Please find below links to online sites and documents that we hope you will find useful in helping keep your child safe online.

Popular Apps That Children May Ask To Use

Children love to keep in touch with each other, more and more so by chatting online, so they may ask to use some of the popular social media sites and apps. However, such sites have their own terms of use, including the age from which they allow accounts. TikTok, for example, require users to be 13+ years and the popular app, WhatsApp, has raised its age limit for UK users to 16+ years. Such sites and apps are not designed for young children to use and do not have robust privacy safeguards automatically enabled. Children using them may be exposed to adult content and have any content they upload be seen by adults they don’t know. It is vital that safeguards are put in place should parents choose to allow their children to have access to such an account. Guidance can be found on the websites listed above.

There is a specific version of YouTube that is stated to be designed for children to use. Parental controls should still be put in place. Please click on the link below for more details.

PEGI Age Rating Guide

The European age-rating system for games and apps, is called PEGI (Pan European Game Information). You will find PEGI labels on the front and back of a game's packaging. The age-rating refers not to how difficult the game is but to the suitability of the games content in 8 key areas – violence, bad language, fear, in-game purchases, sex, gambling, drugs and discrimination. Games rated 18+ years for example, may contain strong language and violence unsuitable for young chilldren.

It can be difficult to decide which game, apps and sites you allow your child to use, so we’re pleased to let you know that the PEGI Ratings App, available for Android and Apple, allows parents to check a video game or app's suitability. You can download the app by searching for PEGI Ratings on the Play Store or App Store. You can also find more information on the PEGI website.

Lucy Faithfull Organisation

The Lucy Faithfull Foundation has produced a booklet, 'What's The Problem?', that covers some of the issues parents may struggle with when dealing with children and young people who may have been exposed to inappropriate or illegal online behaviour. It explains what the issues are and gives straightforward advice, signposting to other websites and also directing parents to various helplines. The final part of the booklet helps parents complete a 'family safety plan' looking at staying safe as a family. This booklet has been recommended by Lincolnshire County Council. To download the booklet, please click below.