Dear Parents/Carers During the summer holidays we know that many of your children may well use apps

accessed through mobile technology (mobile phones, tablets, games consoles) to stay in touch with their friends. We would like to bring the importance of keeping children safe online to the whole school community. Barham Primary School is committed to promoting the safe and responsible use of the Internet and as such we feel it is our responsibility to raise awareness of some potential issues. Mobile phones and devices offer amazing communication and social connections, however they can pose risks to children and young people such as cyberbullying, gaming, grooming and inappropriate content. E-Safety is an important part of keeping children safe at Barham School. E-Safety is taught to all pupils, which explains and demonstrates how to stay safe and behave appropriately online, but we can only be successful in keeping children safe online if we work with you. Your help is needed to talk to your children about how they can keep themselves safe and behave appropriately online. Its important that we are all vigilant when children are using the internet and act to ensure they are protected from people who may pose a risk to them. Children can accidently or deliberately be exposed to illegal, unwanted or unpleasant content, comments or activity online and there are steps you can take at home to help minimise this risk. To help keep your child safe, its a good idea to monitor your childs use of technology and discuss safe and appropriate online behaviour such as not sharing personal information and not posting offensive, upsetting or potentially harmful messages or photos. What can parents/carers do? Follow the Golden Rules Ground Rules Discuss as a family how the internet will be used in your house. Consider what information should be kept private (such as personal information, photos etc) and decide rules for making and meeting online friends. Ensure your children know the risks of accepting friends requests from strangers online and make sure you know what your child is doing online much like you would offline. Discuss using strong passwords with your child so they understand how they can protect their online accounts. Its important they know they need to keep their passwords safe and not share them with anyone or use the same password for several accounts. If your childs account is hacked or compromised then make sure they change their password and report any concerns or suspicious activity. Check how secure your passwords are here: http://howsecureismypassword.net/. For more advice on using strong passwords visit http://tinyurl.com/Getsafeonlinepassword Online Safety Install antivirus software, secure your internet connection and use Parental Control functions for computers, mobile phones and games consoles to block unsuitable content or contact. Always remember that parental control tools are not always 100% effective and sometimes unsuitable content can get past them, so dont rely on them alone to protect your child. Location Consider locating your computers and laptops in a family area where childrens online activity can be monitored or supervised. Always supervise the use of webcams and any applications or devices which allow voice or video chat. Also consider the use and location of

other devices your childs uses which allow internet access such as mobile phones and games consoles. Visit www.saferinternet.org.uk/advice-and-resources/a-parents-guide for safety information about consoles and devices Dialogue Talk to your child and ask them to show or even teach you how they use the internet, learn which websites or tools they like to use and why. Learning together with your child can often open opportunities to discuss safe behaviour online. Ensure that your child knows that once a picture, video or comment is sent or posted online, then it can be difficult to remove and control as other people can forward it and share it without them even knowing. Always ensure your child knows how to block and report people online who may send nasty or inappropriate messages or content. Encourage your child not to retaliate or reply to cyberbullying and to keep any evidence. Make sure your child knows its important that they tell an adult they trust if anything happens online that makes them feel scared, worried or uncomfortable. Its essential to be realistic: banning the internet or web sites often will not work and it can make a child feel less able to report a problem or concern, so education around safe use is essential.

In summary, make sure your child understands the following ideas: Always keep your profiles and personal information private online Its not a good idea to accept friends/contacts you dont know in real life Never send or post anything online which could reveal your identity or anything you wouldnt want an adult to see, as things can become permanent and public without your knowledge Never agree to meet somebody you only know online without telling a trusted adult Always tell an adult you trust if you feel threatened, worried or uncomfortable online Visit www.thinkuknow.co.uk for advice and information about keeping safe online and know how to report a concern Young people can often feel they need to be regularly communicating via their phone/ipad/ipod to keep up with their friendships, but it is helpful for them to understand that they are in control of when they reply. It is worth talking to your child about these social pressures they face. Support and information: www.thinkuknow.co.uk Read the information for parents about internet safety from CEOP (Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre) and report online concerns Use the Click CEOP button to seek advice and report online abuse. www.childnet.com Visit the Know It All Section for an interactive guide about online safety ww.getsafeonline.org Online security advice for adults, children and young people www.saferinternet.org.uk/advice-and-resources/a-parents-guide - Information and guidance about popular devices, including how to set parental controls and top tips. www.kent.police.uk/internetsafety - Guidance from Kent Police To contact Kent Police: contact 101 or ring 999 if there is immediate risk www.kent.gov.uk/esafety - Guidance from Kent County Council To contact Kent Childrens Social Care: 08458 247247 Yours Sincerely Head Teacher