Keeping Your Child Safe Online

Some ideas for keeping your children safe on the internet

 

Good communication is key to keeping your children safe on the internet. Treat the internet as if it is your kitchen:

• You make it as safe as possible by not leaving boiling pans and sharp knives lying around.
• You supervise your children when they’re in there because you know there are dangers.
• You teach your children about what is safe and what isn’t.
• You trust your children to follow the guidance you have given them.

 

Important things to remember

1. Almost all communication devices can now access the internet including mobile phones and games consoles.
2. Good communication between you and your children is crucial to keeping them safe.

 

Things to think about

1. Supervise children’s time on the internet.  Make this easy by placing the computer somewhere in the house where you can see what they are doing.  Maybe try the “Family Technology Plan“, it’s a free resource that can be used to introduce healthy boundaries surrounding technology within the home.
2. Make sure your children feel confident about telling you if they have accessed something inappropriate by accident.
3. Set parental locks on brewers and operating systems to minimise the risks.
4. Ask your children about what they are using the computer for – find out as much as possible about what they do when they are on the computer and make suggestions for more useful ways to spend their time.
5. If you are concerned about what they are accessing then have a look at the internet history.
6. Click here to install Hector the Protector on your computer.