Mobile for my DD. I need ‘security’ tips and advice

[Alabasterangel6]

Crap title I wasn’t sure how else to word it!

DD is in year 6. All her peers seem to have phones already but we have staved it off. She’s 11 next month and has asked for a phone for her birthday. Given that she will be walking home from high school next year and she now spends short times home alone (if I pop to the corner shop for example) then I’m happy to go ahead and get her one.

I’m fine with the phone itself. She’ll be getting a second hand handset with a contract sim with capped (small) limit. She won’t be taking it outside the house much at all at first so data can be small.

However it’s the use of the phone itself which worries me. Transparency of course will be required but how do you stop your tween/teen googling goodness knows what at 11 years old? I will adjust the settings on our WiFi hub but that won’t stop her when she’s not on it.

She says she wants it to talk to her friends and her grandma (so messaging mostly) and to play games like candy crush.

Just advice the best tips/advice or resources to use to make this as safe as it can be?

We got a Monqi phone from Tesco mobile. Needs its own handset but not hideously expensive. Designed for kids. Or Google Family Link app, but it isn't as detailed.

Get her a mobile not a smart phone then?

We have set our DD up with Google family link.
We can control:
👉 When the phone is on (currently set as off between 6pm and 3pm so it can't be used at school). She can make calls to certain numbers even with it off.

👉 What apps are downloaded - permission is needed.

👉 We can see her location.

👉 We can set a usage limit, 3 hours per day atm.

We have used OurPact which allows you to set controls over exactly how and when the phone is used. ourpact.com/

We use Google family link. You can set age limits for apps and safe search for Google via it. We also have the rule that I can check her phone at anytime.

Thanks - google family link sounds like what I need then!