Internet Safety
UK Safer Internet Centre
This site contains advice on how to use the internet and new technologies safely and responsibly as well as a range of practical resources, news and events focussing on the safe and responsible use of the internet and new technologies.
www.saferinternet.org.uk
NSPCC
https://www.nspcc.org.uk/preventing-abuse/keeping-children-safe/online-safety/
This gives good advice to parents and also provides a free helpline for parents giving advice and guidance about how to set up parental controls, privacy settings etc.
Net Aware
This keeps up with all the latest and most popular apps and shows the dangers and risks associated with each one and the best way to use them.
Childnet International
A non-profit organisation working with others to help make the Internet a great and safe place for children. You can access Jenny’s Story and Let’s Fight It Together (the cyber-bullying DVD) for this site.
http://www.childnet-int.org/
Internet Matters
An internet portal which aims to direct parents and carers to credible and helpful information on how to keep children safe online.
www.internetmatters.org
Digizen
A site about recognising and dealing with online hazards, setting up safe profiles on social networking sites and understanding how to manage personal information.
http://www.digizen.org/
Think you Know
Provides the latest information on the sites young people like to visit, mobiles and new technology. It’s separated into different age groups: 5-7years, 8-10 years,11-16 years. There is also a ‘parent/carer’ and ‘teacher/trainer’ section. It discusses what’s good, what’s not and what you can do about it.
http://www.thinkyouknow.co.uk/
That’s not cool
This website has been created to help young people and their parents understand how mobile phones, instant messaging and online profiles are all digital extensions of who we are. It aims to give the tools to help people think about what is, or is not, okay in their digital relationships.
www.thatsnotcool.com
Google Family Safety Centre
Provides parents and teachers with practical tools to help them choose what content their children see online. Look out for the video tips on how to set up safe searching on Google and YouTube.
www.google.co.uk/familysafety
N.B Each of the search engines e.g. Yahoo, Virgin, Bing! will have their own internet safety pages. You can search for these on the home page.
Connect Safely
A forum where parents, teens, educators and experts discuss and learn about safe blogging and social networking.
http://connectsafely.org/
Safety Detectives
Parents’ Guide for Safe YouTube and Internet Streaming for Kids
Cyber-bullying
Advice for parents and carers- identifying signs of bullying and how to respond to it appropriately
http://www.anti-bullyingalliance.org.uk/
Mobile Phones, handheld devices and gaming
Vodafone Parent’s Guide
Take the online test to give you an idea about how well you understand internet safety and new technologies. It’s quick and easy and will help you decide which parts of the website to visit. It provides information about how to apply internet safety strategies to mobile phones and handheld devices and how to manage excessive use of the new technologies.
http://parents.vodafone.com/
N.B Each of the mobile networks e.g. O2, Orange, 3 etc. have their own internet safety pages. You can search for these using Google.
O2 Resource
This site is designed to help adults understand what kids really do on their mobiles and the internet. And it’s also to help you talk to your kids openly about the risks, so they know how to protect themselves.
http://www.o2.co.uk/parents
Ofcom
Information about online access on mobile devices, games consoles and portable media players.
http://www.ofcom.org.uk/
Smartphone Safety
Thanks to a school district in the USA who found this site informative, this link provides a guide to smartphone safety. Thanks Lyndhurst STEM!
https://bestcellphonespyapps.com/guide-to-smartphone-safety/
Information on reporting inappropriate contact or illegal content
Child Exploitation and Online Protection (CEOP) Centre
The CEOP Centre is the UK’s national police agency set up to tackle online child sexual abuse. If you are worried about someone’s behaviour towards a child, online or offline, you can report this at www.ceop.police.uk.
Virtual Global Taskforce (VGT)
The Virtual Global Taskforce is made up of police forces around the world working together to fight online child abuse. The aim of the VGT is to build an effective, international partnership of law enforcement agencies that helps to protect children form child abuse. The objectives of the VGT are: to make the Internet a safer place; to identify, locate and help children at risk; and to hold perpetrators appropriately to account. This site provides advice, information and support to both adults and children to protect themselves against child sexual abusers. It also provides information on how to report inappropriate or illegal activity with or towards a child online.
http://www.virtualglobaltaskforce.com/
IWF
The IWF was established in 1996 by the internet industry to provide the UK internet Hotline for the public and IT professionals to report criminal online content in a secure and confidential way.
http://www.iwf.org.uk/
Technical Support
Get Netwise
There are many tools available that parents can employ to guide their children to safe and rewarding online experiences. Here are some tips for choosing the tool or tools that are right for your family. Tools include filtering software, browsers for children and software that monitors time spent online.
www.kids.getnetwise.org/tools/
Sites for children
CBBC
A site designed to teach younger children about some of the pitfalls of the internet in a fun-way; using cartoons, quizzes and games
www.bbc.co.uk/cbbc/help/safesurfing
Club Penguin
Club Penguin is designed by Disney for 6-14 year olds. It is a safe virtual world where children can play games and interact with friends. Every message in the chat room is filtered to allow only pre-approved words and phrases. and block attempts to communicate a phone number or other personally identifiable information. They also employ on-site staff to monitor activity and chat, receive reports of misconduct and provide personalized player support. Players who engage in appropriate behaviour can be silenced or banned.
http://www.clubpenguin.com/
Hectors World
A site designed for 5 to 7 year olds. Like Club Penguin it is a safe virtual world where children can interact with each other online. It also has a number of cartoons which teach younger children how to use their computers safely.
http://www.hectorsworld.com/
Cybersmile
Founded by parents of children directly affected by cyberbullying, this non-profit organisation provides support to those that are bullied online, and changes the behaviour of the bullies themselves, through education.
http://www.cybersmile.org
Kidscape
This charity aims to prevent bullying and child sexual abuse, by working with children and young people aged 6 to 19, concerned parents and grandparents, teachers and carers.
http://www.kidscape.org.uk/
Childline
ChildLine is a confidential counselling service for children and young people. They can contact ChildLine about anything – no problem is too big or too small. You can phone ChildLine on 0800 1111, send them an email, have a 1-2-1 chat or send a message to Ask Sam. You can also post messages to the ChildLine message boards or text them.
www.childline.org.uk
Advice for parents of children with special needs
This guide has been produced by Cerebra for children with special needs.
Learning Disabilities, Autism and Internet Safety:
A Parent’s Guide.
Visit their website at: www.cerebra.org.uk
Sources of Support Poster (2)
Letter to parents and carers
