Online Safety
E-safety means electronic safety. It is about protecting children in the digital world and ensuring they feel safe when accessing new technology.
E-safety is important because it safeguards the concerns of children and young people. It also emphasizes the importance and use of new technologies in a positive way as well as encouraging young people to develop safer online behaviours.
Top Tips from CEOP
Talk to your child about what they are up to online.
Be part of their online life; involve the whole family and show an interest. Find out what sites they visit and what they love about them. If they know you understand, they are more likely to come to you if they have any problems.
Watch Thinkuknow site films and cartoons with your child.
This has films, games and advice for children from 5 all the way to 16.
Encourage your child to go online and explore!
There is a wealth of age-appropriate sites online for your children. Encourage them to to use websites and apps which are fun, educational and that will help them develop online skills.
Keep up-to-date with your child's development online.
Children grow up fast and they will be growing in confidence and learning new skills daily. It's important that as your child learns more, so do you.
Set boundaries in the online world just as you would in the real world.
Think about what they might see, what they share, who they talk to and how long they spend online. It is important to discuss the boundaries at a young age to develop the tools and skills children need to enjoy their time online safely.
Keep all equipment that connects to the Internet in a family space.
It is important to keep Internet use in family areas so you can see the sites your child is using and be there for them if they stumble across something they do not want to see.
Know what connects to the Internet and how.
Nowadays even the TV connects to the Internet. Make sure you're aware of which devices that you child uses connect to the Internet e.g phone, iPad, tablet, xbox, PlayStation, games consoles. Also, find out how they are accessing the Internet - is it your connection or a neighbour's wifi? This will affect whether your safety settings are being applied.
Use parental controls on devices that link to the Internet, such as TV, laptops, computers, games consoles and mobile phones.
This is allow you to set the appropriate boundaries as your child grows and develops.
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