Safeguarding
Working across the UK to tackle child sex abuse and offering parents advice and support.
Free, 24 hour helpline for children and young people in danger or distress.
Advice on child abuse and cruelty.
Links to useful information on protecting your child from sexual abuse. What you can do.
Operates in the UK and Ireland and aims to prevent child sexual abuse by increasing public awareness and empowering people to act responsibly to protect children.
There For You Advisory Service is a non profit organisation that provides support and advice to individuals and families involved with or being investigated by their Local Authority Children’s Services Department. Support for those affected by sexual abuse and relationship abuse, including domestic violence and forced marriages.
Digital technology has become ubiquitous in our society. Most people own at least one mobile device. This has its advantages, as people now have access to real-time information and are easily able to communicate with friends, family, and business associates. People are online more than ever and sharing their lives on social media. And this trend is going to continue as new apps and platforms continue to be developed.
85% of Americans own smartphones as of 2021, with 53% owning tablets, according to the Pew Research Center. This number will certainly continue to grow. Another Pew Research Center report stated that 48% of Americans say that they go online several times a day and 31% say they are online almost constantly. Many children and teenagers will have a smartphone and a tablet, while simultaneously having access to a computer either at home, at school, or in internet cafes. Technological devices are here to stay, and they can have either positive or negative effects depending on how they are used.
Unfortunately, continual access to digital information comes with a series of disadvantages. And one of these is the rise of cyberbullying. 24/7 access to digital technology is not an advantage when the technology is being used to harass or discriminate against an individual. It can be a terrible situation where children are bullied around the clock, afraid to turn on their device for what they might find on it. The role of parents is to stay alert to the dangers of over-exposure to these types of technology.
As a resource, the internet is a wonderful place for children to learn, explore ideas, and express themselves creatively. The internet is also key in a child’s social development, helping to strengthen communication skills, for example when playing games or chatting with friends.
However, parents should be aware that all these activities often come with risks. Kids online can be exposed to inappropriate content, cyberbullying, and even predators.
While keeping an eye on what your children see and do online helps protect them against these risks, it’s not easy monitoring your kids without feeling like you’re invading their privacy. Just asking what websites they visit may give the impression that you don’t trust your child.
The key to combatting any big risk is education. It’s important for you and your children to be aware of the dangers, how to protect against them, and how to identify the warning signs. This is why we’ve put together this guide, to help both you and your kids* understand how to navigate the internet safely.
The online world offers a wealth of resources for education, entertainment, and connection with other people. Unfortunately, the internet also poses new dangers, and those dangers threaten teens especially.
Find out how to keep them safe with ideas for both parents and their teens to safely utilize the Internet