What your child might see online
Help your child understand that what they see online stays with them. Check if videos, games, and websites are age-appropriate and not too scary or overwhelming.
Top tips:
• Set up parental controls on all devices (phones, tablets, game consoles) to block inappropriate content. Free guides from Internet Matters can help with this.
• Discuss inappropriate content and teach your child that if they see something upsetting, they should stop, pause, and not delete—instead, they should turn off their device and tell a trusted adult.
• Reporting concerns is important. If your child is worried about something they’ve seen, visit www.childnet.com/resources/how-to-make-a-report for guidance.
• Use alternative communication strategies if your child struggles with verbal communication. Visuals, social stories, or a key word can help them express when something is wrong.
Who your child is talking to online
Some young people with SEND find online communication easier than face-to-face, but it’s important to keep them safe.
Top tips:
• Talk about online contact. Know which apps, games, and websites your child is using and who they are talking to.
• Explain online friendships. An online friend they’ve never met is still a stranger. Use visual aids to explain the difference between real-life friends and online contacts.
• Personal information should stay private. Teach your child to never share personal details online, even with offline friends, as it could be accidentally shared with others.
• Friend requests need careful thought. Encourage your child to only accept requests from people they know in real life.
• Encourage open communication. If someone upsets them or pressures them to send photos, they should tell a trusted adult immediately.
Being kind and respectful online
Cyberbullying and unkind online behaviour can have serious effects. Help your child understand how to interact safely and respectfully.
Top tips:
• Talk about cyberbullying. Discuss the difference between online and offline bullying, and remind them to tell a trusted adult if they or someone they know is being targeted.
• Teach them not to retaliate. If someone is unkind online, the best response is no response—instead, they should seek help.
• Discuss when to like or comment on posts. Teach children to only interact with people they know in real life to avoid confusion or unwanted messages.
• Set limits on social media engagement. Some children may struggle with compulsive liking or commenting—set a rule like one like per post to prevent unwanted situations.
• Talk about digital footprints. What is posted online can last forever. Teach children the difference between public and private content.
• Encourage respect online. Help them think before they send a message and remind them to ask for help if they think they’ve upset someone online.
Further advice
Internet Service Providers (ISP)
Broadband, mobile and WiFi providers offer filters to limit the inappropriate content a child might see. As these typically have to be set manually, you’ll find a comprehensive list of parental control guides that the people over at internetmatters.org have made to make this process easier to follow with step by step videos and visual instructions.
Please visit the link below to view these:
Parental Controls - Broadband & Mobile
Other Parental Controls
Parental controls are the names for a group of settings that put you in control of what content your child can see. Combined with privacy settings these can help you protect your children from the things they shouldn’t see or experience online. You can set controls for Smartphones, Entertainment and Search engines, Gaming Consoles and Social Media sites.
Internetmatters.org has all guides for these and more. Visit the link below for information
Anti-Virus
For protection against viruses and malicious software, you should install free anti-virus software. Options include AVG, Avast or Avira.
More Information
These websites will give you more information.
Childnet International
National Online Safety
UK Safer
Internet Centre
It is very hard to provide written advice that will be suitable to all of our children. If you wish to discuss strategies for your individual child, please contact Gabriella Fokti (gfokti@hamilton.bham.sch.uk) at school. Further information is available at the National Autistic Society.
At our school, online safety is a key focus of our Computing Curriculum, with each half-term covering an essential aspect of staying safe in the digital world. We are committed to ensuring a progressive approach to online safety, catering to all pupils—from those not yet accessing the online world to those actively engaging with it.
For pupils who are not yet at a stage where they access digital platforms, we prioritise offline safety, teaching skills such as recognising trusted adults, understanding personal boundaries, and responding to unsafe situations. As pupils develop, our curriculum expands to cover key topics such as privacy, screen time balance, safe communication, and responsible online behaviour.
By embedding online safety throughout our Computing and PSHE curriculum, we equip pupils with the skills they need to navigate both online and offline environments safely and responsibly.
What your child might see online
Help your child understand that what they see online stays with them. Check if videos, games, and websites are age-appropriate and not too scary or overwhelming.
Top tips:
• Set up parental controls on all devices (phones, tablets, game consoles) to block inappropriate content. Free guides from Internet Matters can help with this.
• Discuss inappropriate content and teach your child that if they see something upsetting, they should stop, pause, and not delete—instead, they should turn off their device and tell a trusted adult.
• Reporting concerns is important. If your child is worried about something they’ve seen, visit www.childnet.com/resources/how-to-make-a-report for guidance.
• Use alternative communication strategies if your child struggles with verbal communication. Visuals, social stories, or a key word can help them express when something is wrong.
Who your child is talking to online
Some young people with SEND find online communication easier than face-to-face, but it’s important to keep them safe.
Top tips:
• Talk about online contact. Know which apps, games, and websites your child is using and who they are talking to.
• Explain online friendships. An online friend they’ve never met is still a stranger. Use visual aids to explain the difference between real-life friends and online contacts.
• Personal information should stay private. Teach your child to never share personal details online, even with offline friends, as it could be accidentally shared with others.
• Friend requests need careful thought. Encourage your child to only accept requests from people they know in real life.
• Encourage open communication. If someone upsets them or pressures them to send photos, they should tell a trusted adult immediately.
Being kind and respectful online
Cyberbullying and unkind online behaviour can have serious effects. Help your child understand how to interact safely and respectfully.
Top tips:
• Talk about cyberbullying. Discuss the difference between online and offline bullying, and remind them to tell a trusted adult if they or someone they know is being targeted.
