'PANTS' is a really easy way for you to explain the Underwear Rule to your child.

Talk PANTS and you've got it covered.

Privates are private
Always remember your body belongs to you
No means no
Talk about secrets that upset you
Speak up, someone can help

The Underwear Rule

Helping parents keep their children safe online

Internet Matters

A Parent's Guide to explain how Snapchat works

Snapchat

The Parents Centre

The digital age has changed what it means to be a child.

Parental Controls

Children’s discovery of the internet should be encouraged when they’re in a safe environment. It’s important to activate your parental controls in order to filter out content your children shouldn’t be seeing. Many parents put this off because they think it’ll be difficult. It’s easy and we can show you how.

We’ve created a guide to parental controls including how-to guides to setting up the controls on the major networks, devices, services and entertainment providers in your home.

An Interactive guide: Click here

Devices

Children are gaining access to and owning their own devices from a ever younger age. Devices can be great for learning and development, however parents should be aware of the content available online and the chance of your child seeing something they shouldn’t when online.

Pre-installed parental controls are available for most devices, laptops and consoles and are part of the system when you buy them. You can often download e-safety apps and software to supplement these controls. But the most important thing is to set the controls on the device itself.

Learn more about devices: Click here

Search Engines

The media and entertainment industry has seen a huge transformation as it becomes digitised, with most entertainment content such as films, TV programmes, and games now being accessed over the internet. This means children are able to watch content wherever and whenever they’re online.

It’s important to keep ahead of what risks inappropriate content might pose for your child so you can chat to them about the issues and take the correct preventative measures. But it’s also important to think about setting the right parental controls in the places where your child is accessing online content, as it will help prevent them stumbling upon something they shouldn’t.

Learn more about Search Engines: Click here

Broadband & Mobile Networks

If your child has their own smartphone then they’re likely to have access to the internet not only at home on the home broadband network, but also through their mobile network and on public WiFi.

Learn more about Broadband & Mobile Networks: Click here

Digital Parenting Tips

Think about how you guide your family in the real world and how you can do the same in the digital world
Try out the technologies your child enjoys – download some of their music and have a go at games they like
Talk to friends and family about how they manage their children’s digital lives
Remind older siblings that websites they use may not be suitable for younger brothers and sisters
Make digital issues part of everyday conversation – talking about subjects like cyberbullying, sexting and copyright infringement
When you’re talking about bullying, sex and relationships and other issues, don’t forget to include the online aspects
Talk to your children about whether the issues they face are different online and offline – or how online and offline work together to complicate their lives
Don’t be afraid to set boundaries and rules
Talk to your child about their online reputation

Google SafeSearch

Searching the internet is a daily activity and Google is often the first port of call for homework, shopping and finding answers to any questions. But it is important to remember that you, or your children, might come across inappropriate content during a search, even if they’re searching for something innocent.

Google SafeSearch is a feature which helps you keep adult content out of search results.

Follow these steps to set up Google SafeSearch

Open Search settings
Go to www.google.co.uk (link is external) and click on ‘Settings’ at the bottom of the page.
Click on ‘Search settings’ in the drop-down menu that appears.
Set SafeSearch filter
On the ‘Search settings’ page, tick the ‘filter explicit results’ box.
Click Save at the bottom of the page to save your SafeSearch settings.

To learn more about Google Safe Search: Click here

The Parents' Centre

Information

Bereavement

Winston’s Wish is a charity for bereaved children. The website includes advice and some very helpful activities for parents/carers to use when supporting a child who has experienced bereavement.

For more information click: Winston’s Wish.

Radicalisation

There’s a chance that your child may meet people online or visit websites that could lead them to adopting what you consider to be extreme views, and becoming radicalised.

Curiosity could lead your child to seek out these people, or they could befriend your child in order to encourage them to adopt beliefs or persuade them to join groups whose views and actions you as a parent would consider extreme.

The Department for Education has issued a document, called, ‘The Prevent duty’ issued in June of 2015. The document offers advice for schools and childcare providers.

To view the PDF – Click here: Prevent Advice to Parents.

Female Genital Mutilation - FGM or FGC

The partial or complete removal of a girl’s external genitals. There are no known health benefits, and in fact the girl’s body is physically harmed and damaged as a result of the practice and the removal of healthy tissue when her genitals are cut away.

The effects on girls and women who have had FGC carried out are long lasting and wide ranging, and for many will cause problems, including physical and psychological damage, throughout their lives. FGC may also be referred to as female genital mutilation, or FGM and contravenes human, women’s and child rights.

Content provided by the Orchid Project: Click Here.