In honour of Safer Internet Day, one of our incredible foster carers, Chris has shared some top tips on how to keep foster children safe online.
Keeping your foster child safe online:
Trying to protect a child from the risks associated with internet use isn’t as scary as it used to be. I think good communication and open conversations with the child about the risks of using the internet should trump all of the firewalls, settings and restrictions you can get your hands on, but on a balance of probability you can never be too safe! Our general rule for the use of a laptop or computer is that it is used downstairs in our lounge where ‘loose’ monitoring can be conducted. If a child wants to take a computer upstairs, it’s probably a good idea to use some of the settings mentioned below.
Managing access to the internet:
Most internet providers now include child safe security which can be set up and adjusted from a simple mobile app. For example, our internet provider allows us to ‘tag’ children’s devices through the app setting different restrictions for their devices than the limitations to our own. You can either use the settings set by the internet provider as a generalised restriction (a set of websites and keywords determined by them to automatically restrict) or you can manually allow or restrict certain websites by typing them in yourself. E.g. adding YouTube, Instagram or other social media sites to the allowed websites if the child in question is mature enough to have access to this.
In addition to allowing certain websites YouTube has a ‘YouTube kids’ version where parents/ caregivers can create an account and restrict videos by genre, channel, age or other demographics- once again putting you in control! As a lot of devices now have adopted online access, gaming and other channels of communication it can sometimes be daunting for parents to decide between protecting their children and allowing them to remain up to date with their friends and stay ‘on trend’.
The importance of introducing your foster child to digital technology safely:
As the world continually steps towards the use of technology and AI I do believe that introducing children to digital tech is an inevitability. We just need to make sure that we do it at the right time, pace and to make it as safe as possible! Technology, if embraced correctly, can be of benefit to both parents and children for introducing routines, allowing progression, establishing trust and creating a safe understanding of the risks associated with it. For those navigating their way through the minefield of options I’ve made a list of common household devices below and the limitations you can apply to keep them safe:
Tablets:
There are kids tablets available which come with ‘management apps’ allowing parents to set time limits of tablet use per day and time restrictions so that it cannot be used at specific times of the day e.g. between bedtime and breakfast. If for any reason the child is having a rough day, or you wish to lock their tablet, it’s as simple as logging into the app and pressing ‘restrict’ which makes the device unusable until you unlock it! You can also decide what apps can be installed on the device and add or delete apps remotely.
Consoles:
Many consoles have access to the internet. It’s safest to choose one that has no internet browser or access to YouTube, that only allows children to download games and play online content with other users. Similar to with tablets, there are consoles available that allow you to download an application onto your smartphone and restrict content, games and introduce time limits to the device ensuring it’s only used when and how you have permitted.
Mobile Phones:
I think my sole biggest fear is when the time inevitably comes that my child asks for a mobile phone. Do I say no and potentially isolate them from their peers in an attempt to protect them, or do I trust them and do everything I can to make it safe? The internet is a scary place to navigate as a parent! Looking online I have found various applications to provide security and safeguard your children’s time on the internet. There are apps which I would try to steer your child away from e.g. Snapchat. On Snapchat you can restrict who can view your material, search your username and to filter ‘sensitive material’ but these settings can be easily undone by your child, meaning it only allows you to protect them as much as they’ll let you.
Device use:
As far as device use is concerned, I have found that introducing rules such as no devices upstairs at night and charging of devices to be completed in the kitchen/ lounge only adds another level of protection. When you aren’t local, I have found apps that allow you to monitor your child’s device use, and will alert you to any inappropriate text messages, search engine use, or unwanted contacted based on AI. This means you aren’t snooping on your child, but you will receive alerts if they are using the device in a way that you may wish to discuss or withdraw access to. They also allow you access to location and to introduce time limits, device restriction, and curfews.
We hope that this guidance will be helpful to you in ensuring your foster child is being kept safe online. If you have any further questions, get in contact with our team and they will be happy to help.