As computers are becoming increasingly a common household item, many children will have access to a computer in their house and many of these will be connected to the internet. If your child is using their computer to log on to the internet, how sure can you be that they are surfing safely?

As we all know, computers are great at keeping the younger generation entertained and allowing young adults to use it as an educational resource. However, there are dangers attached to using the internet from, for example, sites that contain violent or sexual content and from paedophiles adopting assumed identities in order to deceive and lure children.

Here are some disconcerting statistics about children and the internet:

Issues

• 1 in 3 children are unaware of the dangers of using the internet.
• 1 in 7 parents have no idea what their children are viewing on the internet.

The dangers

• 3 out of 4 children who have used the internet have encountered material that has made them feel uncomfortable.
• 2 out of 5 children have encountered scenes of violence on the internet.
• 53 per cent of children have been talked to about sex on the internet.
• 49 per cent of children have engaged in sexual conversations with people they have encountered on the internet.
• Paedophiles are known to use the internet as a way of grooming children.

What they want

• 80 per cent of children feel that they should be better protected from harmful material and individuals on the internet.

There are many different measures that you can take to lessen the chances that your child has of a potentially distressing experience.

• Keep the computer in a family room and not in their bedroom
• Show an interest in what they are doing with the internet, who they are talking to - by taking an active role in supervising how your child uses the internet you can help to ensure that they continue to have fun in a safe environment.
• You can use a filter to help block out sites that you would not want you child to have access to. However, they are not 100% and are no substitute for good parenting.
• Educate your child on the potential hazards of using the internet, make sure that they know that they can talk to you about anything that has upset on the internet.

Click on the following links for more information about:

• Advice for your Child - Surf Safely
• Steps to Safe Surfing

In addition, the UK government has launched a website to give additional advice to children about chatting safely on the internet. Your child can access this site by visiting www.thinkuknow.co.uk