Online Safety Checklist

The internet has changed all our lives, particularly the lives of our children. For parents / carers this opens up a whole new world of things to be aware of which, for many people, can all be a bit too much!

Under 5s Checklist

START setting boundaries now – it’s never too early to do things like set limits for the amount of time they can spend on the computer.
KEEP devices like your mobile out of reach & make sure you have passwords/PINs set up for the times you might lend them to your child.
CHECK age ratings on apps, games, TV & films before streaming or downloading.
EXPLAIN your technology rules to grandparents, babysitters, etc so that they stick to them when they’re looking after your child.
SET the homepage of the family computer or tablet to an appropriate website like Cbeebies.

6 – 9s Checklist

CREATE a user account for your child on the family computer with appropriate settings & make the most of Parental Controls & tools like Google Safe Search.
AGREE a list of websites they’re allowed to visit & the kind of personal information they shouldn’t reveal about themselves online (like the name of their school or their address).
DECIDE time limits for things like using the internet & playing on games consoles.
BEAR in mind what older siblings might be showing them on the internet, mobiles, games consoles & other devices & agree some rules as a family.
TALK to other parents about their views & don’t be pressured by your child into letting them use new technologies.

10 – 12s Checklist

MAKE sure you’ve set some tech boundaries before they get their first mobile or games console – once they have it in their hands it can be more difficult to change the settings.
REMIND your child to keep phones, etc well hidden to minimise the risk of theft.
TALK to them about what they post & share online – written comments, photos & videos form part of their digital ‘footprint’ & could be seen by anyone & available online forever.
DISCUSS the kind of things they see online – they might be looking for more information about their changing bodies & exploring relationships for example.
HOLD the line on letting your child sign up for services like Facebook & YouTube that have a minimum age limit of 13.