insideKENT Magazine Issue 85 - April 2019 | Page 150

CHARITY
NSPCC CONT.
Last y ear (2016/17), v olunteers a t the
NSPCC’s Childline service delivered more
than 12,000 counselling sessions about
online safety and abuse. There was also a
20 per cent rise in the n umber of page
views on the Childline w ebsite for advice
about sexting.
Don’t w orry though – the NSPCC is
here to help . Whether y ou’re an online
expert or y ou’re not sur e where to start,
their tools and advice will help y ou keep
your child safe.
So where do you start?
The key to keeping children safe is to have
regular, open and honest conversations.
You might find it helpful to start with
a family discussion to set boundaries
and agree what's appropriate. Or you might
need a more specific conversation about an
app or w ebsite your c hild wants to use .
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HERE ARE A FEW POINTERS TO GET YOU STARTED:
Explore sites and apps together
Talk about what might be ok f or children of different ages and ask
what sites and apps they like. Be positive but also be honest if you have
some concerns. Talk to them about w hat you think is appr opriate.
Talk about how they can stay safe
Make sure they know where reporting functions ar e, how to b lock
people and how to keep information private. Tell them you’re there
to help them and they can always talk to you.
Reassure them you won’t overreact
Explain you’re just looking out for them and they should speak up and
tell you if something is worrying them.
Be Share Aware
Talk to your child about what ‘personal information’ is – this might be
their email address, full name, home address, phone number and school
name – and why it’s important.
Explain simple ways to protect privacy such as avoiding usernames
like birthdates or locations that give away too much.