Parents and Carers

Welcome parents and carers!

In this section you will find all the information you need to keep your child safe online.

Whether you’re puzzled by parental controls or would like to get knowledgeable about gaming, this section can help. We all know that it can sometimes be challenging to keep up to speed with what children and young people are doing online. On this site you’ll find a whole host of useful ways to help keep your child safe.

Looking for more information on a topic?

Our Hot Topics include information about different online risks and advice on how to support your child in tackling them. Catch up on the latest Childnet blogs for recent news and more advice.

Now available:

Hot Topics with specific adivce for children of different ages and stages.

Critical Thinking

Looking for advice on talking to your child about staying safe online?

Use our Conversation Starters alongside our Family Agreement to help you talk to your child about staying safe online and agreeing on some boundaries together.

Have a conversation

Family agreement

Looking for activites to do with your child?

We have stories, quizes and videos you can use with your child to support them in making safe and positive choices online.

Looking for help with an online safety concern?

If you're worried about an online issue concerning your child, visit the pages below for more advice and reporting routes.

How to make a report

Twitter@childnet

Latest blogs

11

Oct

Four months to go until Safer Internet Day!
We can’t believe that there are only 4 months to go until Safer Internet Day 2020! In this blog we look at all of the things you can do now, as well as all of the great things you have to look forward to!
26

Sep

Practical resources addressing online pornography
Research released this week by the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) has looked into pornography and the way that young people access it. The research found that more than half of young people had seen pornography online, including children as young as seven.
09

Aug

How much screen time is okay for my child?
At Childnet we regularly visit schools across the UK and are often asked by parents and carers about screen time and the impact it has on their children.
02

Aug

Answering parents most frequently asked questions about Instagram
Instagram is a site that we see a lot of parents and carers asking questions about, whether these are about age limits and reporting or what the latest ‘insta’ slang is. In this blog, we answer some of the burning questions you may have about Instagram.
29

Jul

From social media to gaming - what’s affecting your child online
As a parent or carer, trying to understand your child’s online life can sometimes feel daunting. That is why our team of educational experts have created these hot topics with advice on how to handle some of the biggest issues young people face online.
17

Jul

Help keep your children happy and safe online this summer holiday
Children and young people across the UK are getting ready to have more free time to spend with friends and family as the summer holidays get into full swing. In this blog we look at the ways in which parents and carers can help keep their children happy, creative and safe as they start to spend more time in the online world.
08

Jul

A parents guide to Harry Potter: Wizards Unite
Three years after Pokémon Go was released in the UK, the game’s creators have released a new game set in the magical world of Harry Potter.
31

May

Cyberbullying advice for parents and carers
In this blog we look at the things that parents and carers can do to support a young person who has experienced cyberbullying.
07

May

Setting up parental controls on Netflix
In this blog we look at what parental controls are available on Netflix and how you can work with your family to implement the tools that work for you.
25

Apr

A parent’s guide to Apex Legends
In this blog we are giving guidance to parents and carers about Apex Legends looking at what the game is and some of the key things to be aware of.
17

Apr

Giving young people the platform to talk about pornography
New educational resources looking at pornography online launching soon
15

Apr

Young people give their experiences of online consent.
Safer Internet Day 2019 centred around the theme of consent online, so we asked the Youth Advisory Board for their experiences of online consent, and why they thought education around this was important.
09

Apr

Safer Internet Day 2019 reaches more children and young people than ever before!
With over 2,100 organisations across the UK coming together and planning activities to celebrate the day and thousands supporting the #SaferInternetDay social media campaign, this year Safer Internet Day was bigger than ever!
26

Mar

Step Up, Speak Up! New resources to address peer based online sexual harassment with 13-17s
Childnet’s Education and Youth Engagement Manager Ellie Proffitt discusses how you can use Childnet’s latest resource to raise awareness of online sexual harassment amongst young people and help to increase reporting.
19

