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Online Safety Basics

Start here — the five essentials every UK family should put in place. Simple actions, not scare stories.

🚨 Get help now

999 — emergency NHS 111 — urgent health Childline 0800 1111 Samaritans 116 123 Shout — text 85258

Report safeguarding concerns: CEOP · IWF · Report Harmful Content · NSPCC 0808 800 5000

Please do not upload, email or paste suspected child sexual abuse material to this site. Report it directly to the IWF, CEOP or police instead.

1. What it is

Online safety isn't about banning the internet — it's about building habits that protect children while they learn, play and socialise online. The UK Government's guidance for parents centres on regular conversations, private accounts, strong passwords with 2FA, and knowing how to report. These five habits are the foundation.

2. The five essentials

💬 Talk regularly, without judgement

Make online life a normal topic. Ask open questions: "Who did you talk to today?" "What games are you into?" Children who can talk openly are far harder to groom.

🤝 Agree family rules together

Screen times, shared spaces for devices, no secret accounts, and a promise that telling you about a problem is always safe.

🔒 Keep accounts private

Private profiles, no public posts, no location sharing. Review settings whenever a new app is installed.

🔑 Strong unique passwords + 2FA

A password manager for the family, and two-factor authentication on every account that offers it — especially email, which resets everything else.

⏸ Teach the pause

Before sharing personal information, photos, school details or live location: pause, think, ask. Once something is posted, it can be copied forever.

3. What a child can do

Pause before sharing anything personal — you can't un-send it.
Keep accounts private and never share passwords (even with friends).
Don't accept friend/follow requests from strangers, in any app.
Tell a trusted adult about anything that feels weird, scary or secret — you won't be in trouble.
Ask for help — that's what Childline (0800 1111) is for, any time.

4. What a parent/carer can do

Stay calm and listen — blame shuts down the conversation children need to have.
Set up parental controls on devices, routers and apps (see the Parental Controls guide).
Keep devices in shared spaces, especially for younger children.
Learn the reporting routes — CEOP, IWF, NSPCC — before you need them.
Model healthy habits — your own phone use sets the norm.

5. Go deeper

💙 Remember

You are not in trouble. It is OK to ask for help. Get help now →