resources for pre-teens (11-13)

Here are some of our favourite resources to help you learn more about e-safety for 11-13 year-olds and pass on the message to them. We’ve also highlighted some appropriate apps as they start to go mobile.

E-safety for you

Net Aware from the NSPCC is a no-nonsense guide to social media sites and apps

E-safety for children

This film sensitises what cyberbullying means and what can be done to prevent it. A great video to watch with your child

Learning app

This free app is full of games, quizzes and episodes of popular CBBC programmes

Resources for parents and carers

Instagram parent portal

Instagram’s parent portal gives parents a basic introduction to the photo and video sharing app and offers parents support on the safety features that are available to use to give children a safer experience on the platform. Here is a downloadable copy of the parent guide to the app.

Thinkuknow

Guidance from CEOP on how to talk together as well as giving practical and technical advice.

Childnet

Information and advice for parents and carers on supporting young people online. The leaflet is available to download in multiple languages.

Switched on Families

Virgin Media’s interactive guide to staying safe online has a specific section for 11-13 year-olds.

BBC iWonder Guide

As part of our new partnership with the BBC, we’ve worked together to create an interactive guide to give you practical tips on how you can keep your children safe online. It covers 7 key areas such as “Taking control with tech” and “What kind of parent am I?”.

Parent Info

Parent Info is a collaboration between CEOP and Parent Zone. It provides high quality information to parents and carers about their children’s wellbeing and resilience. Schools can host the content on their own website and use it in any other ways (in letters to parents etc) that they want.

Parenting in the Digital Age

Parent Zone has introduced a new online parenting programme, Parenting in the Digital Age. This is free to parents and carers whose children attend schools that have taken out Parent Zone Digital Schools membership.

BBC Own It

Own it covers everything from online privacy and avoiding malware, through to dealing with everyday dilemmas children face online, as well as having fun. Quick links to charities and organisations like Childline, whose phone lines and online chat can provide urgent support should children need it, will also be available.

O2 and NSPCC online safety helpline

From setting up parental controls to reporting online bullying, you can call the free helpline on 0808 800 5002, or visit an O2 Guru in store.

Parents Portal 

Facebook has come up with some handy links, tips and tricks to help you get the most out of your experience and help your child navigate their experience. Check out the following useful resources.

Google Family Link

As your child begins using their first Android* device, the Family Link app from Google can help you set certain digital ground rules. You can create a Google Account for your child that’s much like your own and do things like manage apps, keep an eye on screen time and set bedtime for your child’s device.

*Children can run Family Link on Android devices running Nougat (7.0) and higher, along with certain Marshmallow (6.1) devices listed in our FAQs.

online them

Online Them helps parents monitor their children online with their knowledge as it relies on the consent of both to work. It’s a way of highlighting potential online risks without invading your child’s privacy or snooping behind their back.

OYOTY

A new personal digital assistant to help your child stay safe online.  It looks out for their safety through Intervention and education. When he finds unsafe behavior, personal data or inappropriate content posted by your child on social networks, he alerts them, with a ‘think-again’ message and works with them to take immediate action on the matter.

For Me – Childline app

Created by Childline it is said to be the first app to provide counselling to young people directly through their smartphone.

Invented by four teenagers who wanted to use technology to address the urgent need for confidential support among young people, the ‘For Me’ app is free to download in the UK and has been specifically designed for discreet usage.

Triple P

Learn to effectively set and enforce screen time boundaries, communicate better with kids, and much more with Triple P Online.

American Academy of Pediatricians

Use the AAP’s ‏tool to create a family media plan to help you to think about media & create goals & rules that are in line with your family’s values.

Digital Parenting

Vodafone’s Digital Parenting Issue 3 provides checklists and practical advice on keeping children safe online.

E-safety activities for your child

Thinkuknow

Age-appropriate games, activities and information that can teach older children how to keep safe online.

BBC Bitesize

Part of the BBC’s ‘Bitesize’ resources and suitable for children aged 11-14. An interactive video that helps children to recognise and avoid potentially dangerous situations online.

Google Interland

This is an adventure-packed online game that makes learning about internet safety interactive and fun. In Interland, children can learn about avoiding badly-behaved hackers, phishers, and bullies by practicing the skills that they need to be confident online explorers.

Teach your children about content sharing

Be share aware

We tell our children it’s good to share – but online it’s different. In fact sometimes it can be dangerous. The NSPCC have created these two videos to share with children to help them understand the risks of what they may do online.

Nude selfies

These four videos from NCA-CEOP Command’s Thinkuknow education programme called ‘Nude Selfies – What Parents and Carers Need to Know’ are excellent for parents to learn about sexting and nude selfies.

Apps to help children get the most from the digital world

Popjam

This app aims to build a digital community where children can share art, stories, games, photos and contests that they’ve created with other like-minded children. Children can follow friends, other PopJam accounts, and their favourite band, artist or authors.

Sky Kids App

The Sky Kids app offers a fun and safer way for pre-schoolers to nine year olds to enjoy the widest range of popular kids TV. Parents have been involved in the development of the Sky Kids app. The result is an app that kids will love, supported by safety features that parents need.