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Online Safety

Helping Children Stay Safe Online

Digital technology is an important part of children's lives. Children use the internet for learning, playing games, communicating and exploring the world around them.

At Dovecote Primary School, we teach children how to use technology safely, responsibly and respectfully. Online safety is an important part of our Computing curriculum and wider safeguarding work.

Parents and carers also play an important role in helping children develop safe and healthy habits online. Talking regularly about what children do online, who they interact with and what they should do if something worries them can help them feel confident asking for help when they need it.

Understanding Online Risks

Online safety risks can broadly be considered in four areas:

Content

Children may see information, images or videos that are inappropriate, upsetting, misleading or unreliable.

Encourage your child to talk to a trusted adult if they see something online that worries or upsets them. Help them understand that not everything they see or read online is accurate or trustworthy.

Contact

Children may communicate with people online who they do not know in the real world, and people online may not always be who they claim to be.

Children should be careful about who they communicate with and should never share personal information with people they do not know. Privacy settings should be used appropriately, and children should know that they can tell a trusted adult if somebody contacts them in a way that makes them uncomfortable or worried.

Conduct

The things we say and do online can affect both ourselves and other people.

Children should understand the importance of treating others with kindness and respect online, just as they would face-to-face. They should think carefully before posting or sharing information, images or messages and remember that content shared online can be copied or passed on to others.

Children should also know what to do if they experience online bullying or see somebody else being treated unkindly.

Commercialism

Games, apps and websites may contain advertising, purchases and other commercial content that children do not always recognise.

Parents and carers can help by checking settings on children's devices, restricting or disabling in-app purchases where appropriate and talking to children about advertising, spending and sharing personal information online.

Helping Your Child Stay Safe

There are some simple things families can do to help children enjoy the online world safely:

  • Talk regularly about what your child enjoys doing online.
  • Encourage your child to tell you or another trusted adult if something worries or upsets them.
  • Remind children not to share personal information such as their address, school, passwords or other private details.
  • Check privacy and parental-control settings on devices, games and apps.
  • Talk about the importance of being kind and respectful to others online.
  • Encourage children to think carefully before posting, messaging or sharing images.
  • Make sure children understand that people they meet online may not always be who they say they are.
  • Explore games, apps and online services together and check that they are appropriate for your child's age.

If Something Goes Wrong

Children should know that they will not be in trouble for telling a trusted adult when something has happened online.

If your child receives an upsetting or inappropriate message, image or contact, encourage them not to respond and to tell a trusted adult. Most online services provide tools for blocking users and reporting inappropriate content or behaviour.

If you are concerned that an adult is communicating inappropriately with a child online, this can be reported to the Child Exploitation and Online Protection (CEOP) Safety Centre.

If a child is in immediate danger, contact the emergency services by calling 999.

Age-appropriate online safety information and activities for children and families are also available through CEOP Education.

             These videos will help your child develop internet safety and awareness: 

                 4-7s | CEOP Education (thinkuknow.co.uk)

                 8-10s | CEOP Education (thinkuknow.co.uk)

Useful Websites / Online Links

There are several websites available to view online that offer additional help and guidance for parents, carers and children when it comes to issues surrounding online safety and cyberbullying.

For targeted information about how to keep your child safe when they are using high-profile social media apps and websites, such as WhatsApp, Snapchat and TikTok, see information in the guides section from https://nationalonlinesafety.com/guides