Telephone: 01432 260100
Welcome to Herefordshire Safeguarding Children Board
for Parents, guardians & carers
internet safety
Many children have access to computers at home and connectivity from locations such as schools, libraries and youth clubs is now commonplace. Access to a whole range of online services from mobile phones and games consoles and similar devices are readily available.Although technology offers children unprecedented opportunities to learn and communicate in a virtual environment, there are some risks.
The recent surge in popularity of social networking sites brings new internet safety challenges, with children and young people making detailed, sometimes inappropriate, personal information available online. When online, children may be exposed to inappropriate content which may upset or embarrass them. Children could also be at risk from "cyber bullying" in which online sites are used to mock them or bombard them with nasty messages.
The Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre offer these safety tips for parents:
- Encourage your child to use a computer where you can view the screen easily, e.g. sitting room
- Know what your children are doing online
- Get them to show you how to do things
- Help them understand not to give any personal information to online friends
- Teach them to ignore spam
- Teach them to ignore files sent by people they don't know
- Teach them that some people lie online
- Tell them to keep online friends online
- Keep talking so they know they can always tell you if something makes them feel uncomfortable
- Show children how to block people online and how to report them
For further information, click on the links below:-
Social Networking
Making sure your children use the Internet safely