09 September 2010
Parents are being reminded to ensure their children stay safe online.
As the new academic year gets underway, the Jersey Child Protection Committee’s (JCPC) e-safety sub committee wants parents to make sure their children are protected whether using the internet for school work or free time.
Chair of the JCPC’s e-safety sub committee Nola Hopkins said “Now that children have returned to school and homework is back on the agenda, we are reminding parents that although the internet is a wonderful tool it can be very dangerous if they cannot support their children.
“Parents often assume children are safe, but are unaware of how their children connect to the internet world," she added. “For example, more than 50% of children between the ages of 5 and 7 with access to the internet use it while unsupervised by an adult.
“As you would protect your child in the real world, you will want to make sure that they are safe whatever they are doing. Like learning to cross the road, online safety skills are skills for life.”
The JCPC’s advice to parents includes:
- spend some time surfing the internet yourself. The more you know about the internet, the better you are able to help your child navigate around it without coming to any harm
- get to know your child’s online habits. Knowing the sites they go to, the people they meet there and what they do will help to keep children safe
Its advice to young people includes:
- don’t give out personal details or engage online with people you do not know in the real world
- do speak to a parent or carer about any concerns you may have
Nola added “Your child can get the most from the internet and stay safe if they understand the risks and can make sensible and informed choices online.
“As a parent or carer, you can protect your child online if you understand the internet and understand what the risks are.”
There are a number of things parents can do to make their children safer online. Parents interested in attending a workshop on e-safety should contact the JCPC.
gov.je