Parent’s Guide to tech
From laptops to mobile phones to smart TVs, this link will give you lots of guidance and help in choosing what to purchase and what you need to be aware of:
Fortnite
Fortnite continues to remain ever popular with nearly 250 million players! Fortnite is rated PEGI 12 for frequent mild violence which means it is not suitable for persons under 12 years of age. The following links will provide you with further information about this game:
- https://www.saferinternet.org.uk/blog/parents-guide-fortnite-battle-royale
- https://parentzone.org.uk/article/fortnite-everything-you-need-know-about-online-game
YouTube
Does your child use YouTube? Here are some hints and tips on how to keep them safe whilst using it:
- https://parentzone.org.uk/article/youtube-kids-everything-you-need-know
- https://parentinfo.org/article/youtube-what-parents-need-to-know
- https://www.saferinternet.org.uk/blog/parent%E2%80%99s-guide-youtube-restricted-mode
- https://www.internetmatters.org/hub/guidance/youtube-tips-and-tricks-to-keep-your-children-entertained-and-safe/
Helplines:
There are many organisations set up to provide you or your child with advice should you need it. Hereare just some of the organisations that can help you:
ChildLine: Call 0800 1111 https://www.childline.org.uk/
NSPCC: Call 0808 800 5000 https://www.nspcc.org.uk
Samaritans: Call 116 123 https://www.samaritans.org/
Bullying UK: Call 0808 800 2222 https://www.bullying.co.uk/
Where to report?
Report Harmful Content: Reporting centre designed to assist everyone in reporting harmful content online. https://reportharmfulcontent.online/
Internet Watch Foundation: You can report sexual images of under 18s online directly to the Internet Watch Foundation. https://www.iwf.org.uk/
CEOP: If you are worried about online sexual abuse or the way someone has been communicating online. https://www.ceop.police.uk/safetycentre
Simplified Social Media Terms and Conditions for Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, YouTube and WhatsApp
Children often don’t know what they’re signing up to when they join Facebook, YouTube, Snapchat, WhatsApp or Instagram. That’s why the Children’s Commissioner have worked with lawyers to create simplified versions of Terms and Conditions for the most popular social media platforms.
Young & eSafe
A wonderful new resource from the office of the Australian e-Safety Commissioner that can be used by schools and parents.
https://esafety.gov.au/youngandesafe/about
Screen Time boundaries
(Source: http://www.childnet.com/parents-and-carers/hot-topics/screen-time-boundaries)
Advice for parents and carers with children aged 0 to 7.
Top Tips
1. Use digital devices together: Get involved in your child’s online activities. Have fun, play games and learn together online, just as you would in the physical world. It will then be natural for your child to turn to you if they experience anything upsetting online.
2. Set clear expectations: Clear family rules can help your child have a positive start to their digital life and get the most out of being online. Ask your child to help create some family rules.
3. Be informed: Many digital devices, services and content providers offer a range of parental controls. You can choose the type of content and options that are suitable for your child.
4. Establish good habits early on: Both adults and children enjoy sharing moments with family and friends through online images and videos. Starting conversations and good habits early on is a great way to support children in staying safe online.
Information and support
Organisation/Resource | What it does/provides |
Think u know | NCA CEOPs advice on online safety |
Disrespect nobody | Home Office advice on healthy relationships, including sexting and pornography |
UK Safer Internet Centre | Contains a specialist helpline for UK schools and colleges |
SWGfL | Includes a template for setting out online safety policies |
Internet Matters | Help for parents on how to keep their children safe online |
Parentzone | Help for parents on how to keep their children safe online |
Childnet Cyberbullying | Guidance for schools on cyberbullying |
PSHE Association | Guidance and useful teaching resources covering online safety issues including pornography and the sharing of sexual images |
Educate against hate | Practical advice for parents, teachers and governors on protecting children from extremism and radicalisation. |
The use of social media for online radicalisation | A briefing note for schools on how social media is used to encourage travel to Syria and Iraq |
UKCCIS | The UK Council for Child Internet Safety’s website provides:
• Sexting advice • Online safety: Questions for Governing Bodies • Education for a connected world framework |
NSPCC | NSPCC advice for schools and colleges |
Net Aware | NSPCC advice for parents |
Commonsense Media | Independent reviews, age ratings, & other information about all types of media for children and their parents |
Searching, Screening and confiscation | Guidance to schools on searching children in schools and confiscating items such as mobile phones |
LGfL | Advice and resources from the London Grid for Learning |
Kidsmart | An award-winning internet safety programme for children. |
Know IT All | Lots of useful advice for keeping yourselves and your children safe on the Internet. |
Bullying UK | Information and advice about bullying for children, parents and schools. |
Kidscape | An organisation which helps to prevent bullying and child abuse. |
Childline | ChildLine is the free helpline for children and young people in the UK. |
BBC Stay Safe | Test your Internet safety knowledge with Hacker and help the Horrible Histories gang stay safe online. |
Net Smartz Kids | Click on the image opposite to visit the Net Smartz Kids website for lots of e-safety activities. |
NSPCC new ‘Share Aware’ campaign
http://www.nspcc.org.uk/preventing-abuse/keeping-children-safe/share-aware/
https://www.nspcc.org.uk/preventing-abuse/keeping-children-safe/online-safety/
CEOP (Child On-Line Protection) Parents Area
This site offers advice and guidance for all types of online behaviours be it on line gaming, social networking, sharing and much more. Your children will be familiar with the child version of this site as it used in school you could perhaps ask them to help you with navigating through it.
https://www.thinkuknow.co.uk/parents/
A Parents’ Guide to Facebook
Would you know whether your son/ daughters profile is set to public or private? Would you know how to check? Do you know what POS stands for when children are online chatting (Parent Over Shoulder)? Do you know what Phishing is? Facebook is very popular amongst young people (and many adults) this guide is produced annually to keep parents up to date with tips for keeping their children safe when using Facebook and informing them of the latest trends for Facebook usage.
http://www.connectsafely.org/pdfs/fbparents.pdf
Cyber Bullying
Cyberbullying is becoming more prevalent amongst children and young people when they are online, particularly as the popularity of online gaming continues to increase. To help parents deal with any incidents of cyberbullying or if you think your child maybe a victim of online bullying there is advice and guidance for you as a parent and how to deal with such scenarios.
http://www.anti-bullyingalliance.org.uk/advice/parents-and-carers.aspx
Share, Take Care: tips for parents
This short guide will help you to make sure your teen stays safe and happy online.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/webwise/guides/parents-safety
Kind of Digital: quick guides
Quick guides are simple one page documents that explain social technology to the uninitiated
http://kindofdigital.com/useful-stuff/quick-guides/
Parentinfo
Free up to date security advice
Includes using complex passwords, privacy settings, safe searching and social networking.
Top tips for parents / carers and children
http://www.saferinternet.org.uk/
Other useful guides:
A Parents Guide to Cyberbulling