Online Safety

#OnlineSafetyAtHome.

Children have more information at their fingertips than any generation before. Tablets, laptops, and smartphones are common at school and at home, including for virtual learning,  and the devices aren’t going away anytime soon, which is why professionals and families should have conversations about internet safety.

The internet has information that can enrich our lives. It also can harm us. 

Internet safety is the act of staying safer online. This includes being aware of the risks associated with your online activity and employing a few strategies to prevent or avoid these risks. Internet safety is also sometimes referred to as online safety, cyber safety, or e-safety.

Playing it safe online can help prevent children from being exposed to unwanted information, materials, or risks on the internet that might harm their devices, personal information and harm them. It's smart to teach children computer safety so that they don't fall victim to some common dangers of the internet.

It involves lots of local and national organisations coming together to raise awareness of correct internet practices. They look at lots of topics including consent, ownership and data privacy, and it runs with the slogan, ‘Together for a better internet’. They also raise issues about cyberbullying, digital identity and social networks.

The main goal of Safer Internet Day is to raise awareness and start a conversation about internet safety. One company cannot make the internet wholly safe, but lots of people working together can have a big impact. Its aim is to make a safer and better internet for everyone, especially children and young people.

Top tips for internet safety 

Staying safe on the internet is a vital part of modern technology use. Here are our top tips for aiding you and children in this process: 
  • Monitor your child’s internet use and keep a track of their browser history. 
  • Make sure you choose strong passwords for your secure information. 
  • Keep your privacy settings high to ensure your security. 
  • Ensure you're up-to-date with all the latest security software. 
  • Remember to be as vigilant on your mobile as your desktop or laptop. 
  • Don't click on links you don't trust. 

Safer Internet Day 2024 will be celebrated globally on Tuesday 6th February 2024 with the theme "Inspiring change? Making a difference, managing influence and navigating change online".

In the UK, we are celebrating by putting children and young people’s voices at the heart of the day and encouraging them to shape the online safety support that they receive.

Educational Resources | Films | Social Media Pack | Register as a supporter 

Further information about the Safer Internet Centrethis external link will open in a new window is available. The Safer Internet Centre (SIC) work includes 4 key areas:

  • cyberbullying guidance for schools with regional events
  • additional educational multimedia resources for PSHE lessons
  • funding for a helpline for reporting online criminal content
  • a series of online safety briefing events

Further advice for keeping children safe online is available on Thinkuknow and Internet Matters websites.

www.saferinternet.org.uk/blog/free-internet-safety-resources-parentsthis external link will open in a new window - To help parents ensure their children stay safe online whilst getting to explore and discover new things we’ve pulled together a list of our resources you can access for free which provide information and advice for parents about internet safety.

Cyberbullying guidance for parents is available on GOV.UK.

Resources to help parentsthis external link will open in a new window ensure their children can get the most out of the Internet.

CEOP thinkuknowthis external link will open in a new window - Find out what’s good, what’s not and what you can do about it.

Sextingthis external link will open in a new window - Advice for parents about talking to your child about creating, sending or receiving explicit images.

Advice for parents about bullying online and through social networking websites or mobile phones.

Social Networksthis external link will open in a new window

A Digital Parenting website and magazinesthis external link will open in a new window offer parents information and advice about the latest digital technologies and the kind of challenges children and teenagers might face in their digital world. ‘How to’ guides and Take Action checklists will help you to stay up-to-date and feel more confident. 

From NSPCC

Parents missing vital information in online safety talks with children (from NSPCC Pro)

Primary school children mark privacy as top concern in online safety.

The NSPCC asked more than 600 primary school children what information they needed to stay safe online. More than 80% said online privacy settings on mobile apps and games was a topic they thought their parents should cover when talking about online safetythis external link will open in a new window.

Just over half (54%) opted for location settings, which can prevent sex offenders tracking children (link)this external link will open in a new window.

However, although 8 out of 10 parents said in a YouGov poll that they knew what to say to their child to keep them safe online, only 28% had actually mentioned privacy settings to them and just 20% discussed location settings (link)this external link will open in a new window. 

Net Aware provides tools to tackle online safety concerns

Net Aware provides key tools needed to tackle issues surrounding online safety with their recently updated Net Aware guidethis external link will open in a new window, which includes information about popular social media sites and online platforms.

New sites are added to the guide, which many parents may not be familiar with, plus well-known games like Call of Duty that allows users to chat online.

The latest websites, apps and games featured in Net Awarethis external link will open in a new window were reviewed by a panel of parents and all were rated poorly in terms of how easy it was to change privacy settings, report concerns about abuse or bullying, and find safety advice (link)this external link will open in a new window.

Net Awarethis external link will open in a new window now covers a total of 60 social networking sites, apps and games popular with children and is free to access. 

Launch of NSPCC Awareness Campaign on Child Online Safety

The NSPCC has launched a public education campaign, called Share Aware, to help parents keep their children safe online.

We know some parents feel confused by the Internet – out of their depth, and out of control. The Share Aware campaign aimed at parents of children aged 8-12 – to help to provide reassurance, information and resources to help keep children safe.

The Internet is a great place for children to be. Being Share Aware makes it safer.

The Share Aware campaign aims to give parents the tools to feel confident to start conversations with their children. The campaign also directs parents to a range of new resources, including Net Aware, a simple NSPCC guide to the social networks, sites and apps children use – as rated by parents and young people themselves.

See http://www.nspcc.org.uk/preventing-abuse/keeping-children-safe/share-aware/this external link will open in a new window 

Parents support tools (home activity worksheets) - download your first pack for: 


• 4-5s 

• 5-7s 

• 8-10s 

• 11-13s 

• 14+


Online blackmail education resource for 15-18 year olds - ThinkuKnow has released an education resource about online blackmail for 15-to 18-year-olds which aims to help young people: identify key characteristics of how blackmail operates online; understand the impact it can have; and know how to access help if they need it. The term ‘online blackmail’ is used to refer to the act of threatening to share information about an individual (including sexual images or videos) to the public, or their friends and family, unless a demand is met.

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