Embedded Files
This page is designed with the parents and carers in mind. We know that the world of communication can be very difficult to keep up with and our children seem to be flying ahead of us in their understanding and use of new technologies.
It is therefore very important to understand and talk to our children about what they are doing online or with mobile phones and game consoles and how they can keep themselves safe. It can be very difficult to help them when we don't even know ourselves what is required. So we hope to provide information, links and resources to help you to help your children.
Helping your child will not be just a 'one off' chat but ongoing observation and discussion about their use of technology and any problems, issues or worries they may have or come across.
We have all read the horror stories in the press, they are real but (thankfully) rare and although we must always be aware of the risks (and make our children aware) there are many other real issues that we need to be aware of to help our children deal with or to avoid; cyber bullying, inappropriate images and content (viewed and uploaded!!), social chatrooms, viral sites, copyright infringement... and many more.
The following PEGI ratings are a useful guide as the whether a
video game is suitable for your children.
Parents' & Carers' E-safety Information
The PEGI Age Ratings icons
The PEGI Age Ratings icons
Advisory
Advisory
The PEGI system is based on five age categories and eight content descriptors. The age categories indicate whether an interactive software product is appropriate for children from a certain age. The age categories are: 3, 7, 12, 16, 18.
The 3 and 7 PEGI age ratings are advisory. They provide families with a guide about the content in a videogame, but are not legally binding for retailers.
Statutory
Statutory
The 12, 16 and 18 PEGI age ratings are legally binding for retailers.
The PEGI Content Descriptors icons
The PEGI Content Descriptors icons
The Content Descriptors indicate the reason(s) for which an interactive software product was awarded a particular age rating. PEGI differentiates between the following types: Violence, Bad Language, Fear, Sexual content/Nudity, Drugs, Discrimination, Gambling, Online.
The CD is also available to order. We highly recommend you take the time to visit their site.
"I am delighted with this new resource. I have seen it myself and, as a new parent, I can see how valuable this will be to the parents of children and young people of all ages. We should never take for granted that our children know it all about computers and the internet. We should know what they're doing and be there to help and support them. This new resource provides a lot of information and advice for parents and I'm pleased that the main overview section is translated into seven other languages and into British Sign Language... I am also pleased that it includes sections for young people themselves and for teachers, and fully approve of the approach Childnet has taken with this resource – having young people talking to young people about the benefits and issues associated with the internet is very powerful."
An excellent site for parents' and carers' to get more information on how to keep themselves and their children safe online and whilst using new technology (that includes those online game consoles!
Get Safe Online is the UK’s leading source of unbiased, 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. It contains guidance on many other related subjects too – including performing backups and how to avoid theft or loss of your computer, smartphone or tablet. Every conceivable topic is included on the site – including safe online shopping, gaming and dating … so now you really can stay safe with everything you do online.
Get Safe Online is a jointly funded initiative between several Government departments and private sector businesses. In fact, we are the Government’s preferred online security advice channel.
Incognito Gone: Get Rid of Private Browsing
Incognito Gone: Get Rid of Private Browsing
Visit William Wood's site to find out more.
"Are you worried about the sites your children may be viewing online? Private online browsing options such as the “Incognito” mode in Google Chrome make monitoring the web history nearly impossible. While this option in itself is not bad, many parents are upset that Google Chrome, and other web browsers do not provide an option to remove or disable the function. So, in response to all the online threads and forums of frustrated parents who want to remove this option, I have created a simple program called Incognito Gone to disable private browsing."
Help Centre
Did you know you have to be 13 years or above to have a FaceBook account?
Many parents are ignoring this rule or are unaware that their child has 'lied' to register an account.
For those who are old enough and use FaceBook, it is incredibly important that you know where the security risks are and custom the account settings to protect yourself.
Find out more at the FaceBook Help Centre.
Watch BBC's short video information on safe online surfing for children.
We are frequently told about the dangers of letting our children surf unsupervised but it is a shame to miss out on some of the great sites the internet has to offer.
All the main browsers have options for making the web a safer place for children to surf. Or you could consider a child-friendly browser such as Kidrocket , KidZuior Pikluk
The Digizen website provides information for educators, parents, carers, and young people. It is used to strengthen their awareness and understanding of what digital citizenship is and encourages users of technology to be and become responsible DIGItal citiZENS. It shares specific advice and resources on issues such as social networking and cyberbullying and how these relate to and affect their own and other people's online experiences and behaviours.
"In Windows 7 you can set limits on your kids' computer use—and help them be safer online—without constantly peeking over their shoulders.
Parental Controls helps you limit how much computer time children have, as well as which programs and games they can use (and perhaps more importantly, when). With the Parental Controls in Windows Media Center, you can also block access to objectionable TV shows and movies.
To help keep your children safer online, download Windows Live Family Safety. This free program helps you manage which websites your children see and who they can talk to online. It also provides helpful, easy-to-read reports of their online activity."
"We know how important it is to protect and educate young people on using the Internet and want to provide all of our users with a safe experience.
When it comes to family safety, we aim to:
Provide parents and teachers with tools to help them choose what content their children see online
Offer tips and advice to families about how to stay safe online
Work closely with organizations such as charities, others in our industry and government bodies dedicated to protecting young people"
Welcome to Childnet International, a non-profit organisation working with others to “help make the Internet a great and safe place for children”.
This website gives news and background to Childnet’s work and serves as a portal to Childnet’s award-winning projects... [MORE]
Another great website that has lots of information and resources for those who have children, work with children or are children themselves!
Where families make sense of video games
We share real family stories about choosing games, understanding age ratings and the best way to enjoy them together.
Find information and advice to make playing video games a more collaborative and creative experience. We share easy and practical ways of ensuring the health and wellbeing of players – what and how we play and using parental controls.
Seen something illegal online?
If you have come across something you think might be illegal online, such as sexual images of children and young people, then you can report this to the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF). It’s their job to make sure that things like this are taken off the internet.
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