Keeping your child safe online

Talking to your family is key in keeping them safe online. As soon as your child starts accessing the internet, talk to them about what they are seeing, reading and who they are communicating with.

As they grow keep the conversation going it so much easier to start good habits when they are young and if conversations are open they will know it’s ok to come to you for help. Ask your child what sites, apps and games they use, write a list, and look at them together. Talk to your child about what you think is appropriate, and remind them that this may be different for other families. Be interested in their online world – it matters to them. The online world for many, can be more important to them than real life friends and a valuable way of staying connected.

Top 10 tips

Set a good example to your children – model good behaviour online.
Monitor screen time – set limits for yourself and your family.
Keep screens where you can see them – no phones in bedroom at night
Choose kindness – Be sociable with social media not anti-social.
Teach your child to stay in control of their digital footprint.
Don’t overshare – protect your families privacy.
Know who your children are friends with online.
Teach your children to keep location and settings private.
Make sure you use parental controls or monitoring apps.
Communicate with your child – reach an agreement about what works best for your family.