Mar

From Stories to posts: How to spot advertising on Instagram
From bloggers and ‘Instagram stars’ to celebrities, there are a lot of people on Instagram sharing sponsored posts or product endorsements. In this blog we share our top tips for being a critical thinker when it comes to advertising on Instagram.
20

Feb

New Primary Pages – Guidance for parents and carers
The Childnet website has a new exciting addition for children aged 8-11 years old. This blog will look at how parents and carers can use the new information specifically developed for children aged 8-11 years old to support their family. New Primary Pages – Guidance for parents and carers
02

Nov

What is TikTok? Looking at the latest lip-syncing app
TikTok – which used to be called Musical.ly, is a social networking app that young people can use to generate and share their own short videos and lip sync to popular audio clips.
09

Oct

Young people give their thoughts on Voice Assisted Technology
Our latest piece of research found that 70% of young people have used voice assisted technology in the last year.
26

Sep

Childnet’s response to the Government's consultation on Age Appropriate Design
Recently, Childnet submitted a response to the Information Commissioner’s (ICO) call for evidence in its development of the Age Appropriate Design Code.
08

Aug

Answering parents online safety questions
In this blog we look to answer some of the questions most frequently asked by parents.
03

Aug

Privacy settings on Instagram - answering some FAQs
In this blog we are looking to answer some of the most frequently asked questions about Instagram and the privacy settings that are available on the app.
02

Aug

Hot topics – find out more information about the topics affecting young people
Our parents and carers section of our website is full of useful information about the key things impacting on the lives of young people online.
27

Jul

Why do some apps ask for my age?
Every day, our Education Team are in schools across the country talking to children, young people, teachers and parents about their experiences online and how to stay safe on the internet.
05

Jun

Screen Time and Healthy Balance – New Hot Topic
The Childnet website now includes two new Hot Topics on the subject of Screen Time and Healthy Balance, these Hot Topics contain advice for Young People, and Teachers and Professionals.
30

May

What happens if I unfollow someone on Instagram?
In this blog we explore what happens if you unfollow someone on Instagram; and what you can do if you discover someone has unfollowed you.
15

May

Staying safe online whilst livestreaming - advice for parents and carers
The release of the Internet Watch Foundation’s new online live-streaming research, titled Trends in Online Child Sexual Exploitation: Examining the Distribution of Captures of Live-streamed Child Sexual Abuse may have concerned some parents.
09

May

A parent’s guide to YouTube Restricted Mode
In this blog we explore the safety feature ‘Restricted Mode’ on YouTube; looking at how it works and some things to be aware of when using it.
03

May

Critical Thinking - New Hot Topic
The Childnet website now includes three new Hot Topics on the subject of Critical Thinking, these Hot Topics contain advice for Young People, Teachers and Professionals, and Parents and Carers.
30

Apr

YouTube announce new parental controls for YouTube Kids
Google have announced that it will add more parental controls to its YouTube Kids app.
25

Apr

Age Restrictions on Social Media Services
This blog looks at what age restrictions are in place across the most popular social media services, why they exist and what our advice is for parents and young people.
20

Apr

Meet the Childnet Film Competition Judges: Joanna van der Meer: BFI
This is Joanna’s 7th year of judging the Childnet Film Competition, find out more about her role at the BFI and thoughts on judging the Childnet Film Competition.
18

Apr

Having an open and honest conversation about online safety – 5 questions for parents
Phoebe, an Education Officer at Childnet, looks at the ways you can start a conversation about online safety with your family.
16

Apr

The impact of social media and screen-use on young people's health
The UK Safer Internet Centre has responded to The Science and Technology Committee’s inquiry into the impact of social media and screen-use on young people's health.
10

Apr

Safer Internet Day 2018 reaches 45% of young people in the UK
The Safer Internet Day 2018 Impact Report has been published by the UK Safer Internet Centre.
20

Mar

A parents guide to Fortnite: Battle Royale
In this blog we are giving guidance to parents about Fortnite, looking at what the game is and some of the things to be aware of.
13

