E-Safety
E-Safety: Helping Your Child Stay Safe Online
To help you support your child’s online safety, we’ve provided helpful parent guides on how to set up devices securely and manage social media and gaming use. You can access them [here].
The best way to ensure your child stays safe while using the internet and new technologies is to maintain an open conversation. Here are some simple rules to help guide your child:
Key Online Safety Rules for Your Child
-
Never share personal information: Encourage your child to use a nickname when logging on and avoid sharing their full name, email address, phone number, school name, or photos. Remind them that any picture or video shared online can be altered or shared without their permission.
-
Talk openly about their online activities: Ask your child about what they’re doing online and who they’re talking to. If you're not familiar with a certain app or platform, ask them to show you how it works. Keeping the computer in a family space allows you to share their online experience and helps prevent inappropriate behaviour (like webcam use).
-
Responding to upsetting messages: If your child receives a message that upsets them, remind them not to respond. Instead, they should save the message and show it to you or another trusted adult.
-
Be cautious of spam and junk emails: Teach your child that spam emails and texts are often misleading. They should never reply to or forward such messages; just delete them.
-
Don’t open files from strangers: Advise your child not to open files sent by people they don’t know, as these could contain viruses or inappropriate content.
-
Online ‘friends’ are still strangers: Help your child understand that anyone they meet online is essentially a stranger, even if they've been chatting for a long time. They should never meet an online friend in person without the presence of a trusted adult.
-
Teach them how to block and report: Ensure your child knows how to block someone online and report any behaviour that makes them feel uncomfortable.
-
Create an open line of communication: Let your child know they can always come to you if something online makes them feel uneasy. Reassure them that they won’t be blamed, and remind them that you trust them to make safe choices online.
Useful websites:
http://www.childnet-int.org/safety/parents.aspx