E-Safety for Parents/Carers
The internet is amazing. Children can play, learn, create and connect - opening up a whole world of exciting possibilities. But with the digital world changing all the time, and most children now have access to devices which enable them to connect to the internet, take photographs and/or videos, and communicate with others, how can you make sure your child’s staying safe?.
Risks your child may face online
Some of the issues related to primary pupils using the internet are
- Accessing inappropriate content on the internet
- Using minimum age restrictioned ‘mature’ social networking sites, such as Facebook, and connecting with individuals they don’t know
- Being cyberbullied by others on the internet
- Using technology appropriately, e.g. webcams and cameras on mobile devices
- Losing control over photographs and videos
- Sharing personal information with others they don’t know on the internet.
- Playing video games with adult rating, e.g. Call of Duty.
- Virsus, hacking and security.
- Wearing internet enabled devices such as Fitbit and Apple Watches.
What you can do to help
Firstly don’t deny access to technology. This may prevent your child from speaking to you about their e-safety. Children are sometimes worried that if they tell someone about anything bad that has happened online, their access to the internet or phone will be removed. The best thing we can do is to teach them how to deal with technology, not to avoid it.
Advice if your child is under 5 years old
Advice if your child is aged 6 to 9 years old
Advice if your child is aged 10 to 12 years old
At home talk to your child about what they are doing online and, if you are able to, set up your computer in a shared area. Childnet have created a Family Agreement- this is a great way to start a conversation with the whole family about the use of the internet.
There are lots of links to useful e-safety sites for children (in our E-Safety for KS1 and E-Safety for KS2 pupil webpages). They are great fun to explore, so why not browse through them with your children?
Still unsure how to start this conversation with your child? This guide, on Online Safety, will help you start an initial conversation with your child, so you have a better understanding of what they do online and how you can protect them. Additionally, it’s important to note that regular conversations with your child about the Internet will help your child to build confidence when talking about online issues, and therefore help to build trust too.
How to Be Kind Online
The online world can be an unforgiving place. We are now more connected than we have ever been which means opening ourselves and others up to potential online abuse, bullying or negative comments. Sometimes we can overlook the consequences of our actions. The guide "Be Kind Online" promotes the message of just ‘being kind online’ with a reminder towards how we can develop a more empathetic side and be a more responsible online consumer.
Social Media - such as Facebook / Myspace / Snapchat / Instagram / Telegram
Many of these sites have a minimum age limit of 13, so our pupils should NOT be using them.
They do not offer the same levels of protection as DB Primary, which we use at Elm Grove to allow the pupils to communite with each other, via email. Please support school by reinforcing this information with your child.
If your child has one of these accounts you can show them how to delete it by visiting
However we are aware that some children in the school have access to family social media accounts and can access these on your home technology. These sites have an age restriction above primary school age. If you have given your permission for your child to see these sites, then you need to ensure they are safe.
- Have you set the correct privacy settings?
- Do they know not to send private messages without your permission?
- Do they know they must not upload images of someone else without their permission?
Additional Resources
Please click on the icons below for more information.
An e-safety story to read with Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 children (EYFS/KS1).
The Adventures of Smartie the Penguin is an interactive story offering children the chance to decide what Smartie should do next as he explores the Internet and plays his favourite online games. Like most children, Smartie loves to play on his tablet but along the way he finds the Internet tricky to navigate.
An
e-safety story to read with Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 children (EYFS/KS1).
Help arrives just in time for Digiduck® when faced with a difficult decision! Follow Digiduck® and his pals in this story of friendship and responsibility online.
In May 2016, the Austrian Safer Internet Centre (SIC) published a fully illustrated storybook for children: ‘The Online-Zoo'. This 60-page book teaches young kids (aged 3-6) digital competences and media literacy in a playful, age-appropriate way.
In the book, Zoo Director Elsa tries to help all her animals who encounter some difficulties when using digital media and the internet. For example, Ape Moritz gets addicted to his Smartphone, Panda bear Paul is being cyberbullied and Penguin Fridolin wants to take a picture in his new swimwear.
Childline is a NSPCC service giving support and advice, by trained counsellors, for anyone under 19 in the UK with any issue they’re going through.
Childline is free, confidential and available any time, day or night.
Child
net’s mission is to work in partnership with others around the world to help make the internet a great and safe place for children.
Whether you’re puzzled by parental controls or would like to know more about gaming, they can help. On their website you will find a whole host of useful ways to keep your child safe.
Get Safe Online is a jointly-funded initiative between several Government departments and a number of private sector businesses as well technical expertise, intelligence and advice as input from other orWe also benefit from the input of other organisations.
They provide practical advice on how to protect yourself, your computers and mobiles device and your business against fraud, identity theft, viruses and many other problems encountered online.
From age-specific online safety checklists to guides on how to set parental controls on a range of devices, you’ll find a host of practical tips to help children get the most out of their digital world.
NSPCC have teamed u
p with O2 to help you keep children safe when they're using the internet, social networks, apps, games and more.
Read their tips on how to keep your child safe when using internet-connected devices. Whether you want to set up parental controls, adjust privacy settings or get advice on social networks, experts from the free O2 & NSPCC helpline are here to help.
O2 has teamed up with the NSPCC to help keep children safe online. The internet is like a magician's hat. And if you're worried what your kids will find inside, their free advice will help you keep them safe online. To kids, online friends are real friends. Online life is real life. There's no distinction
Need to talk to someone?
Sometimes it's easier to talk about a problem. That's why they have set up a helpline, to answer any questions you or your child might have about staying safe online whether it is about online bullying or setting up parental controls.
ParentPo
rt is run by the UK’s media regulators. They set and enforce standards across the media to protect children from inappropriate material.
Thinkuknow is an education programme from the National Crime Agency’s CEOP Command.
Since 2006, Thinkuknow has been keeping children and young people safe by providing education about sexual abuse and sexual exploitation.
Thinkuknow aims to ensure that everyone has access to this practical information – children, young people, their parents and carers and the professionals who work with them.
Alongside the Thinkuknow website the programme provides educational resources, including films, cartoons and lesson plans, to help professionals raise young people’s awareness.
The UK Safer Internet Centre is where you can find online safety tips, advice and resources to help children and young people stay safe online. UK Safer Internet Centre is a partnership of three leading charities with a mission to make the internet a better place for children and young people.
Vodafone has 
practical advice for parents/carers looking at the challenges your son or daughter might face online and provide links to ‘how to’ guides and expert advice to help you support them in the ever-changing digital world.
Looking for a way to start that all-important conversation about social media, gaming and other online activities with your son or daughter? Check out their latest issue of ‘Digital Parenting’ magazine.
West Sussex County Council has produced a guide to keeping your child safe online - Click here to find out more.