Mar

Primary Digital Leaders give their thoughts on Safer Internet Day 2018
This Safer Internet Day a group of young people from across the UK were invited to the Safer Internet Day youth event in London
06

Mar

Safer Internet Day 2018 youth event video content is now live!
The videos show what happened at the London Safer Internet Day event, as well as key speeches from young people, industry and government.
01

Mar

Today is World Book Day - Celebrate with Digiduck!
Sharing a story with your child is such a special experience, and for World Book Day 2018 (Thursday 1st March) we have just the story for you!
15

Feb

Childnet Digital Leaders take part in Safer Internet Day 2018
The Stanburn Primary School Digital Leaders tell us about their time at the Safer Internet Day event in London.
02

Feb

Childnet Digital Leaders Prepare for Safer Internet Day
Young people take the lead across the UK for Safer Internet Day on 6th February.
01

Feb

Getting involved in Safer Internet Day – resources for parents and carers
For Safer Internet Day 2018, the UK Safer Internet Centre has created a pack of activities and ideas for parents and carers to use with children from the age of 3 to 18.
30

Jan

1 week to go until Safer Internet Day
Safer Internet Day is taking place on Tuesday 6th February! With one week to go, we look at all the things you can do to get involved in #SID2018!
26

Jan

How to get involved in the Safer Internet Day Social media campaign
#ItStartsWithUs this Safer Internet Day – top tips for getting involved on social media.
26

Jan

Safer Internet Day reaches 1,000 Supporters
We are delighted to announce that the Safer Internet Day supporters list has reached over 1,000 supporters!
23

Jan

2 weeks until Safer Internet Day - key things to do now
5 things to do this week to help you prepare for Safer Internet Day on Tuesday 6th February.
12

Jan

Join the 2018 Safer Internet Day Thunderclap
Help to make Safer Internet Day 2018 the biggest yet by signing up to our Thunderclap.
09

Jan

Advice for parents - what to do if your child sees something upsetting online
Advice about how to support young people who have seen something upsetting online
04

Jan

Children’s Commissioner #lifeinlikes report into experiences of 8-12s on social media
The ‘Life in likes’ report launched today by the Children’s Commissioner for England is based on a series of focus groups with 32 children aged 8 to 12 years.
03

Jan

Setting online safety resolutions with your family
New Year is a great time to make some new resolutions. Here are some ideas of online safety resolutions you could make as a family in 2018
19

Dec

Government launches call for evidence on relationships and sex education
The government is asking parents, teachers and young people from across England to help shape a new relationships and sex education curriculum that will help them stay safe and face the challenges of the modern world.
07

Dec

BBC journalists will educate young people about fake news
The BBC is launching a new programme supporting secondary school pupils to identify real news and filter out fake or false information.
06

Dec

Press release: UK youth targeted with sexual harassment on the internet
Childnet has today published research as part of a Europe-wide project that reveals that young people across the UK are being targeted by their peers with online sexual harassment.
29

Nov

Almost 2 in 5 young people have seen fake news online
Ofcom have today released the findings from their 2017 Children's media use and attitudes report, which focuses on children’s behaviour online and the way in which they interact with fake news.
28

Nov

Things to consider when buying tech gifts this Christmas
With Black Friday and Cyber Monday over and Christmas fast approaching there are plenty of new gadgets that parents and carers may be thinking about buying for their children.
17

Nov

6 Tips for having a conversation with your child about cyberbullying
As Anti-Bullying Week comes to a close it is important to continue the conversations and messages that were highlighted during the week. Here are our 6 top tips for starting a conversation with your child about cyberbullying.
16

Nov

Stop Speak Support when you see online bullying
New video from the Royal Foundation’s Taskforce gives young people three steps to take when they witness cyberbullying.
14

Nov

Childnet Digital Leaders discuss the Internet Safety Strategy at DCMS
On Monday 13th November Childnet Digital Leaders from Sarah Bonnell School in London visited the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport today to discuss the recently launched Internet Safety Strategy.
10

