Cyberbullying and what to do if it happens to your child!

What is cyberbullying?   https://esafetytraining.org/resources/parents-carers-area/cyberbullying/

There are always new concerns about children using  various Apps, games and internet media.  The 2 Johns, who many of you will know from our parent workshops, always share up to date advice for parents on: https://www.esafetytraining.org/ so check here regularly.

How to keep your child safe online:

• Teach your child never to share their real name, address, telephone number, photos of themselves or those taken in their home location or other personal information online, without talking to you first, even if they believe they are talking to a friend. Most children will happily say they do this but will then happily give their name to someone they think is a child online!

• Even the best parent cannot expect to keep up to date with the latest APPs and social media used by children so ask your own child to teach you. Learn how they use and mobiles, gaming consoles, tablets etc and see what they use. Remember that you need to be on the internet journey with your child at the start and investigate each APP/stop with them!  Don't be the parent who put them on the train with their first mobile and waved them off alone into the unknown.

• Keeping devices a family room means that you can share your child’s online experience and that they are less likely to act inappropriately, however this is not practicable with the use of laptops, smaller mobile devices and tablets that are available today.  If your child posts a picture or video online, anyone can change or share it. Teach them to only post pictures they would be willing to share with close family members. Anyone may be looking at their images both now and in the future and one day this could be a future employer!

• If your child receives spam/junk email & texts, remind them never to believe them, reply to them or open them.  Teach them about "fake news" and the fact that not everything on the internet is true.

• Teach your child not to open messages or accept friend requests or muti-player game invites from people they don’t know. They could contain an inappropriate image, threat or bribe.  Help your child to understand that some people lie online and therefore it’s better to keep "online" friends online and not meet up with them in real life. Click here for parent advice on this: https://esafetytraining.org/resources/parents-carers-area/messaging-video-apps/

• Consider looking at your child’s texts and emails. This is a personal decision for you as a parent but if a strange adult  approached your child in the street and spoke to them…would you go over and listen in or leave them and say you respect their privacy?

• Teach children how to block someone online and how to report them if they feel uncomfortable.

• Always keep communication open between you and your child. Never threaten to ban or confiscate the mobile device…they will just go online without telling you!  Make sure they know that it’s never too late to tell someone if something makes them feel uncomfortable. Tell them you are there to support them, not judge them and you do not want to stop them from having an on-line existence. Ask them who they could tell if telling you is too hard!

• Agree screen free times as a whole family. https://esafetytraining.org/resources/parents-carers-area/screen-time/

• Use age appropriate resources together with your child whatever their age. https://esafetytraining.org/resources/childrens-area/        Parents: Supporting Young People Online (Childnet)  https://www.childnet.com/ufiles/Supporting-Young-People-Online.pdf       

Leaflets available in a range of other languages here  https://www.childnet.com/resources/supporting-young-people-online 

REMEMBER...EXPLOITATION IS NEVER THE CHILD'S FAULT!

Further resources for parents and carers

Websites

• How can I help my child? - NWG and Marie Collins Foundation

• E-Safety Training 'The 2 Johns' - Parent/Carer Area

• Internet Matters

• ParentInfo

• ParentZone

• Understand the risks of 'self-generated child sexual abuse imagery' - Internet Watch Foundation

• Sexting advice for parents - how to have those important conversations with children

• Childnet (parents and carers)

• Tackling online hate quiz - (from Internet Matters) empowers young people to tackle online hate.

E-book

• Digiduck's Big Decision - children's e-book about making safe choices online

Videos

• Kayleigh's Love Story - YouTube

• TED TALKS - The mysterious workings of the adolescent brain

• The Training Effect - Summer Safety Discussion Video for Parents

https://www.saferinternet.org.uk/ stories, games and quizzes for 4-19 year olds aimed at keeping them safe online.

https://www.childnet.com/ online resources to keep children safe on the internet for children, parents and teachers

 https://www.childnet.com/parents-and-carers key advice on reporting concerns and what parents need to know about the internet.

https://www.internetmatters.org/  Get expert support and practical tips to help children benefit from connected technology and the internet safely and smartly.

https://www.saferinternet.org.uk/advice-centre/parents-and-carers A range of resources from Europe and the UK for parents.

https://www.net-aware.org.uk Explains the latest games and APPs and advices parents on keeping their child safe online.

http://www.breckfoundation.org/ The Breck Foundation.  A Self-funding Charity set up by the parent of an exploited child.

http://www.breckfoundation.org/ Practical advice on setting up Parental Controls and all the latest APPs.

https://www.childnet.com/ufiles/Supporting-Young-People-Online.pdf Suggested Family ground rules when using the internet at home.

https://nationalcollege.com/guides/what-parents-and-carers-need-to-know-about-spotify Free online guide covering what parents needs to know about Spotify.

On the internet... (Childnet)

'On the internet' is a learning-to-read book for children aged 4 and above. The large, bright illustrations show all the different ways that the internet can be used for.           Find On the internet here: https://www.childnet.com/resources/a-learning-to-read-book

Other Childnet books for younger children include:

Smartie the Penguin (3 to 7 year olds)   https://www.childnet.com/resources/smartie-the-penguin

Digiduck's Big Decision (3 to 7 year olds)    https://www.childnet.com/resources/digiduck-stories