Early years settings provide valuable opportunities for younger children to develop their social skills and form healthy bonds with peers and adults.

Online safety:

Children in the early years are now more digitally savvy than ever before. Their use of digital devices is commonplace with apps like YouTube Kids becoming a destination of choice for 72% of children aged 3 to 4 according to a recent Ofcom report.

Research also shows that children are moving away from watching TV, opting for video-on-demand content on video-sharing platforms to watch cartoons, mini movies and songs. However, unlike older children, only a small number of children aged 3 to 4 (23%) play games online.

 

For further information about the safeguarding and welfare and internet safety, click the link below

(https://help-for-early-years-providers.education.gov.uk/safeguarding-and-welfare/internet-safety)

 

Parental controls:

Parental controls allow parents and educators to block and filter upsetting or inappropriate content. They work across your WiFi, phone network, individual apps and devices.

Parental controls can help to:

• plan what time of day your child can go online and how long for
• create content filters to block apps that may have inappropriate content
• manage the content different family members can see.

Whilst parental controls are a helpful tool there are limitations. So they shouldn’t be seen as a whole solution. Even if you’ve put things in place on your home broadband and your child’s device, they won’t help if your child connects to a different WiFi with no controls in place.

Parental controls are just part of the way you can help keep your child safe online.

More top tips include:

• Talking to your child. Explain why you are setting parental controls; to keep them safe. But also let them know that they can talk to you to discuss why certain settings are in place.
• Set good, strong passwords where you are able. On some parental controls you can set a password which prevents settings and features from being changed.
• Age is a significant factor; as children get older, restrictions and controls you use will change, but only at a pace that is appropriate for your child, not pressure from your child “because everyone else is allowed”.
• Content filters are never 100% effective, it is likely at some point that your child will see inappropriate or upsetting content and it is important that you are able to talk to them about this.

Use Parental Controls to Keep Your Child Safe | NSPCC

Books to Read

NSPCC have put together a list of books which you can read and share with younger children to help start discussions about healthy relationships.

Talk PANTS campaign

The free NSPCC PANTS lesson plans help you teach young children about the Underwear Rule and encourage them to speak out in situations that make them feel uncomfortable.

Talk PANTS & Join Pantosaurus - The Underwear Rule | NSPCC

P- Privates are private

A - Always remember your body belongs to you

N- No means no

T- Talk about secrets that upset you

S - Speak up someone can help