Nov

Online reputation – taking care of your digital footprint
From applying to universities to getting a job, it’s important to have a positive digital footprint.
07

Nov

Delete or Deactivate – What to do with your old accounts
This blog gives site specific guidance about how to deactivate or delete your accounts, and what these options mean.
02

Nov

Safer Internet Day 2017 Impact Report published
Safer Internet Day 2017 reached more people than ever before, with 3 million children and 2 million parents hearing about the day!
30

Oct

Gaming – resources for parents and careers
From privacy to parental controls - resources for parents and carers who want to know more about gaming.
27

Oct

Ballymena Academy's time at the House of Us event
Miss Cuddihy from Ballymena Academy looks at her Childnet Digital Leaders' time at the House of Us event
24

Oct

Childnet announces new Youth Advisory Board
Childnet is delighted to announce the launch of our new Youth Advisory Board
17

Oct

Childnet Digital Leaders mark the launch of Facebook partnership at ‘House of Us’ event
The ’House of Us’ event in London is a two-day immersive online safety exhibition showcasing youth voice online as well as the impact of cyberbullying on young people’s lives.
16

Oct

Facebook announces new partnership with the Childnet Digital Leaders Programme
Childnet is teaming up with Facebook and the Diana Award to deliver a project that will see thousands of young people across the UK trained as peer educators.
13

Oct

Polls and voting in Instagram stories
Instagram have unveiled their latest update to stories. Users can now share polls to measure the opinions of their followers as they vote on questions.
11

Oct

Internet Safety Strategy Green Paper published today
Today the Government has published a consultation that will help shape the UK’s strategies around online safety.
04

Oct

Register as a Safer Internet Day 2018 supporter
Get involved in Safer Internet Day 2018 with new campaign toolkit and supporter registration!
29

Sep

Children’s Commissioner looks at young peoples’ rights on social media
The Children's Commissioner has released a new set of guidelines that hope to ‘jargon bust’ terms and conditions and teach young people about their rights on social media sites.
22

Sep

76% of girls are confident in their digital skills
New research from Girlguiding looks at the experiences that girls have in their everyday lives, both online and offline.
14

Sep

What is a Snapchat streak?
Snapchat is an app that is hugely popular among young people. The app allows users to send photos and videos to their contacts and create ‘streaks’. But what does this mean?
11

Sep

NSPCC publish report into young people’s use of online services
The NSPCC Net Aware Report 2017: “Freedom to express myself safely” aims to provide a snapshot of young people’s online lives.
04

Sep

Keeping your account secure on Instagram
Following reports that a large number of Instagram accounts have been hacked, we look at some ways that you can help keep your Instagram account secure.
01

Sep

New online safety agreement template
The internet is a very important part of our lives today and setting up an agreement can help ensure that everyone within your organisation/ group are safe when navigating the online world.
30

Aug

Livestreaming - New Hot Topic for young people
New Hot Topic for young people to help them to livestream safely
24

Aug

Childnet Education Officer - A week in the life
As we recruit for a new Childnet Education Officer we look at what a typical week looks like from the view of the people who know the role the best.
23

Aug

Livestreaming - top tips from young people
Our latest research into livestreaming habits among young people found that over 1 in 10 8-17 year olds have ‘gone live’. We asked a group of our Childnet Digital Leaders about their experiences of livestreaming and their top tips for other young people.
21

Aug

Online hate 'as serious as face-to-face'
Today the Crown Prosecution Service pledges to treat online hate crimes as seriously as those committed face to face.
21

Aug

Over 1 in 10 young people have ‘gone live’
Our new youth research finds Facebook Live, Instagram Live and YouTube Live are the most popular livestreaming services among 8-17 year olds.
16

Aug

Guardian Saints announce winner of their Safer Internet Day Competition
Skye, one of Family Fostercare West Midlands’ foster children, won the competition by creating the idea for an app to support children who are coming in to care.
11

