With the modern age of social media, online gaming and streaming, it’s become increasingly difficult to monitor use of the internet and games/platforms and keeping our children and young people safe online.
Technology can move at an extraordinarily fast pace and it can be difficult to know how to start talking to your child about what they’re doing online, who they might be speaking to or discussing the potential risks and issues.
Talking regularly with your child is the greatest tool to help keep them safe online. Talking regularly and making it part of daily conversation, like you would about their day at school, will help your child feel relaxed. It also means when they do have any worries, they’re more likely to come and speak to you.
But it can also be easy to become overwhelmed with the different technology, the language that children use, the huge number of games and apps which are available and the potential risks.
Southampton Parent Carer Forum recently held a workshop with the Police to highlight the dangers and this session was extremely well received. The police offered some fantastic guidance and advice and shared some really useful information about keeping children and young people safe online.
The Forum will be running regular sessions with the police on this subject and other useful subjects, join the mailing list to keep updated as to when the sessions will be taking place.
Please see below links to support organisations that may be of use.
NSPCC
You can use the NSPCC to have certain images removed from the internet. Use the link below to report them. This can be used by anyone.
Report Remove
Childline
Childline is a great source of information around sexting and inappropriate messages between young people. It explains what it is and how to support someone who has taken part in this.
Sexting and sending nudes
Safe4me
This is a helpful website about what parental controls are available with a wide range of apps. It is regularly updated when new apps come on the market. There is a helpful step by step guide for setting up the parent controls.
Safe4Me website
Parental Controls
This website gives the appropriate ages for the different apps which appeal to Children and Young People.
Parental Controls & Privacy Settings Guides
Appropriate ages
This website has helpful hints and tips for having conversations with your Children and Young People about staying safe online. There are some ideas of how to start those conversations.
Age-Based Media Reviews for Families
Online exploitation
View information about online exploitation.
CEOP Education