In 2015 the government launched a new online tool for schools to give parents advice and tips on preparing their children for adult life – this an be found at
www.gov.uk/national-safety-tool
The online service Parent Info gives parents the information they need to help them navigate the minefield of issues children can now face on everything from spotting the warning signs of self-harm, to having a healthy body image and managing money in a digital world.
As well as giving parents the confidence and support to speak to their children on such sensitive issues, it will also provide them with pathways for where they can go for more hands on support on specific issues. Find information and support on the Parent Info website at parentinfo.org
ThinkUKnow website provides a range of online videos and games to educate children and young people about safer internet use and provides resources for schools, children and parents.
Find out more at www.thinkuknow.co.uk – the site also has links to report concerns.
Think U Know offers specific advice on selfies and sexting on their website at www.thinkuknow.co.uk/selfies-and-sexting/.
Parents Protect offer an information and resources 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.
Find this on their website at www.parentsprotect.co.uk/sexting
The Safer Internet Centre has set up a national helpline for professionals working with children and young people, specifically tackling the area of online safety. This support includes social networking sites, bullying, sexting, online gaming and child protection.
The helpline also aims to resolve issues professionals face, such as protecting professional identity. The UK Safer Internet Centre also publishes a regular newsletter.
The helpline is primarily a signposting, advice and mediation service; urgent safeguarding matters should be dealt with as normal child protection procedures. Due to the nature of the service, confidentiality cannot be guaranteed, although anonymity will be protected where possible.
Contact the Safer Internet Centre Helpline on tele: 0844 381 4772 (Monday to Friday, 10.00am – 4.00pm) or by email to helpline@saferinternet.org.uk or online through their website at www.saferinternet.org.uk/
The Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) is the only recognised organisation in the UK operating an internet ‘Hotline’ for the public and IT professionals to report their inadvertent exposure to potentially illegal content online.
Its aim is to minimise the availability of potentially illegal internet content, specifically:
- child sexual abuse images hosted anywhere in the world
- criminally obscene content hosted in the UK
- incitement to racial hatred content hosted in the UK.
You can report online sexual abuse and content, as well as inappropriate chat or behaviour towards a child online, on the IWF website. If you see an image of child abuse you should report it on the website at www.iwf.org.uk
Please note: it is against the law to actively seek out such images and doing so in order to report it would not be a defence in court.
The Child Exploitation and Online Protection (CEOP) Centre works to eradicate the sexual abuse of children, tracking and bringing offenders to account either directly or in partnership with local and international forces. Find out more on their website at www.ceop.police.uk
ClickCEOP is a Facebook application that helps to promote safer Internet use when using Facebook. To find out more visit the website at www.facebook.com/clickceop
Childnet International is a children’s charity with the mission to help make the internet a great and safe place for children. Childnet has developed a range of award-winning websites and resources to help provide children, parents and teachers with the information and skills they need to use the internet safely and responsibly.
The Know IT All for parents contains advice for parents and carers and a special section for children and young people – find these resources on the website at www.childnet.com
NSPCC has lots of useful information on their website at www.nspcc.org.uk/sexting
