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0808  1

Techno Safe

A guide for parents and carers:

keeping children safe

 with technology

 

Feb 10 8213/100

www.caerphillysaeguarding.org.uk 

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This leaet aims to:

• Explainsomeofthecurrenttechnologythatisavailable

• Provideyouwithadviceaboutwhatyoucandotokeepchildren and young people sae rom potential harm and;

• Tellsyouwhereyoucangetfurtheradviceandinformationfrom.

In this leaet the word technology reers to computers, laptops,

notebooks,gamesconsoles,mobilephones,MP3s,PersonalDigital

Assistants(PDAs/Blackberrys)andanyothertechnologythatachild or young person can use to interact with others.

TechnologyliketheInternetcanbegreatfunandprovides

opportunitiesforyourchildrentolearnanddevelop.However,

it also has some hidden dangers that you need to be aware o in

order to keep children and young people sae.

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The hidden dangers that technology can pose to

children and young people

• Dangerouspeoplesometimesusechatrooms,onlinegames,

socialnetworkingsiteslikeBebo,Facebook,MySpaceand

other technology to gain access to children and young people

in order to ‘groom’ and abuse them. It is not always possible to

identiy these people because they oten lie about who they are

and their age.

• Exposuretoinappropriatemateriallikeadultpornography

andothersexualimages,violentimagesandgamblingsitesforexample.

• CyberBullying-involvestheuseoftheInternetandmobile

phones to threaten, belittle, call names and righten

• Otherrisks–Thesecanincludeviruses,identifytheft,hacking,

nancialexploitation

(Grooming–inthissensegroomingisbehaviourusedbypeople

who pose a risk to children to beriend children in order to

sexuallyabusethem.Itcanincludeattery,sympathisingwiththeir

problems, isolating them rom others, pretending they are children

oryoungpeopletoo,pretendingtohavesimilarexperiences/

problems,givingthemgifts/moneyforexample.Further

inormation about child abuse and neglect can be ound in our

leaet,‘WhatisChildAbuse’,whichisavailablefromourwebsite

oronrequestfromtheSafeguardingChildrenBoardCo-ordinator

on01443864798.)

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Smart Rules

• Don’tfrightenyourchildrenoroverreactbutmakesureyou

discuss the hidden dangers with your children (you could use this

leaetasastartingpoint)andmakesurethattheyknowtheycantell you about anything that happens on the Internet or other

technology that makes them eel uncomortable or unsae.

• Don’tshareanypersonalinformationovertheInternetthat

could be used to identiy you or your children and make sure

yourchildrendon’teither.(Personalinformationincludesfull

name, address, date o birth, telephone numbers and name o schoolforexample.Somepeopleusenicknameswhenthey

areonlineandsomepeoplehaveseparateonlineaccountsto

ensure that they cannot be identifed. Also make sure that you

usedifferentpasswordsforeachprogramme)

• YouandyourchildrenshouldkeepyourFacebook/MySpace/

Bebopageprivateinordertopreventdangerouspeople

rom accessing it. Also remember not to add any personalinormation to your profles. Take care about the photographs

you and your children add to these pages as they can be

accessedandalteredbydangerouspeople.Adviseyour

children not to accept anyone as a riend that they do not

already know personally.’

• Makesureyourchildrennevergotomeetanyonethattheydonotalreadyknowwell–youdon’talwaysknowwhoyour

children are talking to and neither do they.

• Makesurethatchildrenstayinthepublicspaceofachatroom

anddonotenterintoprivateconversations.

• Keepthecomputerinasharedfamilyspacesothatyoucanbe

sure it is being used saely.

• Installarewallandotherantivirussoftwareonyourcomputer.

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• Installparentalcontrolsandprivacysettingsonyoursoftware(most

packageswillhaveastepbystepguidethathelpsyoudothis)

• Rememberthatyourchildrencaninteractwithotherpeople

viacomputer,mobilephones,PDAs,gamesconsolesandotherequipment.Theycanaccessthesedevicesanywherenotjustyour

homecomputer,soitisvitalthatyouteachyourchildrenabout

keepingthemselvessafeandputinplacesomesimplegroundrules.

Rememberthatthereisnosubstituteforyoursupervision,advice

and guidance

(Firewalls are part o a computer system or network that isdesigned to block unauthorised access o your technology. Anti

virussoftwareisusedtoblockanddetectvirusesandprevent

themfromdamagingyourtechnology.Virusesareoftensentvia

e-mail.Askaboutthesewhenyoupurchaseyourtechnologyorgo

toaspecialistshopandaskforadvice)

Further advice and information

Childnethasanumberofusefulfactsheetsforyoungpeople

andparentsincludingadviceonrewalls,antivirussoftware,chat

rooms, mobile phones, and the internet.

www.childnet-int.org

www.kidsmart.org.uk 

www.chatdanger.com

TheChildExploitationandOnlineProtectionCentre(CEOP)

hassomeveryusefuladvicefordifferentagegroupsofchildren,

parents and carers and proessionals:

www.thinkuknow.co.uk 

Further inormation about child abuse and neglect and other

leaetswehavepublished,canbefoundonourwebsite:

www.caerphillysaeguarding.org.uk.