Bugbrooke Community Primary School

You don't need to be a technical expert to protect your child on the internet. Below are some very simple steps to get you started.

Talk to your child about the websites that they use. By understanding and involving yourself in their internet use, you're helping to keep them safe.
Be positive about the internet and remember that it is a fantastic learning and communication tool.
Try not to overreact to minor issues. If your child worries that you may take away their internet access, they could become secretive and hide problems from you.
Keep PCs, laptops and games consoles out of bedrooms wherever possible. Having the laptop in a family room makes it easier for you to monitor your child's internet use, whilst still giving them privacy.
Set boundaries in the on-line world just as you would in the real world. Set clear ground rules and expectations for your child's on-line behaviour. If they understand what is and isn't acceptable, it may help them to navigate any problems in the future.
Make sure all devices that connect to the internet have parental controls to help you set appropriate boundaries. Find your service provider and learn how to set your controls.
If a games console or PC is used for on-line gaming, be aware that your child may be chatting to people on-line; make sure they are adequately supervised.
Make sure that you are in control of the privacy settings for any of the on-line apps being used by your child. These need to be checked regularly to ensure that they are at the highest setting. NSPCC Share Aware has a lot of information on this.

To report suspicious behaviour online with or towards a child go to the CEOP website.

The Northamptonshire County Council County E-Safety Officer has developed an E-safety Awareness booklet for parents and carers.

The NSPCC created a guide for parents and carers on online safety for the different age groups called Safeguarding across the ages.

	The UK Safer Internet Centre has created a comprehensive list of safety features for a range of popular social networks. You can find out more by going to their Social Media Guides. They also have an Advice Centre with resources for children and parents/carers.

	Childnet International have provided useful advice for parents and carers on how to start a conversation and encourage children to talk about their internet use. They have also created DigiDuck’s Big Decision which is a story book you can share with your child that will help them understand how to be a good friend online.

	Vodafone created Digital Parenting for parents and schoolteachers to help them give children the life skills they need to thrive in the always-connected digital world. There is information and advice from experts, parents and teachers on a range of topics, including how to: Teach your child digital resilience Navigate the pitfalls of social media Cope with online peer pressure Manage your family’s screen time Protect your family from cyber crime Use parental controls and settings to stay safe