• Teach them not to retaliate. If someone is unkind online, the best response is no response—instead, they should seek help.
• Discuss when to like or comment on posts. Teach children to only interact with people they know in real life to avoid confusion or unwanted messages.
• Set limits on social media engagement. Some children may struggle with compulsive liking or commenting—set a rule like one like per post to prevent unwanted situations.
• Talk about digital footprints. What is posted online can last forever. Teach children the difference between public and private content.
• Encourage respect online. Help them think before they send a message and remind them to ask for help if they think they’ve upset someone online.
Further advice
Internet Service Providers (ISP)
Broadband, mobile and WiFi providers offer filters to limit the inappropriate content a child might see. As these typically have to be set manually, you’ll find a comprehensive list of parental control guides that the people over at internetmatters.org have made to make this process easier to follow with step by step videos and visual instructions.
Please visit the link below to view these:
Parental Controls - Broadband & Mobile
Other Parental Controls
Parental controls are the names for a group of settings that put you in control of what content your child can see. Combined with privacy settings these can help you protect your children from the things they shouldn’t see or experience online. You can set controls for Smartphones, Entertainment and Search engines, Gaming Consoles and Social Media sites.
Internetmatters.org has all guides for these and more. Visit the link below for information
Anti-Virus
For protection against viruses and malicious software, you should install free anti-virus software. Options include AVG, Avast or Avira.
More Information
These websites will give you more information.
Childnet International
National Online Safety
UK Safer
Internet Centre
What your child might see online
Help your child understand that what they see online stays with them. Check if videos, games, and websites are age-appropriate and not too scary or overwhelming.
Top tips:
• Set up parental controls on all devices (phones, tablets, game consoles) to block inappropriate content. Free guides from Internet Matters can help with this.
• Discuss inappropriate content and teach your child that if they see something upsetting, they should stop, pause, and not delete—instead, they should turn off their device and tell a trusted adult.
• Reporting concerns is important. If your child is worried about something they’ve seen, visit www.childnet.com/resources/how-to-make-a-report for guidance.
• Use alternative communication strategies if your child struggles with verbal communication. Visuals, social stories, or a key word can help them express when something is wrong.
Who your child is talking to online
Some young people with SEND find online communication easier than face-to-face, but it’s important to keep them safe.
Top tips:
• Talk about online contact. Know which apps, games, and websites your child is using and who they are talking to.
• Explain online friendships. An online friend they’ve never met is still a stranger. Use visual aids to explain the difference between real-life friends and online contacts.
• Personal information should stay private. Teach your child to never share personal details online, even with offline friends, as it could be accidentally shared with others.
• Friend requests need careful thought. Encourage your child to only accept requests from people they know in real life.
• Encourage open communication. If someone upsets them or pressures them to send photos, they should tell a trusted adult immediately.
Being kind and respectful online
Cyberbullying and unkind online behaviour can have serious effects. Help your child understand how to interact safely and respectfully.
Top tips:
• Talk about cyberbullying. Discuss the difference between online and offline bullying, and remind them to tell a trusted adult if they or someone they know is being targeted.
• Teach them not to retaliate. If someone is unkind online, the best response is no response—instead, they should seek help.
• Discuss when to like or comment on posts. Teach children to only interact with people they know in real life to avoid confusion or unwanted messages.
• Set limits on social media engagement. Some children may struggle with compulsive liking or commenting—set a rule like one like per post to prevent unwanted situations.
• Talk about digital footprints. What is posted online can last forever. Teach children the difference between public and private content.
• Encourage respect online. Help them think before they send a message and remind them to ask for help if they think they’ve upset someone online.
Further advice
Internet Service Providers (ISP)
Broadband, mobile and WiFi providers offer filters to limit the inappropriate content a child might see. As these typically have to be set manually, you’ll find a comprehensive list of parental control guides that the people over at internetmatters.org have made to make this process easier to follow with step by step videos and visual instructions.
Please visit the link below to view these:
Parental Controls - Broadband & Mobile
Other Parental Controls
Parental controls are the names for a group of settings that put you in control of what content your child can see. Combined with privacy settings these can help you protect your children from the things they shouldn’t see or experience online. You can set controls for Smartphones, Entertainment and Search engines, Gaming Consoles and Social Media sites.
Internetmatters.org has all guides for these and more. Visit the link below for information
Anti-Virus
For protection against viruses and malicious software, you should install free anti-virus software. Options include AVG, Avast or Avira.
More Information
These websites will give you more information.
| Childnet International | National Online Safety | UK Safer Internet Centre |
|
|
|
It is very hard to provide written advice that will be suitable to all of our children. If you wish to discuss strategies for your individual child, please contact Gabriella Fokti (gfokti@hamilton.bham.sch.uk) at school. Further information is available at the National Autistic Society.
At our school, online safety is a key focus of our Computing Curriculum, with each half-term covering an essential aspect of staying safe in the digital world. We are committed to ensuring a progressive approach to online safety, catering to all pupils—from those not yet accessing the online world to those actively engaging with it.
For pupils who are not yet at a stage where they access digital platforms, we prioritise offline safety, teaching skills such as recognising trusted adults, understanding personal boundaries, and responding to unsafe situations. As pupils develop, our curriculum expands to cover key topics such as privacy, screen time balance, safe communication, and responsible online behaviour.
By embedding online safety throughout our Computing and PSHE curriculum, we equip pupils with the skills they need to navigate both online and offline environments safely and responsibly.
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