Online Safety - Information for Parents
Online safety - information for parents
The role of ICT in the lives of children today
Children are exposed to ICT at an ever-younger age. Preschool television programmes often have accompanying websites, games consoles offer internet and Wi-Fi connections enabling interaction with other players, and the age of mobile phone ownership is falling, with a number of handsets appearing on the market aimed specifically at the under-10s.
Children and young people are increasingly referred to as ‘digital natives’: citizens born into a digital world, who grow up surrounded by and emerged in the technology and tools of the digital age. Their confidence in using the technologies is typically high, but their knowledge and awareness of the inherent issues, risks and dangers may be low. It makes sense, therefore, that children should be taught responsible use of these technologies as soon as they start to use them, and certainly when they start school.
Education about how to use the technologies safely should be appropriate to the children’s age and level of skill and understanding, and should not detract from the fun and educational aspects of ICT. By instilling within children a set of core principles to support them in their use of technology, they will be better able to become safe and discriminating users of new technologies as they grow older and their experiences and exposure to technology widens.
Risks associated with using ICT
Alongside the positive educational and social benefits offered by ICT there are, unfortunately, some dangers, particularly for children. As in any other area of life, children are vulnerable and may expose themselves to danger, whether knowingly or unknowingly, when using the internet and other technologies. While adult supervision of children’s ICT use is preferable, it is not always realistic or practical, particularly outside school. Therefore it is necessary to alert children to the risks they might encounter and help them to develop safe and responsible behaviours when using technologies, whether at school, at home or in any other setting. Teachers and all school staff together with parents and carers have a key role to play in creating a safe ICT learning environment and culture, through promoting internet safety at school, home and elsewhere.
Here at Baldwins Gate it is our aim to provide a programme of parent support and information about E-safety.
The role of ICT in the lives of children today
Children are exposed to ICT at an ever-younger age. Preschool television programmes often have accompanying websites, games consoles offer internet and Wi-Fi connections enabling interaction with other players, and the age of mobile phone ownership is falling, with a number of handsets appearing on the market aimed specifically at the under-10s.
Children and young people are increasingly referred to as ‘digital natives’: citizens born into a digital world, who grow up surrounded by and emerged in the technology and tools of the digital age. Their confidence in using the technologies is typically high, but their knowledge and awareness of the inherent issues, risks and dangers may be low. It makes sense, therefore, that children should be taught responsible use of these technologies as soon as they start to use them, and certainly when they start school.
Education about how to use the technologies safely should be appropriate to the children’s age and level of skill and understanding, and should not detract from the fun and educational aspects of ICT. By instilling within children a set of core principles to support them in their use of technology, they will be better able to become safe and discriminating users of new technologies as they grow older and their experiences and exposure to technology widens.
Risks associated with using ICT
Alongside the positive educational and social benefits offered by ICT there are, unfortunately, some dangers, particularly for children. As in any other area of life, children are vulnerable and may expose themselves to danger, whether knowingly or unknowingly, when using the internet and other technologies. While adult supervision of children’s ICT use is preferable, it is not always realistic or practical, particularly outside school. Therefore it is necessary to alert children to the risks they might encounter and help them to develop safe and responsible behaviours when using technologies, whether at school, at home or in any other setting. Teachers and all school staff together with parents and carers have a key role to play in creating a safe ICT learning environment and culture, through promoting internet safety at school, home and elsewhere.
Here at Baldwins Gate it is our aim to provide a programme of parent support and information about E-safety.
| top_tips_for_supporting_children_online.doc |
| cyberbullying_advice.doc |
| e-safety_policy_2012.doc |
| mobile_phone_policy.doc |
| instagram_guide.pdf |
Useful websites giving parental advice relating to online safety
www.thinkuknow.co.uk/parents
CEOP Think you know for Parents
www.childnet.com/resources/parental-controls
Childnet International resources for the Know It All for Parents.
www.getnetwise.org
Net Wise resources that includes many 'HOW TO' techniques when using Internet browsers and social networking sites.
www.kidsmart.org.uk
www.digizen.org
Childnet's Digizen website provides information about using social network sites and social media sites and safety.
It shares advice and guidance on cyberbullying.
www.whymusicmatters.org
www.pro-music.org
www.industrytrust.co.uk
www.bbc.co.uk/cbbc/shows/stay-safe
CBBC's Stay Safe website invites children to join Dongle the rabbit in learning how to stay safe on the web. The site features a cartoon and quiz, along with a screensaver and wallpaper giving tips on safe surfing. Visitors to the site can also print out Dongle's factsheet reinforcing the SMART rules, which have been adapted to give advice on mobile phone use also. The site links to the BBC ChatGuide webisite and to several organisation providing advice and support to young people, such as Think U Know and Kidsmart.
Drug Education - Information for Parents
Schools have a statutory duty to promote pupils' wellbeing and have a clear role to play in preventing drug misuse as part of their pastoral responsibilities.
FRANK ADVICE (talktofrank.com)
The truth is that you probably can't prevent your child from coming into contact with drugs. But your influence can mean they make the right choice if they do - by making sure you know just as much as they do about drugs and talking openly about their risks. Do you feel you don't know enough to talk to your child? It's never to late to get clued up. FRANK can give you more information and advice if you need it.
FRANK ADVICE (talktofrank.com)
The truth is that you probably can't prevent your child from coming into contact with drugs. But your influence can mean they make the right choice if they do - by making sure you know just as much as they do about drugs and talking openly about their risks. Do you feel you don't know enough to talk to your child? It's never to late to get clued up. FRANK can give you more information and advice if you need it.
| drug_policy.doc |
FRANK produce a 'Drugs information leaflet for parents and carers'
DRUGS. DOES YOUR CHILD KNOW MORE THAN YOU?
Contack FRANK: 0800 77 66 00 www.talktofrank.com
DRUGS. DOES YOUR CHILD KNOW MORE THAN YOU?
Contack FRANK: 0800 77 66 00 www.talktofrank.com
Talking to children about alcohol
Children are naturally curious about alcohol - they see people drinking and they want to know more. Children will be influenced by their friends, their teachers, TV, films and the media - but in most cases, parents have the biggest effect on their children's behaviour, including how they drink alcohol.
The average age of a first whole drink in the UK is between ages 13 and 14, so it is important to talk at an early age and for your child to have an understanding of units, how alcohol affects the body and liver, why young bodies cannot cope with alcohol and the risks they run by experimenting.
Contact www.talkaboutalcohol.com or www.drinkingandyou.com for information and resources.
What is Volatile Substance Abuse?
Solvent and Volatile Substance Abuse occurs when someone deliberatively breathes in the fumes from everyday household products. like butance gas or aerosols, for the purpose of getting 'high'. in the average home there are over 30 "sniffable" products such as - aerosols, nail varnish remover, paint thinners. Sadly statistics show that a child's first experiment with sniffing can be the last thing they do. In 23% of cases of VSA deaths recorded in the UK in 2004 there was no previous evidence that they had sniffed solvents. (St George's University of London report 2006)
Information leaflets are available from www.re-solv.org/publications. RE-SOLV national helpline 01785 810762
Children are naturally curious about alcohol - they see people drinking and they want to know more. Children will be influenced by their friends, their teachers, TV, films and the media - but in most cases, parents have the biggest effect on their children's behaviour, including how they drink alcohol.
The average age of a first whole drink in the UK is between ages 13 and 14, so it is important to talk at an early age and for your child to have an understanding of units, how alcohol affects the body and liver, why young bodies cannot cope with alcohol and the risks they run by experimenting.
Contact www.talkaboutalcohol.com or www.drinkingandyou.com for information and resources.
What is Volatile Substance Abuse?
Solvent and Volatile Substance Abuse occurs when someone deliberatively breathes in the fumes from everyday household products. like butance gas or aerosols, for the purpose of getting 'high'. in the average home there are over 30 "sniffable" products such as - aerosols, nail varnish remover, paint thinners. Sadly statistics show that a child's first experiment with sniffing can be the last thing they do. In 23% of cases of VSA deaths recorded in the UK in 2004 there was no previous evidence that they had sniffed solvents. (St George's University of London report 2006)
Information leaflets are available from www.re-solv.org/publications. RE-SOLV national helpline 01785 810762
