E-safety and the digital world

Get to grips with E-safety and the digital world

The Fearnhill school e-safety policy relies on the students, staff and parents working together to ensure students are safe using ICT.  Whether on a computer at school, a laptop at home, a games console or mobile phone, children and young people are increasingly accessing the internet whenever they can and wherever they are.

As you would protect your child in the real world, you will want to make sure that they are safe whatever they are doing.  Like learning to cross the road, online safety skills are skills for life.  If your child understands the risks and can make sensible and informed choices online, they can get the most from the internet and stay safe whilst doing so – particularly from those people who might seek them out to harm them.

Vodafone has produced an excellent magazine called ‘Digital Parenting’.  This magazine has been developed to help parents and carers understand and get involved with their children’s digital world.  The magazine is very readable, informative and provides advice on a range of e-safety issues.  To order a copy of the magazine, email publications@parentfocus.co.uk or click here to download a copy.

HertsForLearning produces a termly e-safety newsletter full of useful information and helpful tips.

Download HERE

‘The Parent Zone’ has developed a video specifically for parents, www.theparentzone.co.uk.

The Parents’ and Carers’ Guide to the Internet.  This video was launched by ThinkUKnow and is an excellent 30-minute video that is available on the parents’ section of their website www.thinkuknow.co.uk/parents

NATIONAL CRIME AGENCY

CEOP helps any child or young person under the age of 18 who is being pressured, forced or tricked into taking part in sexual activity of any kind.  This can be something that has taken place either online or in ‘the real world’, or both.  The CEOP Safety Centre has clear information and advice on what can be reported to CEOP, the reporting process and what will happen if you do decide to make a report.  You can visit the CEOP Safety Centre and make a report directly to CEOP by clicking the Click CEOP button.

More useful links

Click here for the on-line safety page of the Fearnhill EdTech site for Fearnhill School parents/carers and students.

        

Cyberbullying 

Cyberbullying is when a person or a group of people threaten, tease, embarrass or abuse someone else by using ICT.  This could be with mobile phones, the internet or other platforms such as social networks.

The following are types of cyberbullying:

• Threats sent to your mobile phone.
• Public posting about you or of your work without your permission.
• Being excluded online for discussions or social groups.
• Theft of your password.
• Abuse and name-calling.

If you are being bullied, be sure to tell someone so that it can be stopped.  You can tell a teacher or a parent.  If you don’t feel you can tell anyone you know, children and young people can contact Childline: website or telephone number 0800 1111.

The important thing is that you tell someone about it because it’s not usually a problem that goes away on its own.

Useful websites for advice regarding cyberbullying for both students and parents can be found at:

www.nationalbullyinghelpline.co.uk
www.kidscape.org.uk/cyberbullying
www.nspcc.org.uk
www.kidshealth.org