INTERNET SAFETY

Internet : Guidance For Carers & Parents

• Stay in touch with what your children are doing by spending time with them whilst they are on-line, i.e. make on-line time a family activity; make sure that you know the services your child uses.

• Find out what types of information and services are offered and whether there are ways for carers and parents to protect their child.

• Keep the computer in a family room rather than a child’s bedroom.

• Learn yourself about how to access the services – ask your child to explain the services to you;go on-line yourself so that you are familiar with and understand the potential benefits and risks associated with internet access.

• If you don’t know how to log on, get your child to show you.

• Seek out the advice and counsel of other local internet users and become familiar with the appropriate systems.

• Get to know your child’s ‘on-line friends’ just as you do their other friends.

• If you are concerned about your child’s on-line activities, talk to him/her about it.

• Develop an agreed set of ‘Family Internet Rules’.