Here are some tips and useful links to help you to keep your children safe online:
Digital Parenting Magazine – Vodafone have launched a really useful website called ‘Vodafone Digital Parenting’. It offers parents/carers information and advice about the latest digital technologies and the kind of challenges children might face in their digital world.
ParentZone
You can read about setting up safety features on lots of commonly used platforms by clicking this link.
If you have any concerns about grooming, sexual abuse or exploitation on any online app or site, Report to CEOP (the National Crime Agency’s Child Exploitation and Online Protection Command) at www.ceop.police.uk/safety-centre (link is external). If you are concerned that your child is in immediate danger, call 999.
Note: The different apps regularly update both privacy and safety settings. Go to the app’s help section to check the current procedures. The positions of the settings may also differ on mobile and desktop versions.
To keep up to date with the latest information we have subscribed to an Online Safety booklet which includes an overview of key parental controls.
At school we try to ‘educate’ our youngsters, encouraging them to use and exploit the fantastic resources but to also be aware of the potential dangers and pitfalls. To help in this aim, the school provides learning opportunities about cyberbullying/cyber safety in a series of lessons and assemblies. All year groups have received this information.
Research shows that a school’s influence though is only about 20%. Your role, in talking through your child’s digital ‘behaviours’ is vastly more influential and we would really encourage you to be having regular conversations, debates and ‘show and tells’ with your children.
You will find some information and suggestions below and we would strongly advise you to attend one of our regular internet safety evenings. Please be as involved in your child’s virtual life as you are in their real one; the dangers AND the benefits are just as important.
