Online safety – advice for parents and carers

We also provide a comprehensive Enrichment Programme (Skills for Life) to all learners which includes online safety sessions. As parents/carers it is increasingly difficult to keep up with the latest apps and websites that young people are using.

Young people are spending more time online which can be a real concern if we don't educate ourselves on the risks to them!

This is why PTS feel it is important to support you as parents/carers and provide you with the knowledge and understanding to keep your young people safe.

Please see below useful tips and resources:

• Keep an open dialogue with your young person, show an interest in what they are doing online, it is important to have open and honest conversations with them, this will make them feel more confident to tell you when things have gone wrong.
• Be responsible with how you behave online, keep yourself safe and set good examples on privacy and what is appropriate to share, you are their role model.
• Use age related security measures, ensure you use parental controls and follow the guidelines and recommendations for individual sites, they are usually age restricted for a good reason.
• Explore and understand the apps they are using, know how they work, what activities can be carried out and who uses these apps.
• If things go wrong, do not judge, be supportive to your young person and know where to report things. There are some useful websites listed to the left, make yourself familiar with them.
• Contact PTS for help and advice, our trained staff will be happy to help.