Online Safety

Click here to view the CHS Online Safety Policy

As part of our parent group we support families to keep their children safe online.

Parents e-safety workshop presentation

There is lots of information to support you and your child to stay safe online. You will find below our Top Ten Internet Safety Tips along with other leaflets and websites to help keep you child safe on their computer, mobile phone or other electronic devices.

If you have any questions please get in touch with us.

Tips for Parents

INTERNET SAFETY’S 5 TIPS FOR CREATING A CYBERSAFE HOME™

This generation of parents is the first to face the challenge of helping our children make the most of their virtual space while keeping them safe in it. If you’re still getting your footing in virtual parenting, don’t worry. InternetSafety.com has the following tips to help ensure that your child’s online experience remains positive.

1. Become a net-savvy parent

The best safeguard against online dangers is being informed. Jump in and learn the basics of the Internet—read articles, take a class, and talk to other parents. A good place to start with some basics is www.LearnTheNet.com. A good place to stay current with the latest in online technology is mashable.com. You don’t have to be an expert to have a handle on your child’s online world.

2. “Chat” with your children

Develop an open dialogue so that you can talk with your children about the benefits and dangers of the Internet. Cultivate an interest in their online activities—their favourite Web sites, online games, and interests. And don’t be afraid to ask your children who they are talking to online and what they are talking about.

3. Agree on a game plan

Use the  InternetSafety.com Gameplan™ to formally agree on your family’s guidelines for using the Internet. Post them near the family computer as a reminder. Ensure that your children know to never share personal information on the Internet and that they should tell you about any online activity or contact that makes them uncomfortable.

4. Protect your computer

Take advantage of the software that exists to help parents manage their children’s computer experience. In only a few minutes, parental control software like  Safe Eyes can block inappropriate websites, restrict the amount of time that your children use the Internet and monitor their Instant Messenger chats to protect against predators.

5. Explore the Internet as a family

With a game plan and a protected computer, you can now encourage your family to take advantage of all that the Internet has to offer. Take a genuine interest in what your children are doing and stay engaged with them online.

What Website Operators Must Do

POST THEIR PRIVACY POLICY.

Websites directed to children or that knowingly collect information from kids under 13 must post a notice of their information collection practices that includes:

  • types of personal information they collect from children e.g. name, home address, email address or hobbies.
  • how the site will use the information-for example, to market to the child who supplied the information, to notify contest winners or to make the information available through a child’s participation in a chat room.
  • whether personal information is forwarded to advertisers or other third parties. o a contact at the site.

GET PARENTAL CONSENT.

In many cases, a site must obtain parental consent before collecting, using or disclosing personal information about a child. Consent is not required when a site is collecting an email address to:

  • respond to a one-time request from the child.
  • provide notice to the parent.
  • ensure the safety of the child on the site.
  • send a newsletter or other information on a regular basis as long as the site notifies a parent and gives them a chance to say no to the arrangement.

WHAT PARENTS SHOULD DO:

LOOK FOR A PRIVACY POLICY ON ANY WEBSITE DIRECTED TO CHILDREN.

The policy must be available through a link on the website’s homepage and at each area where personal information is collected from children. Websites for general audiences that have a children’s section must post the notice on the homepages of the section for children.

Read the policy closely to learn the kinds of personal information being collected, how it will be used, and whether it will be passed on to third parties. If you find a website that doesn’t post basic protections for children’s personal information, ask for details about their information collection practices.

DECIDE WHETHER TO GIVE CONSENT.

Giving consent authorises the website to collect personal information from your child. You can give consent and still say no to having your child’s information passed along to a third party. Your consent isn’t necessary if the website is collecting your child’s email address simply to respond to a one-time request for information.

Setting Up Parental Controls or Privacy Settings

EE – Mobile Guide to Mobile Phone Safety – https://ee.co.uk/help/help-new/safety-and-security/content-lock/set-up-safe-manage-childs-phone
This section of the EE website has useful advice regarding mobile phone safety for parents.

