NSPCC Provides Online Safety Talks For Parents

With schooling going online, the NSPCC is providing safety talks for parents to protect children from online harm.

Margaret Gallagher, said: “With the recent closure of most schools in Northern Ireland many parents will be facing, once again, the challenges of home-schooling and often while working from home themselves. 

“This closure, together with the advice to stay at home as much as possible, will inevitably mean that children will spend more time online.

“To help people in Northern Ireland keep their children safe online, NSPCC Northern Ireland are delivering virtual online safety talks for parents. They are free to join and are presented by experienced NSPCC staff, who provide advice, tips, and signposting to free resources and extra support. 

“The charity provides these free 30 minute webinars for parents, grandparents and carers which can be adapted to add content relevant to the particular age group and concerns of the parents attending.

“Topics include: 

• Why children enjoy using the internet

• How it can help them, what are the risks and concerns that families might have about their child’s use of the internet,
• Exploring how families can navigate the digital landscape together safely.

“These webinars are free and are designed to give parents and carers a virtual opportunity to gather advice, tips and support, along with signposting to other free and useful resources. 

“Talking to your child about their digital lives is really important and these webinars are here to make that discussion much easier.”

Margaret added: “Truly, the internet is an amazing place where children can play, create, learn and connect – the possibilities are endless, but more time online has brought with it heightened risk for young people and increased opportunity for offenders so, regular family discussion about children’s digital lives has never been more important.

“Parents can get support via the NSPCC and O2’s co-created resource Net Aware, designed to help parents and children get information on the latest social media sites, apps and games, provide advice and tips and be a helpful part of coping with self-isolation.”

If you’d like to organise one of the webinars for yourself or on behalf of a group (community group, staff team or school), please contact: parentworkshops@nspcc.org.uk 

and for advice on keeping your children safe online, there are useful tips at:

 https://www.net-aware.org.uk/news/new-devices/   

https://www.net-aware.org.uk/news/five-online-safety-tips-from-five-experts/  

The five tips were created in December which marked five years since the NSPCC and O2 joined forces.

The co-created website Net Aware helps educate parents on the latest social networks, apps and games: 

Net-Aware.org.uk