The potential for the Internet to be valuable and a fun resource for entertainment, communication and learning is huge, but it is important to remember the risks and dangers associated with it, especially with the increased use of this technology.  It is likely that your child will be spending more time on devices than usual, especially when they are doing remote learning. It is therefore more important than ever that parents are digitally aware. 

What’s the problem?

Higher screen time can put your child more at risk of:

• Being bullied online
• Abuse and grooming (when someone builds a relationship with a child to exploit or abuse them)
• Seeing inappropriate content
• Not getting enough sleep and exercise

Setting Parental Controls

For an interactive guide on how to set parental controls on the most common devices children may use, please follow this link: https://parenthub.thekeysupport.com/

Please note: when following the instructions below, the exact steps you need to take may be a little different depending on the device and software version you’re using.

Resources

CEOP (Child Exploitation and Online Protection) is a website produced by the National Crime Agency, which provides advice for 11-18 year olds and is a trusted website for information and guidance regarding online safety and how to find support.

Additionally, as part of their #WakeUpWednesday campaign, National Online Safety have created free online safety guides for schools to share with parents and carers (also seen below). These guides aim to inform parents/carers regarding risks associated with using the Internet and use of digital devices across a range of online platforms and the recommended measures that can be taken to prevent them.