Aug

Government to strengthen UK data protection law
New measures will give people greater control over their personal data, while the Government’s announcement about the age of consent has implications for teens and their social media use.
08

Aug

Children’s Commissioner launches ‘Digital 5 A Day’ to help keep children’s online lives healthy
This week the Children’s Commissioner for England launched a ‘Digital 5 A Day’ to help keep children’s online lives healthy.
03

Aug

Cyberbullying - advice for parents and carers
We give advice for parents and carers concerned about cyberbullying and practical tips for how they can support their child.
02

Aug

Safer Internet Day 2018 Theme Announced!
Safer Internet Day 2018 will be celebrated globally on Tuesday 6th February 2018 with the new slogan
01

Aug

Online challenges - advice for parents
Advice for parents about how to talk to young people about the issues raised by online challenges.
24

Jul

Online gaming: updated guidance for parents
From virtual reality to the latest advice: our updated guide will help parents and carers get to grips with their children’s online gaming
18

Jul

Childnet Digital Leaders give top tips for staying safe online
The Childnet Digital Leaders from Goffs School and St. Joan of Arc Primary school give their tops tips for young people to help them stay safe online this summer!
17

Jul

Childnet Digital Leaders share their achievements
A guest blog from two of our Digital Leaders schools; Brimsham Green School and Sunnyfields Primary. These school look at what they have achieved this year on the programme and look more closely at what it means to be a digital leader.
17

Jul

Staying safe online in the summer holidays
Online safety advice to help you keep your children safe during the summer holidays
11

Jul

Free internet safety resources for parents
With the summer holidays fast approaching we look at some of the tools parents can use to help their children stay safe online
04

Jul

2017 Childnet Film Competition winners announced
Yesterday was the Childnet Film competition 2017 Finalists’ event! The event was attended by 43 young people and over 40 Industry guests. The event revolved around the young people and the films that they had created, with a private screening of the finalists’ films at the BFI on London’s Southbank.
03

Jul

The 2017 Childnet Film Competition is today!
Today is the Childnet Film Competition finalists' event! This is where we will be celebrating the amazing work of the competition finalists and announcing who will take 1st, 2nd and 3rd place home in each category!
30

Jun

How to follow the Film Competition finalists' event
Childnet’s 8th annual Film Competition will be held on Monday 3rd July. This year the theme of the competition is ‘be the change’, inviting young people to use films to encourage their peers to make a positive change online.
29

Jun

Key things to remember when helping your child set up a new profile
Setting up a profile on a new site or game can seem like a daunting task. Profiles are needed for a variety of sites, from gaming websites and social networking sites to the sites children use for school work. So what is important to keep in mind when helping your child to create their first online account?
27

Jun

Childnet Digital Leaders speak in front of hundreds at NSPCC Conference
On Wednesday 21st June Childnet Digital Leaders were selected from Bristol Free School to speak at the NSPCC ‘How safe are our children?’ Conference.
22

Jun

Introducing ‘Snap Maps’ - the new location sharing feature in Snapchat
Today Snapchat introduced a new feature, the ‘Snap Map’. This location based map allows users to see where in the country their Snapchat contacts are, as well as seeing location based photos and videos.
09

Jun

Online etiquette or ‘netiquette’ – The dos and don’ts of online communication
The internet often plays a huge part in many young people’s daily activities; allowing them to communicate freely with others and share information with ease via messaging apps, social media and gaming networks.
08

Jun

Roblox - a guide for parents
Our Education Officer Tom looks at the popular gaming site Roblox and gives top tips for parents wanting to help young people stay safe whilst gaming on Roblox.
02

Jun

Features of the latest Snapchat update
Recently Snapchat released an update which saw the inclusion of new features including limitless snaps and a video loop tool. This blog looks at these new features and gives advice for those who may be concerned.
01

Jun

Putting the Family Agreement into practice
A family agreement is a great way to start a conversation with your whole family about how you all use the internet and discuss together how to behave in a positive way when online at home, at school or at a friend’s house.

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