Keeping children safe online

At St Peter’s Primary School, we are committed to the safe and responsible use of technology.

While the internet offers significant benefits for staying connected, we recognise that parents may have concerns regarding the content and activities children access.

The following guidance centralises official resources to help you identify risks and access expert support.

For the official government overview, please visit: GOV.UK: Support for parents and carers to keep children safe online.

Core Resources for our Families

To help support you and your child online, please take a look at these primary organisations for general guidance on setting up home filters and starting conversations about digital safety:

• Thinkuknow (NCA-CEOP): Age-appropriate resources from the National Crime Agency.
• Childnet: Specific guidance for parents, including advice for children under five.
• Parent Info: Expert digital insights from Parent Zone and NCA-CEOP.
• NSPCC: Comprehensive safety guides for parents and carers.
• UK Safer Internet Centre: Tips for parents and a portal to report harmful online content.
• Inclusive Digital Safety Hub: Tailored advice for children with additional learning needs (SEND).
• Parents’ Guide to Age Ratings: Explaining BBFC ratings to help you choose appropriate content.

Understanding and Managing Specific Risks

If you are concerned about specific online harms, the following specialist resources are available:

1. Child Sexual Abuse & Exploitation

If you believe a child is in immediate danger, call 999.

• Report Concerns: Contact NCA-CEOP regarding inappropriate communication or abuse.
• Support & Signs: Call the NSPCC Helpline (0808 800 5000) or visit the Together, we can tackle child abuse campaign.
• Prevention: The Parents Protect (Lucy Faithfull Foundation) website offers a Harmful Sexual Behaviour Prevention Toolkit.
• Content Removal: Report illegal images of minors to the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF).
• Counselling: The Marie Collins Foundation provides specialised support for victims of online abuse.

2. Radicalisation & Extremism

If you are concerned about a loved one being radicalised, you can call 101 or the police for advice. Support through Prevent is voluntary and treated as a safeguarding process.

• Educate Against Hate: Government advice on protecting young people from extremism.
• Let’s Talk About It: Support for parents to prevent online radicalisation.
• Report Terrorist Content: Use the official GOV.UK tool to report extremist material.

3. 'Sexting' & Cyberbullying

If you are concerned about this, please use the links below.

• Sexting: The NSPCC and Thinkuknow provide guidance on responding if a child has shared or received explicit images.
• Support for Youth: So You Got Naked Online offers practical advice for affected young people.
• Cyberbullying: Access official government advice on protecting your child from online bullying.

Practical Tools & Technical Controls

If you would like some guidance and support with this, please use the links below.

• Parental Controls: Internet Matters provides step-by-step guides for devices and networks.
• Safety Apps: BBC Own It: A keyboard and app that helps children make smarter choices in real-time.
• SafeToNet: An AI-powered app that identifies risks while respecting child privacy.

Wellbeing & Mental Health

If you would like some guidance and support with these subjects, please use the links below.

• General Support: Review the Government guidance on mental health and wellbeing.
• Crisis Support: If you are concerned about suicide or self-harm, contact Samaritans for immediate advice.
• Direct Support for Children: Encourage your child to contact Childline at 0800 1111 or use their ‘For Me’ app for confidential support.

If you require any further information or wish to discuss a specific circumstance,

please do not hesitate to reach out to us.