Useful Information for Parents and Carers

Setting up Parental Controls on the home internet connection may seem a little daunting but the highly-regarded Internet Matters website has some really useful guidance from major broadband providers about setting up online filters.

Tip: Use the Interactive guide on the website at: www.internetmatters.org/parental-controls/interactive-guide

Agreeing some Behaviours and Expectations BEFORE children receive devices can help to prevent some difficult conversations later.  Additionally, our colleagues at Childnet have a handy Family Agreement which can be useful, especially for younger children – see: www.childnet.com/blog/family-agreement

Tip:  Good agreements work both ways so if family-time involves no tech, this applies to adults too!

Follow the TALK checklist to help keep your child safe online (Internet Watch Foundation)

The Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) tells us that ‘since the start of the pandemic, the amount of ‘self-generated’ child abuse imagery has increased dramatically. In 2020, the IWF confirmed 68,000 cases of such imagery, a rise of 77% on the year before. It accounts for nearly half (44%) the imagery we took action on last year. In 80% of these cases, the victims were 11- to 13-year-old girls.’

The IWF has created a resource to help parents and carers understand the risks of ‘self-generated child sexual abuse imagery’ using the acronym ‘TALK’.

To find out more, go to: https://talk.iwf.org.uk/

Please watch the following video clips and read the useful documents to help support your children and ensure they are being responsible digital citizens.

• Family-agreement-advice

• Family-agreement-template

• Focus-OnStay-Safe-Online-Festive-Season_4917

• What is TikTok? Looking at the latest lip-syncing app

• Parents and Carers – Conversation starters

• Parents and Carers – Quick activities

• Parents and Carers – Get involved

• There’s a viral scare online. What so I do?
• Gaming ‘Fortnite’ Advice and support for parents

The term ‘online safety’ reflects a widening range of issues associated with technology and a user’s access to content, contact with others and behavioural issues.

What does OFSTED say:

• Schools to work closely with all families to help them ensure that their children use new technologies safely and responsibly both at home and at school.

• Schools to provide an age-related, comprehensive curriculum for online safety that enables pupils to become safe and responsible users of new technologies.

• Schools to systematically review and develop their online safety procedures, including training, to ensure that they have a positive impact on pupils’ knowledge and understanding

What does the Computing Curriculum say:

• KS1: use technology safely and respectfully, keeping personal information private; identify where to go for help and support when they have concerns about content or contact on the internet or other online technologies.

• KS2: use technology safely, respectfully and responsibly; recognise acceptable/unacceptable behaviour; identify a range of ways to report concerns about content and contact.

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/239033/PRIMARY_national_curriculum_-_Computing.pdf

https://www.slideshare.net/Ofstednews/childinternetsafetysummitonlinesafetyinspection

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/keeping-children-safe-in-education–2

A Guide to Online Safety and Gaming

As a new generation of young people arrive onto using multiplayer games and the internet in general this new year, it is more important than ever to make your pupils aware of how to stay safe online. The SWGfL has published a pamphlet on how to best keep safe whilst using online software and games. With advice on reporting and blocking, online socialization and the considerations on online gaming, the pamphlet can be a useful resource for any teaching staff, giving lessons on the topic. You can find a link to that resource below: 

https://swgfl.org.uk/assets/documents/online-safety-and-gaming.pdf

With the threat of offenders using online live streaming platforms increasing there is a need to educate children about the associated risks. NCA-CEOP want to help parents and carers protect their children from online offenders like Sam, the fictional narrator of the animation, who targets children online and quickly builds trust with them. The animation below highlights the importance of parents and carers talking openly to their children about being safe online, about healthy relationships and encouraging them to speak out if anything happens online that worries them or doesn’t feel right. NCA CEOP’s Thinkuknow programme provides information for children, young people, parents and carers about staying safe from sexual abuse and exploitation online. Parents and carers can visit www.Thinkuknow.co.uk/parents for advice on keeping their children safe.