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St Josephs Primary School, Slate Street, Belfast
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Keeping children safe online

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13th May 2026

Keeping children safe online is about balancing technical safeguards with open, honest communication. As the digital world evolves, the goal shifts from simply "blocking" content to building a child's digital resilience.

1. Open the Lines of Communication

The most effective filter is a child’s ability to talk to you.

  • Be a "Safe Harbour": Ensure they know that if they see something upsetting, they can tell you without the fear of having their device confiscated.

  • Discuss the "Why": Instead of just setting rules, explain the risks of oversharing personal information and the reality that not everyone online is who they say they are.

2. Set Up Technical Guardrails

Use the tools available to create a "walled garden" for younger children:

  • Parental Controls: Utilize built-in settings on consoles (PlayStation/Xbox), mobile OS (Apple Screen Time/Google Family Link), and home Wi-Fi routers to filter explicit content.

  • Safe Search: Enable "SafeSearch" on Google and "Restricted Mode" on YouTube to minimize the risk of stumbling upon inappropriate videos.

3. Establish "Netiquette" and Boundaries

  • The "Front Door" Rule: Teach children never to post anything they wouldn't want pinned to the front door of their house for the whole neighborhood to see.

  • Device-Free Zones: Keep screens out of bedrooms at night to prevent unsupervised late-night browsing and to protect sleep hygiene.

4. Critical Thinking 

Teach children to question what they see:

  • Misinformation: Explain that not everything on the internet is true.

  • Privacy: Remind them that "free" games often pay for themselves by collecting and selling user data.

 

The Golden Rule:   Aim to be a mentor in their digital life, not just a monitor.

See informmation from our friends at Barnardos below - 


https://www.barnardos.org.uk/get-support/support-for-parents-and-carers/child-abuse-and-harm/keeping-children-safe-online/how-to-talk-children-safe-online