Child Internet Safety Course

This course provides parents, carers and anyone working with children with an overview of the dangers children and young people face when they use the internet. It encourages parents and carers to develop strong lines of communication when talking with their children, and contains practical advice for holding conversations about sensitive issues including cyber-bullying, pornography use and online relationships.

What you will learn

In taking this course, you will learn the following:

• Why the dangers of the digital era must be taken seriously.
• How and why children make use of the internet.
• How to keep up to date with the latest technology and the tools your child is likely to be using online.
• The most common ways in which children and teenagers use social media.
• The importance of teaching your child to use privacy settings as a means of protecting their personal information and identity from misuse.
• Why you must be prepared to support your child in the event that they become a victim of bullying.
• The factors that may make a child or teenager particularly vulnerable to cyber-bullying.
• How to spot the signs that indicate your child may be a victim of bullying.
• How to start a discussion with your child if you suspect that they are being bullied.
• How best to talk to your child if they have been accused of bullying behaviours.
• Why good communication skills are important in keeping your child safe online.
• The sensitive issues you will have to discuss with your child when educating them about online safety.
• How to develop your listening skills in such a way that your child will feel comfortable raising sensitive issues.
• How to discuss internet safety issues with children who have learning disabilities.
• What is meant by the term “grooming”, and why parents need to be aware of the dangers.
• The various types of online grooming used by predators on the internet.
• How the grooming process typically unfolds, from beginning to end.
• How to spot the signs of grooming and abuse in children and teenagers.
• How to verify that an online “friend” is who they claim to be.
• The kinds of extreme material that children and teenagers can view online.
• The nature of extremist and radical political content and how its impact can be lessened.
• The kind of content posted on pro-eating disorder sites and how some websites normalise other mental illnesses and self-destructive behaviours.
• What children and teenagers learn about sex, gender roles and relationships online.
• The potential effects of viewing pornography on healthy sexual development and the ability to form appropriate relationships.
• How to talk to your child about pornography and other sexually explicit material.
• How children and young people use the internet to date and develop romantic relationships.
• How to help your child if they have become involved in an abusive relationship.
• What internet addiction is, the main symptoms, and the long-term effects if it is left untreated.
• Why you need to remain alert to the possibility of internet addiction in children and teenagers.
• The factors that make an individual more susceptible than average to developing an internet addiction.
• How you can help your child or teenager cut down on their internet use.
• The professional treatment options available to you and your child if their internet addiction appears to be out of control.
• Why you may want to consider using tools, such as monitoring applications, to keep your child safe online.
• The ways in which older children and teenagers may try to work around monitoring tools.
• The importance of using good communication in conjunction with monitoring tools.