Through our delivery of The Social Switch Project in partnership Redthread and funded by Google.org, we have been training frontline professionals working with young people, to deal with challenges of online behaviour. For Safer Internet Day 2020, we have collated some of these tips for keeping young people safe online to create printable posters for anyone working with young people as well as parents and carers.
As a parent or carer, you can monitor your child’s internet use, set parental controls, and prevent certain apps from being downloaded in the first place. We don’t endorse any app over another and new apps and controls are in place everyday, which some net-savvy young people can get around.
The most effective ways to keep a child safe are to:
- Show interest in their life and what apps they are using and how they work
- Model responsible social media behaviour yourself
- Talk to your child about what is going on online and who they are talking to
- Ensure you have your young child’s passwords and pins for devices and apps
- Listen if they seem down or concerned about anything they have seen or experienced online
- Report any serious concerns or seek further help
Latest information and advice about parental controls and monitoring can be found on a number of websites including Internet Matters, ThinkUKnow, Childnet International and National Online Safety.