Digital Safety: Keeping Your Child Safe Online
📲 Parent Guide: Social Media, Messaging Groups & Online Safety
This guide provides practical advice for parents to help children navigate the digital world safely and responsibly.
🧑💬 Messaging Groups (e.g. WhatsApp, Messenger, Snapchat)
✅ Dos for Children
- Be kind and respectful at all times.
- Use group chats to include—not exclude—others.
- Think before posting: Would you say it in person?
- Take a break if things get overwhelming.
- Ask permission before adding someone to a group.
- Leave a group politely if it’s not a positive space.
🚫 Don’ts for Children
- Don’t gossip or share private information.
- Don’t exclude or create private groups to talk about others.
- Don’t share or forward screenshots without permission.
- Don’t message late at night (agree on a family “cut-off time” like 8:30pm).
- Don’t retaliate online—report unkind behaviour instead.
🧩 Suggested Family Rules
- Set agreed times for using messaging apps.
- No messaging during meals or after bedtime.
- Review chat groups regularly—who’s in them, what are they for?
- Encourage open communication: “Come to me if something online worries you.”
👨👩👧 Rules for Parents in Group Chats
- Avoid participating directly in children’s group chats. These are for the children to manage with guidance.
- Do not monitor conversations unless there is a safeguarding concern.
- Use parent year group chats to discuss any issues constructively with other parents.
- Act as a supportive advisor—coach your child to navigate situations independently and respectfully.
- Remind children they can always come to you for support without fear of judgment or punishment.
🌐 Social Media & Gaming Platforms to Watch
📱 ZEPETO
- Age 13+ social avatar app with chat features.
- No parental controls available.
- Risks: inappropriate content, bullying, in-app purchases.
- Guardian’s guide: ZEPETO Safety Guide
🎮 Nintendo Switch 2 & GameChat
- New GameChat allows video/voice chat and screen sharing.
- Use the Nintendo Parental Controls App to:
- View play history.
- Set PEGI-rated restrictions.
- Control GameChat permissions (under 15s require approval).
- Learn more: Nintendo Parental Controls
🕹️ Sprunki
- Multiple versions exist. Some contain disturbing images or violence.
- Always check the version and read the warnings before allowing play.
- Game info: Sprunki Safety Info
🔍 PEGI Age Ratings
- Help judge age-appropriate games.
- Do not consider user-generated content or chat.
- Learn more: PEGI
⚠️ Omegle & Ome.tv
- Not safe for children—explicit content and random chat with strangers.
- Advice from NSPCC: Chat App Safety
🧠 Talking to Your Child
🧩 Conversation Starter
Scenario: Amira’s WhatsApp group shares unkind jokes about Leo, who’s not in the group. The jokes become mean-spirited. What should she do?
✅ Don’t join in. ✅ Speak up: “Let’s not be mean.” ✅ Tell a trusted adult.
Discuss group chats as positive spaces. Children should feel safe speaking up. Reassure them they won’t be punished for being honest.
🧡 “Real legends lift each other up — they don’t tear others down.”
🎮 Online Challenges & Viral Trends
According to Ofcom, 68% of children watch prank or challenge videos. Many seem harmless—but some are dangerous.
Advice for Parents:
- Talk regularly about what they’re watching.
- Help them understand that not everything online is real or safe.
- Never name specific dangerous trends—focus on critical thinking.
- Remind them: “You can always come to me.”
More guidance: Online Challenges Guide
🔒 General Internet Safety Tips
🚨 Key Rules for Children
- Don’t share personal information.
- Never send/request inappropriate images.
- Don’t talk to strangers online.
- Keep profiles private.
- Know how to block/report.
- Think before posting—anything online can be copied or saved.
🧠 Helpful Reminders
- “Not everything online is true.”
- “It’s okay to say no, block, or leave.”
- “If something doesn’t feel right, talk to me.”
🧡 Working Together
Open conversation, trust, and clear rules help children stay safer online. If in doubt, contact your school’s Safeguarding Lead or Digital Safety Coordinator.
If your child is moving to secondary school, check out: Transition Support from Internet Matters
Supporting Parents and Carers in the Digital World
In today’s digital age, children have more access than ever to the online world through mobile phones, tablets, gaming consoles, and computers. While technology provides fantastic opportunities for learning and socialising, it also comes with potential risks.
To help parents and carers navigate online safety, we have compiled essential Digital Safety Tips to support and protect children as they explore the internet.
Key Digital Safety Tips
1. Stay Involved with Your Child’s Online Activities
- Regularly ask which websites, apps, and games they use and why.
- Discuss their online interactions and encourage openness.
2. Protect Personal Information
- Help your child understand the importance of keeping personal information private.
- Adjust privacy settings so only close friends and family can see their profiles.
3. Think Before Posting
- Teach your child about responsible online behaviour, including what is appropriate to share.
- Reinforce the importance of avoiding cyberbullying and not sharing harmful content.
4. Know How to Respond to Issues
- Show your child how to block or report users sending inappropriate content.
- Remind them that they can use the CLICK CEOP button, available on all pages of our school website, to report concerns.
5. Encourage Open Communication
- Let your child know they can always come to you or another trusted adult if something online makes them feel uncomfortable.
6. Use Strong Passwords and Two-Factor Authentication
- Help your child create strong, unique passwords and enable two-factor authentication where possible.
- Remind them never to share passwords with anyone except trusted adults.
7. Be Wary of Online Scams and Phishing
- Teach your child how to recognise suspicious messages, links, and pop-ups.
- Explain the dangers of clicking on unknown links or downloading unauthorised apps.
8. Limit Screen Time and Take Breaks
- Encourage regular breaks from screens and a healthy balance between online and offline activities.
9. Understanding AI and Its Impact
- Many children now engage with AI-powered platforms, from chatbots to content generators. Discuss how AI works and its potential benefits and risks.
- Encourage your child to think critically about AI-generated content, as not everything they see online is real or reliable.
- Talk about deepfakes and AI-generated images or videos, helping them recognise when content may be misleading or manipulated.
- Be aware of AI-powered chat tools that can pose risks, such as inappropriate conversations or misinformation. Teach your child to report anything that seems suspicious.
Further Support and Resources
For more information on keeping your child safe online, visit these trusted websites:
Further Support and Resources
For more information on keeping your child safe online, visit these trusted websites:
· National Online Safety: Comprehensive digital safety guides and downloadable resources.
· Internet Matters: Expert advice on keeping children safe online.
· ThinkUKnow: Visit the ‘Parent/Carer’ section for helpful guides.
· Breck Foundation: Campaigning for safer internet use among children and young people.
The internet and social media are valuable tools for children’s education and entertainment. By working together, we can ensure they have positive and safe digital experiences.
Assistive Technology (AT), including AI | Moon Hall School
