Online safety helplines
Guide for Parents – Helping to keep Children Safe Online
Make it a family affairThe most important thing to maintain safe Internet use within your household is ‘open communication’. Talk to your children regularly, about their online activities and help them understand how to use the Internet responsibly.
Create online time limitsWhile the Internet is a fun way to communicate, children sometimes need to be reminded that real-life communication is just as important- promote a more balanced lifestyle for them, online and off.
Understand what should and should not be posted onlineMaintaining your privacy has never been so crucial. With the entire world available at our fingertips, it’s vital that your children understand that by posting information online, it receives public exposure. Personal information should not be shared- “think twice before you post.”
Have a family email address
Set up a family e-mail account which can be used specifically to register for websites, competitions etc.
Assume everyone is watching
There’s a huge, vast audience out there. If someone is your friend’s friend, they can see everything.
Talk to your children
Your children are likely to have far greater knowledge than you about the internet so speak to them about where they go, what sites they visit. Sit with them whilst they are using the internet.
Chatrooms
Chat facilities, Web Cam Chats, File Sharing Systems should NOT be used, even if they state they are for children only. The users are only electronically verified and so anyone can join. Chat facilities do not require profiles and allow for complete anonymity.
Internet has predators
The best person to keep a child safe is the child so tell them that some people on line are not who they say they are. They may lie, by pretending to be someone else, like a child when in fact they are an adult. Tell them that if they are ever asked to do something or told something that either worries them or causes them concern they must tell you or an adult about it.
Safer UK Internet Centre
Making the internet a great and safe place for children and young people. We help through our Awareness Centre: to provide advice and support to children and young people, parents and carers, schools and the children’s workforce. The Centre also coordinates Safer Internet Day across UK and has a Hotline: an anonymous and safe place to report and remove child sexual abuse imagery and videos, wherever they are found in the world.
Cyber Aware
Cyber Aware (formerly Cyber Streetwise) aims to drive behaviour change amongst small businesses and individuals, so that they adopt simple secure online behaviours to help protect themselves from cyber criminals: Improve your online security and use a strong, separate password for your email. This is based on expert advice from the National Cyber Security Centre, a part of GCHQ.
Get Safe On-line
Get Safe Online is the UK’s leading source of unbiased information. Funded by several government departments, it provides factual and easy-to-understand information on online safety.
Our website is a unique resource providing practical advice on how to protect yourself, your computer or mobile device and your business against fraud, identity theft, viruses and many other problems encountered online.
Internet Matters
We’re a not-for-profit organisation that has a simple purpose – to help keep children safe in the digital world. We’re passionate about keeping children safe online and are here to help you make the right decisions for you and your family. Whether you’re looking for information for the first time, or an old hand, our website has everything you need to help make your children’s online life fulfilling, fun and above all safe.
Childnet International
Childnet’s mission is to work in partnership with others around the world to help make the internet a great and safe place for children. We work directly with children and young people from the ages of 3 to 18 on a weekly basis, as well as parents, carers, teachers and professionals, finding out about their real experiences online, and the positive things they are doing as well as sharing safety advice.
The conversations that we have with them also helps to inform how we develop and respond to policy issues and the messages that we take to government and the internet industry about the real experiences of children and young people and what needs to be done to make them safer.
Parents Protect!
Helpline: 0808 1000 900
This website is an information and resources website which aims to raise awareness about child sexual abuse, answer questions and give adults the information, advice, support and facts, they need to help protect children. Our aim is to help parents and carers better protect children from sexual abuse. Our most important task is to prevent sexual abuse from taking place in the first place. We believe we can do this by helping to dispel some of the common myths around child sexual abuse
Giving parents and carers practical information that will help them keep youngsters safe from harm.
Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre (CEOP)
The Child Exploitation and Online Protection (CEOP) Centre is dedicated to eradicating the sexual abuse of children. Please either contact your local police force either on 101 or in an emergency 999 . You can also report online to CEOP.
CEOP Education
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. If you look after young people there’s an area for you too – with resources you can use in the classroom, at home or just to get with it. Most importantly, there’s also a place which anyone can use to report if they feel uncomfortable or worried about someone they are chatting to online.
Internet Watch Foundation (IWF)
IWF is the UK Hotline for the public to report child sexual abuse content on the internet. It works with the internet industry and the police in the UK and abroad to get the content removed. You can report on their website, anonymously if you prefer.
NSPCC
Helpline: 0808 800 5000 – Help for Adults Concerned about a Child
We're the leading children's charity in the UK, specialising in child protection and dedicated to the fight for every childhood. We're the only UK children's charity with statutory powers and that means we can take action to safeguard children at risk of abuse.
Childline
Helpline: 0800 1111
ChildLine is a counselling service for children and young people. You can contact ChildLine in these ways: You can phone on 0800 1111, send us an email, have a 1-2-1 chat with us, send a message to Ask Sam and you can post messages to the ChildLine message boards. You can contact ChildLine about anything - no problem is too big or too small. If you are feeling scared or out of control or just want to talk to someone you can contact ChildLine.
STOP IT NOW! UK & IRELAND
Helpline: 0808 1000 900
For those unsure or worried about their thoughts or behaviour towards children, or the behaviour of someone you know, adult or a child, experienced advisors are available to discuss concerns and can offer confidential advice and guidance on an appropriate course of action.