NSPCC can help with online child safety
STAYING safe online is one of the biggest child protection challenges of the 21st century and it’s never more important than at this time of year.
Keeping track of what your child’s doing online is never easy but – with the summer holidays now in full swing in Wales – staying in touch with their digital world is a crucial tool in keeping them safe.
Talking to your child about their life online is one of the best ways to help them spot the risks. A recent NSPCC survey found less than a fifth of parents frequently have that conversation. It also found less than one in five discuss simple changes that could be made, like altering location settings.
Help and advice is available at the NSPCC website, including the UK’s only parenting guide to social media – NetAware – which we’ve created in partnership with O2.
There’s a role for governments too. In Wales, ministers are developing an action plan, which we hope will be supported by an expert advisory group. And we’ve already called on the UK Government to create an independent regulator to enforce a new set of rules for social networks.
The NSPCC has obtained figures revealing the internet was used to commit nearly 700 child sexual offences in Wales last year, so the need for change has never been stronger.
We all have a part to play in ensuring our children learn how to stay safe online.