Keep a child safe online

Online abuse is any type of abuse that happens on the web, whether through social networks, playing online games or using mobile phones.

The facts about being online
Children and young people spend a lot of time online – it can be a great way for them to socialise, explore and have fun. Most children go online at home and over half of teenagers have revealed information online that could be used to identify them. A third of all children aged 12 to 15 have online friends that are not personally known to them.

Because children and young people spend a lot of time online and may face risks such as cyberbullying or being exposed to inappropriate content.

Whether you're unsure about what happens online or are familiar with new technology, it's important that you talk to your child about staying safe.

Keeping children safe online is a daunting task and it is important that parents understand the variety of things children can come across:

• Inappropriate content
• Cyberbullying
• Online grooming
• Sexting
• Online reputation
• Privacy and identity theft
• Online pornography
• Radicalisation

There are a variety of ways children use technology and it may feel daunting, but you don't need to be an expert on the internet. Learning more about these activities and getting advice on how to manage this is a positive step to keeping children safe online and at CEOP 'Think You Know' you will find out how to report an incident to understanding more about keeping your children safe. There's also a Romeo and Juliet video on keeping kids safe online.

There's lots of advice and information available at the NSPCC website on online safety and Internet Matters is a website for all online safety issues including cyberbullying, grooming and radicalisation.

Watch the YOUTUBE video on Trusting Myself - Trusting My Selfie and get information and advice from PARENT ZONE where there is even free online parenting course.

What's The Problem is a guide by the Lucy Faithfull Foundation, especially for parents of children and young people who have got in trouble online.

CHILDNET International has parents pages to discover all about parental controls, gaming and keeping your child safe from harm online. There is lots of information on parental control software from most internet providers and at Staying Safe Online: parental control software.