Online Safety Information

This page is contains information about how to keep your child safe online, links to parental controls;  links to step-by-step online safety  guides; videos and any up to date information members of our Online Safety Group have to share.

Online Safety Policy 2023-25

Click here to learn more about online safety (for Parents)

Online Safety Strategies

Have an Open and Honest Conversation and be as interested in your child's digital life as you are in their social life, we want children to enjoy their digital world but be prepared to talk about some difficult topics around negative influences online, considering the challenges they face due to peer pressure and being drawn into what their friends are doing.  Not sure where to start, these conversation starters may help:-

• Ask your children to tell you about the sites they like to visit and what they enjoy doing online
• Ask them what staying safe online means to them, and how they go about staying safe.
• What tips do they have for you, and where did they learn them.
• Ask them what is OK and not OK to share
• Do they know where to go for help, where to find the safety advice, privacy setting and how to report or block on the apps they use.
• What to do should they receive a message/friend request from a stranger.
• Discuss how information can be shared and how quickly it can be seen by people they do not know.

Other things to consider

• Create their profile with them, consider linking to your email rather than creating one for them
• Never use real names in chat rooms, pick an online nickname
• Set privacy settings together and talk to them about why this is important
• Keep an eye on who their friends are and take an interest in who they are talking to.
• Talk opening and agree the ground rules together
• Encourage them to be in the same physical space as you when online
• Check privacy settings after App updates
• Turn off location services, explaining some apps use them to locate users.
• Avoid webcams in bedrooms
• Discover the ThinkuKnow website

“We all have the right to feel safe all of the time!  It is ok to talk about anything no matter how awful or how small it may be”

Parental Controls

• Your broadband websites will have step-by-step parental guides
• YouTube Kids & your child’s Google Account – Parental Guide
• Yoti digital identify app – report an image or video
• NSPCC & O2: Free Of Charge service to help you manage your technology & parental controls

Parental Control APPS (not tried and tested)

• Qustodio, Family Shield, Kidlogger, Zoodles, OurPack

Online Resources

Step-by-step guides

• www.thinkuknow.co.uk
• www.internetmatters.org/controls
• www.ceop.police.uk
• www.saferinternet.org.uk
• www.net-aware.org.uk
• www.seeme-hearme.org.uk
• www.barnardos.org.uk
• www.urbrum.org
• www.stopitnow.org.uk
• www.policeandschools.org.uk
• www.childline-yoti2.herokapp.com
• www.02.co.uk/help/nspcc

Videos 

Lucy & the Boy – NSPCC Share Aware

Barnardos Follow Me

BBC Periscope

Sextortion (ITV Facebook Page – 14 year old Jenny)

Kayleigh’s Love Story