With an increasing number of grandparents helping working parents with child care, Nottinghamshire County Council has put together some pointers to help them and other carers keep children safe online through the summer holidays.

Lorna Naylor, anti-bullying co-ordinator at the council which works with schools, parents and pupils to improve cyber safety, said: “Some carers, especially those who don’t use social media in their own lives and don’t know the online habits of children, may be anxious about how to check children are being safe online whilst in their care when they are using mobile phones, tablet computers and other internet connected devices they might bring with them.

“We thought that some basic tips and advice might be useful.”

Earlier this year former Blue Peter presenter Janet Ellis, herself a grandma of three, called for grandparents to get to grips with the internet so their grandchildren are safe online when they are looking after them.

Lorna added: “Rule number one is to make sure your rules are consistent with their normal family rules. However, if they are at your home, the children need to know that you may have other rules which you would like them to follow at your home.

“So a conversation with the parents agreeing ground rules will need to include which devices they are happy for the children to use under your supervision, how long they should be allowed on electronic games, and not sharing any pictures they wouldn’t be happy to share with you”.

Children also need to have regular screen breaks – at least five minutes every 45-60 minutes and should be told not to give out personal details such as their mobile phone number and address to people they don’t know and trust.

In July a study by the National Literacy Trust found that more than half of primary school pupils aged seven to 11 had profiles on social networks, despite rules meant to stop them.

Top tips:
•Before the children arrive, get up to speed on the website www.thinkuknow.co.uk and watch their ‘Parent and carers Guide to the Internet‘ which provides a light hearted and realistic look at what young people are doing online and how to support them. It features interviews with leading experts such as Professor Tanya Byron, Dr Linda Papadopoulos and Reg Bailey, as well as key industry players from Facebook, Club Penguin and Moshi Monsters, this online guide aims to equip you with the tools to have those tricky conversations with children and keep your family safe online.

•The best way to find out what children are doing online is to ask them and take an interest in what they are doing. Asking them to show you how a game works or why they like certain sites is a good way for you to see for yourself what they are up to and to ask them questions. If you only talk to them about what they are doing when you are criticising or expressing concern about safety, they will not share things with you even when they do need help.

Ask them questions such as:
•Why do they like the site?
•What can they do on it?
•What’s so fun about it?
•Who uses it at school?
•Who you can talk to?
•Who are their friends on it?

If the children are playing online games:
•Check the age rating of all games before they play
•Make sure you know who they are playing with and how much information they are sharing with other players
•Negotiate the amount of time they spend playing online games to avoid addiction
•Age limits are an important safety measure. You shouldn’t feel pressurised into letting a child sign up or use websites that you feel they are too young for.
•If children are using the internet enabled in your home you need to be aware of the parental controls which should be set on any device they are using.

Parental controls are not just about locking and blocking; they are a tool to help you set appropriate boundaries as your child grows and develops. They are not the answer to online safety, but they are a good start and are not as difficult to install as you might think. Service providers are working hard to make them simple, effective and user friendly. Make sure you have discussed with their parents what parental controls they use and if appropriate you know passwords.

Nowadays even the TV connects to the internet. Make sure you’re aware of which devices can connect to the internet, such as phones or games consoles. Also, find out how they are accessing the internet – is it your connection or a neighbour’s wi-fi? This will affect whether your safety settings are being applied.

•With younger children encourage children to go online and explore! There is a wealth of age-appropriate sites for your children. Encourage them to use sites which are fun, educational and that will help them to develop online skills.

•Keep up-to-date with older children’s development online. Be inquisitive and interested in the new gadgets and sites that they are using. It’s important that as they learn more, you do too. Young people use the internet to socialise and grow and, just as you guide and support them offline, you should be there for them online too. Talk to them about what they’re doing – if they know you understand, they are more likely to approach you if they need support.

•Emphasise that not everyone is who they say they are. Make sure young people know never to meet up with someone they only know online without taking a trusted adult with them. People might not always be who they say they are.

•Check that the websites, social networks and games they are using are suitable for them and their age. For younger children, visit the website first. There should be some pages written specifically for parents and carers explaining how it works and how to report a concern. For older children, agree which sites they can use and ask them to show you any new sites they want to use first. Check with parents about which sites they have approved and let them know about any concerns you have.

Some useful websites:
www.thinkuknow.co.uk
www.nspcc.org.uk/help-and-advice/for-parents/online-safety/online-safety
https://vpnstreamer.com.au/internet-safety-for-children/