Keeping Safe Online

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As winter approaches and the nights draw in it is more than likely that your children will be spending extra time online – playing games or surfing the web, so making sure that they are safe is very important.

The following tips are from a booklet produced by the Family Information Service providing advice for parents about online safety. The booklet has full details about how to set security and safety features and can be accessed here apps.warwickshire.gov.uk/api/documents/WCCC-859-93

Safe Browsing
Make sure your browser is set to offer you its built-in security and safety features. For example, Microsoft Internet Explorer (the most popular browser) offers security and privacy settings.

Protect your password
Avoid using easy-to-guess passwords such as dictionary words, names, or dates such as your birthday that your child or an internet hacker might break.

Make sure you have your child’s passwords for email, instant messaging (IM), even social networking sites.

Secure your wireless network
If you have WiFi at home, make sure you do everything possible to make it secure, reset the router password so it isn’t easy to guess and make sure your internet security software is kept up-to-date.

Parental control software
Parental control software enables you to choose which sites your child is able to visit online, and to ensure that they don’t view inappropriate subject matter.

Social network sites
Social networking sites like Twitter, Facebook and Snapchat are popular with teens and have security settings that you can usually find in the help section.

YouTube is also popular and does have a setting called ‘Safety mode’ to filter out inappropriate content but please note this is not 100% accurate.

Set the home page
If you have set safe search controls on your favourite internet browser it makes sense to set their page as your homepage. This means that when your child opens the internet they are most likely to use this page for their

Bookmark a page
For younger children it is wise to bookmark pages that you know are safe for them to use so that they are easy to find.

Contact the Family Information Service
The Family Information Service offers free help and advice on all aspects of family life to parents, carers, young people and anyone working with families in tel: 0845 090 8044 or 01926 742274

Email: [email protected]

Web: //www.warwickshire.gov.uk/fis

Please share the above article with your school community to help raise awareness of the range of help and guidance from the Family Information Service.

Feel free to include links to the publications on your website or download copies for staff and parents.