Published: Sunday, 21st February, 2010 4:00pm

Friendly guide to help kids stay safe online

by Rose Harland

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A NEW website guide has been created to help youngsters stay safe online.

The e-safety sub-group of Bracknell Forest Local Safeguarding Children Board has launched the webpages to tie in with annual Safer Internet Day, which was on Tuesday last week.

Cllr Iain McCracken, Bracknell Forest Council's public protection leader, said: "In the overwhelming majority of cases, the benefits of the internet easily outweigh any drawbacks.

"But just as we try to make sure our children know how to look after themselves when they are away from home, using the internet safely requires similar skills.

"These new web pages are intended to help young people, their parents, carers and professionals stay safe online.

"They contain a lot of very useful and important information and we would encourage residents to use them often.

"There are also links to many other national organisations such as Childnet and Thinkuknow."

The webpages contain information, videos and downloads with advice for children, teenagers and parents.

The theme of this year's Safer Internet Day was "Think before you post", reminding young people that images of themselves or others and comments they post on website and social networking services may be visible to people they do not know, including potential employers or even possibly paedophiles.

They are encouraged to adjust to make sure that they use privacy settings and do not add strangers as online "friends".

Online concerns can be reported to the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre via www.ceop.gov.uk/parents

See the Bracknell e-safety information at www.bracknell-forest.gov.uk/e-safety

Information about internet safety and other issues including careers, health and housing is also available from youth service Connexions at www.connexions-berkshire.org.uk