E-SAFETY INFORMATION
Keeping safe online
You can make sure your child is safe online by using technical parental controls and creating your own rules. Rules should cover things like which websites they can visit and how long they can spend online. You should also stress the importance of keeping personal information safe.
Follow our SMART rules: 5 Top Tips to stay safe online!
Safe:
Keep safe by being careful not to give out personal information when you’re chatting or posting online. Personal information includes your email address, phone number and password.
Meet:
Meeting someone you have only been in touch with online can be dangerous. Only do so with your parents’ or carers’ permission and even then only when they can be present. Remember online friends are still strangers even if you have been talking to them for a long time.
Accepting:
Accepting emails, IM messages, or opening files, images or texts from people you don’t know or trust can lead to problems – they may contain viruses or nasty messages!
Reliable:
Someone online might lie about who they are and information on the internet may not be true. Always check information by looking at other websites, in books, or with someone who knows. If you like chatting online it’s best to only chat to your real world friends and family.
Tell:
Tell a parent, carer or a trusted adult if someone, or something, makes you feel uncomfortable or worried, or if you or someone you know is being bullied online.
Parental controls
Computers and other digital technologies like games consoles and mobile phones have parental controls. These let you do things like:
- block selected websites and email addresses by adding them to a filter list
- set time limits for use
- prevent your child from searching certain words
Before you set rules you can check the equipment’s user manual or the manufacturers’ websites to see what controls you have access to. You can also contact your internet service provider (ISP) or mobile phone operator to find out about any child safety measures they offer.
St Benedict’s Primary Catholic Voluntary Academy acknowledge that children must be at least 13 to register on most social networking websites and, therefore, do not expect children attending the school to be accessing social networking.
Age limits are there to keep children safe so as parents, you shouldn’t feel pressurised into letting younger children join social networking websites.
Setting rules with your child
When making a set of rules for using the internet, it’s a good idea to include your child. Being involved will help them understand the dangers and give them a sense of responsibility. It will also let them know what kind of websites you think are suitable.
The best way to keep your child safe online is to get on the internet yourself to learn how they use it. This will help you to set reasonable rules.
- Acceptable internet use
- Some examples of acceptable use might include:
- the internet-connected computer must be in a family room with the screen facing outward so you can see what’s going on
- if your child accidentally goes to an unsuitable website they should tell you – you can delete it from the ‘history’ folder and add the address to the parental control filter list
it’s never OK to use abusive or threatening language in any online communication - your child should take breaks from the computer every 30 minutes for health and safety reasons
- your child shouldn’t download unknown files from the internet without you agreeing – it’s best to never download unknown files at all
- Child-friendly search engines
You should make sure your child is aware of child-friendly search engines. These filter out inappropriate internet sites so that they are able to search the internet safely. Your child can also use traditional search engines with safe search settings turned on.
Your child’s personal safety online
It’s important your child realises that people online might not be who they say they are and could be dangerous. They should also be aware that any personal information they give out can be used in financial scams or for bullying.
To keep your child safe you should tell them not to:
- give out personal information to people they only know online – this includes name, home address, landline and mobile numbers, bank details, PIN numbers and passwords
- supply details for registration without asking for permission and help from you
- visit chat websites that aren’t fully moderated/supervised
- arrange to meet an online friend in person without your knowledge and permission
- give any indication of their age or sex in a personal email address or screen name
- keep anything that worries or upsets them online secret from you
- respond to unwanted emails or other messages
You can monitor your child’s internet use by checking the history folder on your browser as it contains a list of previously visited sites.
This information has been found on the DirectGov website. For more information about how to keep yourself and your child safe online you might like to visit:
