Help your child stay safe online
Trying to keep your child safe online can feel like a big challenge, but you’re not alone. Many parents want their child to play, learn and explore the digital world safely, but aren’t sure where to start. The following guidance and advice has been sourced from Gov.uk and you can reach it directly here.
Find out where you can go for information about online issues, such as bullying, mental health and parental controls or use a helpline to speak to an expert.
Need urgent help?
If something has happened online that puts your child in danger, you should act quickly to stop it or report it.
If a child is in immediate danger, call 999.
Non-emergency help
If your child is worried about something online, they should speak to you or a trusted adult (such as a family member or teacher) about it.
You can also speak to a teacher or Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) at your school or nursery, to share any online safety concerns you have about your child.
Helplines
Here you can find helplines that support parents and children with questions about staying safe online, or if something upsetting has happened.
They can give advice or just listen if you need someone to talk to.
NSPCC
Get expert support on keeping children safe online and offline. Free, confidential helpline for adults worried about a child.
NSPCC is:
- free to call
- open Monday to Friday, 10am to 4pm
How you can get help
Call: 0808 800 5000
Email: help@nspcc.org.uk
Young Minds
Mental health support for children and young people. There is a parents helpline for advice on your child’s mental health and wellbeing.
Young minds is:
- free to call
- open Monday to Friday, 9:30am to 4pm
How you can get help
Call the parents helpline: 0808 802 5544
Childline
Free, confidential service for children and young people up to age 19. Get help and advice about a wide range of issues.
Childline is:
- free to call
- open 24 hours a day
How you can get help
Call: 0800 1111
Shore
A safe space for teenagers worried their own or someone else’s sexual behaviour. Your child can speak to us over the phone, or chat to us online.
Shore is:
- free to use
- open Monday to Thursday, 5pm to 8pm
How you can get help
Email: support@theshore.co.uk
Explore more about online safety
Get help and advice for specific online safety problems.
Bullying
Information and resources to support you if you have concerns about your child being bullied:
- The Anti-Bullying Alliance’s guide can help you understand ‘what is online bullying?’
- NSPCC guide to helping Children Deal with Bullying and Cyber Bullying
- Kidscape offer help and support for parents on bullying
Parental controls
Our guidance on parental controls provides information and tips about parental controls and considerations for setting them up:
- Learn about parental controls and why it’s important to make a device safe for your child to use
Relationships and sexual content
These resources provide information on dealing with sexting, sharing nudes and child sexual abuse relationships:
- Internet Matters has a guide on dealing with sexting
- NSPCC offers advice, guidance and resources on the risks of sharing nudes
- Childline has a guide aimed at young people to understand and know what to do about ‘sexting and nudes’
- Stop it now offers advice and support about child sexual abuse
Privacy
This resource provides information on dealing with privacy concerns:
- Childline’s guide to your privacy and what you share online can help young people understand how to keep their digital information safe
Extremism and radicalisation
These resources provide information on dealing with extremism and radicalisation:
- Educate Against Hate is a government website that hosts advice, guidance and resources to support parents, schools and colleges to reduce young people’s risk of radicalisation online.
- You can also anonymously report online material promoting terrorism or extremism.
Online gaming
These resources provide information on keeping children safe while playing online games:
- NSPCC offers advice on keeping children safe while gaming
- Internet Matters provides resources on managing gaming risks
- Mindful Gaming UK provides therapy and support for individuals with gaming disorders
Scams and fraud
These resources provide information on dealing with scams and fraud:
- Internet Matters has a guide on dealing with online scams
- Get Safe Online offers tips on protecting your family from fraud
Mental health
These resources provide information on getting support with mental health:
- NHS offers support on looking after a child or young person’s mental health
- Internet Matters offers information spotting the signs of self-harm
- The NHS also offers help for problems with gambling
Parent resources and tool kits
Advice and guidance covering resources for parents and tool kits:
- Children’s commissioner offers guidance and activities to help you manage your child’s digital life
- Childnet offers help, advice and resources for parents and carers
- BBC Bitesize has a parent toolkit which includes content about life online
- Parent Zone has developed ‘Everyday Digital‘ to help families improve their media literacy skills
