www.internetmatters.org

Internet Matters is a new online portal designed for parents to access simple, easy and practical advice about online safety for their children, right through from pre-school to teens. It provides tips on protecting children from online grooming, cyberbullying, privacy and identity theft and inappropriate content. Internet Matters is a not-for profit organisation set up by BT, Sky, TalkTalk and Virgin Media.


Internet Matters have produced a range of guides and toolkits for parents to help create a fair, collaborative and safe environment when using technology and the internet at home. We have direct links to the online safety and screen time guides for the different age groups below, as well as the link to all of the Internet Matters toolkits and guides.

Online Safety Guide - 0-5 Years

Online Safety Guide - 6-10 Years

Online Safety Guide - 11-13 Years

It is important that we don't confuse limiting screen time with banning screen time. Technology and the internet can be a wonderful thing for children, both to learn with and to enjoy recreationally, however we need to build the resilience and understanding with our children by exploring the importance of limiting the amount of screen time we have.

Balancing Screen Time - 0-5 Years

Balancing Screen Time - 5-7 Years (Key Stage One)

Balancing Screen Time - 7-11 Years (Key Stage Two)

Internet Matters E-Safety Leaflets and Resources

www.commonsensemedia.org

Your trusted guide for a fast-changing world.

Media and technology are at the centre of children's lives every day. From a very young age, children use technology at home and at school to connect with friends and family and to document their lives and create digital content of their own. With more and more of life happening online, what catches the attention of children isn't always what's best for them, and what companies do with their personal information isn't always clear. Common Sense Media provides parents with the ability to ensure that any home entertainment media such as games and movies are appropriate for children based on the content they include.

Common Sense Media has five key focus areas which champion high-quality media, support closing of the digital divide, ensure that students and educators think critically about technology use, and more. The five focus areas are:
Media Choice
Digital Equity
Digital Literacy and Citizenship
Tech Accountability
Healthy Childhood

Since 2003, Common Sense has been the leading source of entertainment and technology recommendations for families and schools. Every day, millions of parents and educators trust Common Sense reviews and advice to help them navigate the digital world with their kids. Together with policymakers, industry leaders, and global media partners, Common Sense Media is building a digital world that works better for all children, their families, and their communities.

Cyberbullying is bullying that takes place online. Unlike bullying offline, online bullying can follow the child wherever they go, via social networks, gaming and mobile phone.

Cyberbullying can include:

• sending threatening or abusive text messages
• creating and sharing embarrassing images or videos
• trolling – the sending of menacing or upsetting messages on social networks, chat rooms or online games
• excluding children from online games, activities or friendship groups
• shaming someone online
• setting up hate sites or groups about a particular child
• encouraging young people to self-harm
• voting for or against someone in an abusive poll
• creating fake accounts, hijacking or stealing online identities to embarrass a young person or cause trouble using their name
• sending explicit messages, also known as sexting
• pressuring children into sending sexual images or engaging in sexual conversations.
  
  

No single sign will indicate for certain that your child's being bullied, but watch out for:

• belongings getting 'lost' or damaged
• physical injuries, such as unexplained bruises
• being afraid to go to school, being mysteriously 'ill' each morning, or skipping school
• not doing as well at school
• asking for, or stealing, money (to give to whoever's bullying them)
• being nervous, losing confidence, or becoming distressed and withdrawn
• problems with eating or sleeping
• bullying others.
  
  

You might experience a huge range of emotions if you discover a child's being bullied. Whether it's a child in your care or someone you know, we have tips to help you cope.If you suspect your child is being bullied, explain to them what bullying is, and ask if anything like that has happened to them. Keep calm, and listen carefully to what they say.

Talk to them about bullying and cyberbullying
They may feel really scared, embarrassed or ashamed that they’re being bullied, and they may be worried about what will happen if they tell anyone. Once you know your child is being bullied, remember to check in with them regularly. Remind them that they can talk to you about how they’re feeling whenever they want.

Not sure how to start the conversation? Check out the NSPCC advice on talking about difficult topics.

Let them know who to ask for help
If they don’t want to talk to you, suggest they have a chat with another trusted adult, such as a teacher or family member. You could also suggest they contact Childline, where a trained counsellor will provide a listening ear. They don’t have to give their name and they can talk about anything that’s worrying them.

Report bullying on social media and online gaming
As well as supporting your child emotionally, there are practical steps you can take if the bullying has taken place on an online platform, such as a social media app or online gaming chat room.

• Don’t stop them from using the internet or their mobile phone. It probably won’t help keep them safe, it may feel like they’re being punished and could stop them from telling you what’s happening.
• Make sure your child knows how to block anyone who posts hateful or abusive things about them on each app or online service they use. You can usually find details of how to do this in the help or online safety area, under Settings.
• Report anyone who is bullying your child to the platform that’s carried the offending comments, audio, image or video. Follow these links to contact some of the most popular social media platforms and learn more about blocking and reporting:
  Instagram
  Snapchat
  WhatsApp
  Facebook (Now Meta)
  Skype
  
• Thinkuknow has advice on online safety for young people that’s suitable for different age groups. The website shows children how to contact social media sites if they believe someone has posted something upsetting about them.
• Block’em is a free app for Android users that blocks unwanted calls and text messages from specified numbers. Its website also provides advice for iOS users.