Online Safety Resource

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:

• https://www.internetmatters.org/resources/tech-guide/

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/

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

1. Gaming: what parents and carers need to know

Many children will be spending time gaming online over the summer holidays. This article explores the different elements of gaming with a particular focus on how it can be used by offenders, but focusing on what parents can do to support their child while gaming.

2. Sharing pictures of your child online

Lots of parents love sharing photos of their children with friends and family, particularly when they are on holiday or starting the new school year. A recent report found that 42% of young people reported that their parents had done this without asking their permission. Our article helps parents to protect their child while staying social.

3. Keeping your under 5s safe online

Whether it’s watching videos, playing games on their devices or talking to Alexa – today’s under 5s are spending more time online. In this article we look at the benefits of children accessing the internet, and share advice about how parents can make sure their child has a safe experience online.

4. Live streaming: responding to the risks

Many children enjoy live streaming as it can be used to showcase talent, develop communication skills and create identity. Our article helps parents to understand why children love it, what the risks can be, and how they can help their child stay safe if they are live streaming.

5. Using parental controls

Parental controls are a great tool for helping to protect children but should not replace open and honest conversations with children about their life online. Share these tips on how to use parental controls effectively.

You can find some practical guidance for parents and carers whose children are using social media by clicking here.

Facebook is the most popular Social Networking site on the internet.  It was launched in 2004 and has an estimated 1.94 billion users.  You can find more information about how protect yourself online, how to report issues and how to deactivate your account here.

Instagram is photograph and video sharing application and is particularly popular with children and teenagers.  For further guidance of how you can stay safe when using Instagram, how to report any issues or how to deactivate your account click here. Internet Matters also include a ‘how to’ guide for parents, click here to access it.

Misical.ly allows users to create, share and discover new videos.  It allows users to create short videos of them dancing, performing or lip-syncing to music and share them online via their app.  As with other social media sites users can set their profiles to private or public.  You can access more information about musical.ly by clicking here.

Snapchat is a messenger app that allows you to send photos, videos, text and drawings.  The unique feature of Snapchat is that the message only stays on the recipient’s phone for a matter of seconds.  Further guidance on where to find privacy settings, report abuse and deactivate your account can be found here.

Whatsapp is a free messenger app that enables users to send messages, images, video and audio using the internet and is popular amongst children.  Further information on how to restrict access to whatsapp can be found here.

Guidance for children and young people, families and professionals facing unwanted or hurtful online messages

Download document

Online gaming has changed the gaming world for our children, they can now play against other gamers at any time.  This world can be scary for parents who don’t necessarily access these games themselves.  Practical advice for parents can be found here.

It is worth noting that games are subject to similar age ratings as films are.  The system for rating games is called the PEGI rating, we would encourage you to familiarise yourself with these ratings which can be found here.

Roblox is becoming an increasingly popular gaming site for children & teenagers.  This site is a ‘user-generated’ site, meaning all of the games on the site have been created by users themselves.  They have produced a parent’s guide with tips for keeping children safe while using Roblox – this is available here.

Minecraft is another site that is hugely popular with children and teenagers alike but do you know your ‘Griefers’ from your ‘Creepers’?  The NSPCC has produced a helpful guidance tool to familiarise parents with the different elements of the game and advise how to protect your children when they are playing, this is available here.

The whole school enjoyed an anti-bullying play.  Y6 were lucky to then take part in a workshop focusing on cyber bullying.