Online Safety

It is really important that children are safe when they are online. It is vital that you, as a parent, closely monitor how your children are using the internet and setting ‘parental controls’ in your web settings as appropriate.

There is a lot of advice and guidance available for parents/carers to enable you to ensure that your children are safe whenever and wherever they go online.

What can parents/carers do?

Ground Rules:

Discuss as a family how the internet will be used in your house. Consider what should be kept private online (personal information, photos etc) and decide rules when chatting with friends using mobile devices and apps. Make sure you know what your child is doing online much like you would offline. Monitor how much time they are spending online.

Online Safety

Install antivirus software, secure your internet connection and use Parental Control functions for computers, mobile phones and games consoles to block unsuitable content or contacts. Remember that parental control tools are not always 100% effective and sometimes unsuitable content can get past them, so don’t rely on them alone to protect your child.

Location:

Locate your computer in a supervised family area. Always supervise the use of webcams and applications which allow voice or video chat. Consider your child’s access to, and use of, Mobile Phones, Games Consoles, tablets.

Dialogue:

Talk to your child and ask them to show you how they use their mobile phones, which apps they use and what they are accessing on the internet; learn which websites or tools they like to use and why. Learning together can often open opportunities to discuss safe behaviour with your child.

Consider other controls eg checking content of messages; limiting access to and use of devices. Always ensure your child knows how to block or report people online who send nasty or inappropriate messages or content. Encourage your child not to retaliate or reply. Remind children never do anything that they wouldn’t be happy for family and friends to see. Remind them that messages can also be interpreted in different ways. Make sure your child knows to tell an adult they trust if they see something online that makes them feel scared, worried or uncomfortable. It’s essential to be realistic – banning the internet or technology will not work and it often makes a child less likely to report a problem.

Education around safe use is essential. Do also remember that the vast majority of children use mobile devices, the internet and social media sites etc without coming to any harm.

E-Safety is an important part of keeping children safe at Welbeck Primary School. We will also be talking and delivering sessions to the children about this in school.