Broadband parental controls and internet safety for children.

https://www.gocompare.com/broadband/parental-controls/

https://www.virginmedia.com/shop/broadband/parental-control

Virgin Media Children's Online Safety Test

https://www.virginmedia.com/blog/online-safety/childrens-internet-safety-test/

Safer Internet Day 2022

Top Tips for Parents and Carers

Have a look at the tips and links below with some suggestions on how to get you started and help you to stay safe and positive online. You and your family can #PlayYourPart in creating a better internet by…

Having conversations without judgement.

Whether by playing games, watching videos, or doing things your child enjoys, spending time together online is a great way to start conversations about the online world and how they’re finding being a part of it.
It is important to ask questions and take an interest in what your child enjoys online.
An essential part of having this open dialogue is to not judge, even if their behaviour or life online isn’t what you wanted or expected. This ensures that your child feels they can come to you if ever they make a mistake or experience a problem online. 

Knowing where you can learn more about their favourite apps and games.

Websites like Common Sense Media or The Family Gaming Database can be invaluable sources of information. When your child starts talking about a new game or app, why not do some research into the reporting and blocking options available? Then you can help your child if they come to you with an issue.

Getting support if things go wrong.

There are lots of organisations who are there to support you and your family if something has gone wrong. The Report Harmful Content website can help you with issues such as cyberbullying, impersonation and threats. You can report worrying behaviour towards children to CEOP. Find out more on Childnet’s Get Help page.

Reassuring your child that whatever happens online, you are there to support them.

Let your child know that the best way to address any problem they have online, is to tell a trusted adult immediately. For example, this might include someone sending them a friend request; an online message; telling them to visit a specific website, or app; or asking them for their personal information. Reassure them that if anything happens online that they are unsure about, or makes them feel worried or upset, they can come to you for help.

Below are some documents which can help support you at home with activities and advice from the team at UK Safer Internet

For Younger Children
Undressed Song and Video (LGfL DigiSafe)

An LGfL servere of 40,000 children found that nearly 1 in 10 pupils who video chat with people they haven’t met have been asked to change or undress, and more than 1 in 20 pupils who livestream have been asked to change or undress.

Parents and professionals are often aware of issues around teens being coerced or tricked into getting undressed or revealing themselves online. However, what do we need to say to the youngest pupils, and why?

LGfL has created a video, song and poster to help schools and parents spread the message of never getting undressed in front of a phone, iPad or computer, for the very youngest primary pupils.

A common tactic of sexual predators is to trick young children into getting changed or undressed on camera by playing a ‘game’ or issuing a ‘challenge’, for example, to see how fast they can get changed into different clothes or into a swimming costume. This might happen over video chat or livestreaming app; children often don't even know this has happened; videos are often taken and then circulated.

Internet Watch Foundation research has shown that 98% of publicly available livestreamed child sexual abuse images involved children aged 13 and under; 28% were aged 10 and under.

You can find further information here: https://undressed.lgfl.net/

Safeguarding 

Safeguarding is a critical issue which affects all of us. Below are some of the policies we follow in our school and some helpful advice.  

ICT 

E-safety is an important issue which affects us all. Below are some links to come websites that you might find useful when facing ICT safeguarding issues.  

For those who speak or read in another language.

Just click the link below to a poster that is translated into many languages.

Top Tips for Preventing Cyberbullying.

There are many unknowns about cyberbullying. Online bullying estimates vary widely, from 4.5-45%. It’s hard to get a clear number on how pervasive the practice is. Some people self-report. Others never utter a word about it. Also, it’s not always clear exactly what constitutes cyberbullying. 

In our guide, we aim to remedy some of those unknowns. This resource includes:

• What constitutes bullying

• Different types of bullying

• Who cyberbullies, and why?

• The signs of cyberbullying

• The dangers of cyberbullying

Because cyberbullying (all forms of bullying, in fact) can be detrimental to mental health and may raise the likelihood of resorting to substance abuse (among victim and perpetrator both), we feel it’s vital to share this important information. Especially when we learn of unsettling statistics like 80% of teens never tell anyone or the damage it can be to a person’s self-esteem.

We don’t want anyone to suffer in silence, whether it’s due to cyberbullying, substance abuse, or mental health disorders.

PANTS

Here is a child friendly way of approaching this difficult issue. It is called PANTS. Click on the link below to find out more information. 

_{Teach your child the Underwear Rule and help protect them from abuse. It's a simple way that parents can help keep children safe from sexual abuse - without using scary words or even mentioning sex.}