Online Safety Links

Resources and Websites

NSPCC Online Safety – It can be hard to know how to talk to your child about online safety. From setting up parental controls to advice on sexting, online games and video apps, we can help you to understand the risks and keep your child safe.
Kent Online Safety Blog – This blog is written and maintained by Rebecca Avery, Education Safeguarding Adviser (Online Protection) and Ashley Assiter, e-Safety Development Officer, from the Education Safeguarding Team at Kent County Council.
Bullying – “It is not uncommon for people to experience some form of verbal bullying (being called names or insulted) at some point in their lives. Many young people we speak to hear insults on a daily basis when they are in school or socially. Whatever age you are being called names or insulted can have an effect on your wellbeing.”
Childnet: Childnet International is a non-profit organisation working in partnership with others around the world to help make the internet a great and safe place for children. The Childnet website hosts all the online resources detailed below, as well as a number of recommended resources for young people, parents, carers and teachers.
Childnet Parent and Carer Resources: On our website you can access resources on a range of topics, including our previously branded Know IT All for Parents interactive guide. The Parents and Carers area also contains key advice, information on reporting and detailed information on a range of online safety topics in the Hot Topics section.
UK Safer Internet Centre: Childnet is part of the European Commission appointed UK Safer Internet Centre. Together with partners the Internet Watch Foundation and the South West Grid for Learning, we raise awareness about internet safety, develop information materials and resources and organise high profile events such as Safer Internet Day.
ThinkUKnow: Come in to find the latest information on the sites you like to visit, mobiles and new technology. Find out what’s good, what’s not and what you can do about it. Ages 4-7. Ages 8-10. Ages 11-13. Parents/Carers.
O2 Online Safety: At O2, we want everyone to safely enjoy the web, and so we've created resources to help parents regularly discuss online safety with their children. This empowers families to confidently explore the digital world.

Additional Pupil Links

Parent Guides

Keep Primary Kids Safe Online During School Closure - Children are bound to spend lots more time on devices during school closure. DON’T FEEL BAD ABOUT IT – lots will be schoolwork or catching up with friends. But there are ways to keep them safe, healthy and happy.
A Parent’s Guide to Being Share-Aware. “We tell children it’s good to share, but online it’s different. That’s why we’re asking parents to be Share Aware.”
Talking Points. Talking to your child – openly, and regularly – is the best way to help keep them safe online.

Parental Controls and Filtering

A Parents’ Guide to Technology: The UK Safer Internet Centre has created this guide to answer commonly asked questions and introduce some of the most popular devices used by children, highlighting the safety tools available and empowering parents with the knowledge they need to support their children to use these technologies safely and responsibly.
Childnet’s Guide to Online Gaming also contains helpful advice and information. Also see DBCPS hints and tips.
Internet Parental Controls: The four big internet providers – BT, Sky, Talk Talk and Virgin Media – provide their customers with free parental controls that can be activated at any time. Video tutorials on how to download and use these controls are available on the UK Safer Internet Centre website.

Computer Protection and Security

Sorted: This website was produced by young people and looks at the issues of internet security and protection. It gives simple explanations, important information and advice on how to protect a computer from the dangers of programmes such as viruses, phishing scams, spyware and trojans.
Get Safe Online: A government website which focuses on online computer security and protection issues. It contains advice about firewalls, spyware and antivirus protection as well as how to protect children online.

Social Networking

DBCPS recommends that pupils avoid using all social networking sites and tools until they are of an appropriate age to do so. If parents/families allow the use of such sites then they are strongly advised to use nicknames and avatars when using social networking sites, blogs, Wikis, instant messengers etc. Avatars and nicknames help give pupil’s a ‘hidden’ identity on the internet rather than encouraging them to upload photographs of themselves.

With DoppelMe you can create a cool graphical likeness of yourself, your friends, family or any group of people for use as an avatar in forums, instant messenger, blogs and almost anywhere else on the web.
Facebook Safety Centre: Provides useful information and tips for parents and carers, teens and educators. These pages do not require a Facebook account in order to view them.
Google Safety Centre: Provides useful information and tips for parents and carers, teens and educators. These pages do not require a Google account in order to view them.
Twitter Help Centre: Provides useful information and tips for parents and carers. These pages do not require a Twitter account in order to view them.
Instagram Safety: Keeping Instagram a safe and supportive place.

File Sharing and Downloading

Music, Film, TV and the Internet: Childnet has developed this guide with the music, film and television industries to inform parents, teachers and young people about how to stay safe and legal when enjoying entertainment on the internet or via a mobile device.
Get it Right from a Genuine Site: We’re here to help you get the music, TV, films, games, books, newspapers, magazines and sport that you love from genuine services and support UK creativity.

Search Engines

Using a child friendly search engine allows content to be filtered. Most adult search engines, such as Google, Bing and YouTube, also have built in filtering options under the ‘preferences’ link that should be adjusted before use.

Google Family Safety Centre

Bing Family Settings

Reporting Your Concerns

ChildLine: ChildLine is a private and confidential service for children and young people up to the age of nineteen. You can contact a ChildLine counsellor about anything – no problem is too big or too small. Call free on 0800 1111, have a 1-2-1 chat online or send an email.