Windows 7 Parental Controls

Windows 8 Parental Controls

Facebook Basic Privacy Settings

Twitter Protecting your Tweets

Xbox Parental Controls

PlayStation 4 Parental Controls

Roblox

Minecraft

FortniteChapter3

FIFA23

Cross Platform Sharing

Age Ratings

If you want to report material you believe may be illegal, contact;

Discovery House
Vision Park
Chivers Way
Histon
Cambridge
CB24 9ZR
UK

Appointments are by prior arrangement only.
Office Phone +44 (0)1223 20 30 30.
Phone lines are open between 8:30 – 16:30 Monday to Friday (UK time)

E-mail: report@iwf.org.uk
https://www.iwf.org.uk/

Useful Links

Online safety tips for parents Primary

Online safety tips for parents Secondary

Sharing photos and videos

Personal information and money

Cyber bullying

Glossary of terms

What is the Dark Web?

Kayleigh’s Love Story: a powerful film on dangers of online grooming.

KidSMART

Childnet

Internetmatters.org

Know IT All for Parents – https://www.childnet.com/resources/

This website provides a unique, interactive guide to help you keep up to date with how children use the Internet and how you can support them in keeping safe. It is produced by ChildNet International.

Connect Safely – http://www.connectsafely.org

This website is American, but contains useful information for parents on how young people are using technology, and what the risks may be.

Get Net Wise – http://www.getnetwise.org

As well as lots of information on how to keep your children safe, this website has a very useful video tutorial showing how you can set privacy settings and parental controls on your computer. 

Preventing and tackling bullying guidance – https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/preventing-and-tackling-bullying

The DfE preventing and tackling bullying guidance (which includes cyberbullying).

ThinkUKnow for Parents –
https://www.thinkuknow.co.uk/parents

This website, from the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre, has a section dedicated to parents with lots of useful advice. In particular, check out the parent webcast!

NSPCC Advice for Parents –
https://www.nspcc.org.uk/preventing-abuse/keeping-children-safe/online-safety/

The NSPCC website has a section for parents with advice on Internet safety.

Top Ten Internet Safety Tips – Ensuring Online Safety for Your Family

  1. First educate yourself, then your child.
    Banning a child from certain sites may only motivate them to spend more time on them, whereas educating your child on how to keep safe will give them the tools they need to navigate their online world without being hurt; from not posting personal information to a site to understanding that people they are talking to may not actually be who they are. If the parents know the dangers themselves, this sets an example to the child to understand them as well.
  2. Manage your children’s time on the Internet.
    Scheduling times when a child can be on the Internet and the amount they can be online ensures that you know when they are on the Internet and how long. By not allowing them to have free reign reduces their chances of being exposed to inappropriate content.
  3. Teach children the obvious identity rules.
    Tell your children NOT to put photos of themselves on the Internet or to give out their names, addresses, phone numbers, schools, or other personal information online.
  4. Keep computers out of children’s bedrooms and in open areas.
    With PCs in the open, children will be less inclined to view and access material that may not be acceptable.
  5. Set specific Internet guidelines for your children to live by and consistently enforce consequences, if they are not being followed.
    Giving your children specific guidelines to follow will ensure they know where they stand when it comes to how they use the Internet as well as the consequences when they breach the rules. If a parent enforces consequences consistently, their children will be more likely to follow the rules.
  6. Install an Internet filter or family safety software.
    Family safety software is becoming extremely advanced and an effective way to filter dangerous content. Additionally, this software usually comes with tools like time management, remote monitoring and reporting, and keystroke recognition, giving families greater peace of mind and manageability.
  7. Know the dangers associated with sites your children frequent.
    An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Whether it’s Instagram, Facebook or another social networking site, by knowing what people are doing on your children’s favourite sites that could put them in harm’s way, parents can educate their children and show them the warning signs of potentially dangerous situations.
  8. Teach children what to do if they encounter pornography on a home or public computer, such as at a school or a library.
    In a similar fashion to the fire warning of “stop, drop and roll,” you can teach children to quickly turn off power to the computer monitor and go to get an adult. This can prevent a child from attempting to stop the situation by clicking more buttons (and thereby spreading the attack and being exposed to more porn).
  9. Create a relationship with your children that is conducive to open communication.
    Open communication and trust is extremely valuable. By letting children know what is expected from them and that their safety is a top priority, they will feel that if something happens – whether they are approached by a cyber stranger or bully or receive an inappropriate e-mail – they can approach a parent to resolve the issue without feeling they are in trouble.
  10. Understand Internet Privacy Policies as they apply to your child.
    According to the ICO parents should be aware of the following as it pertains to protecting their children’s’ privacy on the web.