Online Safety
Keeping your child safe online
Practical guidance and trusted resources to help you support your child's safety online, at home, on the move and beyond the school gates.
The internet gives children wonderful opportunities to learn, connect and be creative. It also brings risks that can be hard for any parent to keep on top of, especially as new apps, games and platforms appear all the time.
At St Pauls we want to work alongside you. Below you will find parent guides to some of the most popular apps and platforms your child may use, and links to the national organisations that specialise in keeping children safe online.
If you are ever concerned about something your child has seen, said or experienced online, please do not wait. Speak to a member of our safeguarding team as soon as you can.
Worried about something right now?
Help is available straight away.
If a child is in immediate danger, call the police on 999.
To report grooming or harmful contact online, report it to CEOP (opens in a new tab), the police child protection command.
For free, confidential advice if you are worried about a child, call the NSPCC helpline on 0808 800 5000.
Children and young people can call Childline free on 0800 1111, at any time.
If you are worried about a child at St Pauls, speak to our designated safeguarding lead. Their details are on our safeguarding page.
Parent guides to popular apps and games
Free one-page guides to the platforms children use most.
The National College, previously National Online Safety, publishes short guides for parents and carers on YouTube, TikTok, Roblox, WhatsApp, Snapchat, Fortnite and many more.
Browse the parent guides on The National College website (opens in a new tab)
Trusted websites and organisations
Free advice and support for parents and young people.
Childnet
An international charity working to make the internet a great and safe place for children.
Visit Childnet (opens in a new tab)Thinkuknow
The education programme from CEOP, helping children stay safe online and offline.
Visit Thinkuknow (opens in a new tab)Internet Matters
Age-by-age advice, parental control guides and expert tips for every stage of childhood.
Visit Internet Matters (opens in a new tab)UK Safer Internet Centre
Tips, advice, guides and resources to help keep your child safe online.
Visit the UK Safer Internet Centre (opens in a new tab)NSPCC online safety
Advice on parental controls, sexting, online games and video apps.
Visit NSPCC online safety (opens in a new tab)Net Aware
Reviews of the social networks, apps and games children use, with ratings from parents and children.
Visit Net Aware (opens in a new tab)Parent Info
Trusted content from CEOP and Parent Zone on the issues that matter to families today.
Visit Parent Info (opens in a new tab)Childline
Free, confidential support for children and young people on 0800 1111, at any time.
Visit Childline (opens in a new tab)Worried about cyberbullying?
Bullying that follows a child home through their phone or games console can be especially hard to spot. The Department for Education and the NSPCC both publish advice for parents and carers.
Department for Education guidance
Government guidance on preventing and tackling bullying, including advice for parents and carers on cyberbullying.
Read the guidance on GOV.UK (opens in a new tab)NSPCC cyberbullying advice
How to spot the signs of cyberbullying and start the conversation with your child.
Read the advice on the NSPCC website (opens in a new tab)Still have a question?
Our safeguarding team is always happy to talk through a concern, however small it may seem.
You can find out who is in our safeguarding team on our safeguarding page. Our online safety policy is on our policies page.