if they encounter a problem online.
Set rules and agree boundaries as a family
Set boundaries for how long your child can spend online and what they can do.
Agree this as a family so that access to devices can be shared fairly.
Remember there are tools that can help you manage and monitor access and use across all devices.
Talk about online safety and get involved
Have conversations about online safety little and often and build it into other conversations.
Ask questions about what they do online, such as what sites they visit and who they talk to.
Make the use of the internet a family activity.
Remember to share these rules with babysitters, childminders and other family members.
Talk to other parents about internet use, such as what they do and don’t allow.
Know who they are talking to
Tell your child that strangers can pop up anywhere online: email, instant messenger, social networking sites or online games.
Your child may feel they know someone well, even if they’ve only played a game with them online. So remember to talk to them about what they share with people they’ve only met online.
Discuss boundaries and say you’d like to be friends on social networks, initially.
Understand the games they play.
Ensure your child knows what to do if someone they don’t know contacts them, eg ask you for advice.
Show your child how to report abuse and how to block people on the websites they use.
Check content is age-appropriate
Check age ratings of games, online movies and websites.
Use parental and privacy controls
Check the privacy settings on social media and websites.
Adjust parental controls to suit your child’s age and maturity.
Make sure you always logout of your online accounts.
For more help and advice visit
www.nspcc.org.uk/onlinesafety
or contact the NSPCC helpline on 0808 800 5000 to discuss any concerns
© 2014 NSPCC – all rights reserved. Registered charity numbers 216401 and SC037717.
