This document provides information for parents on guiding children's use of technology at different age groups. For 5-7 year olds, it emphasizes the need for adult supervision of online activities and setting rules. It also notes that some children this age may access content not intended for their age. The document provides checklists for parents on discussing internet safety and setting controls for children at ages 5-7, 8-11, 12-14, and 15+. It stresses the importance of open communication and addressing challenges appropriate for each age as children's internet use evolves.

1. 5-7
Technology is part of your child’s life before they start primary school. They’re probably using the computer,
the internet and interactive TV for fun – watching programmes on the CBeebies TV channel and website or
taking part in the Club Penguin chat rooms…but they still need adult guidance and supervision.
Websites like CBeebies and Club Penguin, which are aimed at younger children, have strict safety and
privacy rules to help protect your kids when they’re online. But we also know that some 5-7 year olds have
their own mobile (or know how to use their parents’ mobile), watch videos on sites like YouTube and are
influenced by what their older siblings do, so you can’t assume that they’re only accessing age-appropriate
content and that they’re not already taking risks online.
“[Between 5 and 11 years old] is the time when children begin exploring websites beyond the boundaries
originally set for them by their parents and also when they start playing a wider range of video games” -
(Source: The Byron Review, March 2008)
According to Web Aware, 5-7 year olds might take what they read at face value and might be frightened by
things they see online. It’s therefore crucial that you guide them through their digital world and understand
how to deal with things like cyberbullying and security issues, even at this young age.
You’ll find lots of information on this website to help you stay one step ahead. Get to grips with the
technology they’re using and learn how you can get more involved.
Here’s a quick checklist to get you started with your 5-7 year olds but don’t forget to read all the other
interesting articles on this website – it’s good to be prepared for new things as they get older.

2. Checklist
• Don’t assume that they’re too young to have a conversation about internet and mobile
safety. Research in the US in early 2011 revealed that around 80% of children between 0 and 5
who use the internet do so on at least a weekly basis
• Set up Parental Controls on the computer your child uses – but remember, they might not be 100%
accurate and they aren’t a replacement for parental supervision
• Set up Safe Search on your search engine so they can only access age-appropriate content when
they’re searching the Web
• Keep an eye on what their older brother or sister is teaching them about technology and what
devices they might have access to
• If you (or an older sibling) give your child a mobile or laptop to play on, make sure they can’t access
inappropriate content on it
• Start teaching them to keep their personal information to themselves
• Set the ground rules now so that they become routine – just like you do for things like road safety –
and encourage them early on to use technologies in a responsible way
• Stay in control and don’t be pressurised into letting your child use technology, such as
a mobile or games console, if you don’t think they’re mature enough
• Find out how they’re using technology when they’re not at home with you. What rules do their
friends’ parents set? What devices are they using at school?
• Regularly encourage them to come to you if they feel scared or unhappy about anything that
happens when they’re using technology and don’t threaten to take their internet, mobile or other
device away from them as it might deter them from talking to you

3. 8-11s
If you have 8-11 year old children, your house is probably full of technology – PlayStation,Wii, iPod …the
list goes on. In fact, research by Ofcom shows that 8-11 year olds in the UK have an average of four media
devices in their bedroom.
This is a crucial age for young people to embrace new technologies and develop their ICTskills both at home
and at school…and it’s a crucial time for you to take control when they start exploring the digital world as
well as the real world.
At this age, your child might enjoy creating a virtual world on Moshi Monsters, playing sports on
their Nintendo Wii, or listening to music on their MP3 player. Some will get their first mobile phone in
preparation for going to secondary school and might want to join up to a social networking site aimed at
younger children, such as Togetherville.
But you need to bear in mind that they might also be accessing websites and using devices aimed at older
children and adults. They might pretend to be older than they are and sign up to a social networking site
that’s meant for teenagers (according to Ofcom, a quarter of 8-12 year olds have a social networking profile)
or they could download music illegally (perhaps without realising it). And they might begin to communicate
with people they haven’t met in real life or be influenced by something inappropriate they see on the internet.
“In line with the developing child…management of their media diet should start to change, moving from
heavy control to management by supervision and increasing discussion about online and gaming
behaviour” -(Source: The Byron Review, March 2008)
It pays to get to grips with all the technology your child might use and get involved with their digital world.
We’ll help you do just that.
Here’s a quick checklist to get you started but we recommend you read as much of this website as you can.

4. Checklist
• Agree some limits on what your son or daughter can and can’t do on the internet, their mobile and
other devices
• Don’t be pressurised into buying them technology if you don’t feel they’re old enough for it – for
example, if you only want them to have a mobile for calling and texting, don’t get one that has
internet access or Bluetooth
• Double check that you’ve set up Parental Controls to the right level for your child’s age and maturity
on any computer they use at home and set passwords on your own computer so that they can’t
access anything on it – but remember, Parental Controls might not be 100% accurate and they
aren’t a substitute for parental supervision
• Set up Safe Search on your search engine so they can only access age-appropriate content when
searching the Web
• Teach them how to behave responsibly when they’re using technology and to respect other
members of the online community – it’s vital that they understand this before they go to secondary
school
• Don’t forget that lots of devices have internet access (eg mobiles, games consoles and the iPod
Touch) and remember that if you have wi-fi at home, it’s easy for your kids to surf and download
stuff without you knowing
• Make it a rule that your child gives their real age when registering for websites (eg social
networking sites) so that they are protected by built-in privacy and safety controls
• Don’t assume they’re OK because they’re quiet and being entertained when they’re using
technology – it’s tempting to leave them to it but keep talking to them about what they’re doing and
check how much it’s costing
• If you choose to buy them a mobile at this age, talk to them about how they should keep it safe
from thieves and teach them not to use it when they’re walking or cycling

5. 12-14s
They’re at secondary school and growing up fast. It’s a time of change and their digital world might seem as
important as the real world to them. They might spend their evenings on Bebo, Facebook or MySpace,
watching videos on YouTube and uploading their own for others to watch; or doing research for their
homework.
You want to encourage their technology and social skills and help them become more resilient when dealing
with online risks, of course, so it’s useful to understand what they’re doing with technology and to get
involved with it.
It’s at this age that your child – who has grown up with the internet, mobiles and other devices – might take
on the role of ‘technology expert’ in your home. They’re also keen to have their independence and
relationships with friends are becoming more important. But that doesn’t mean you should sit back and lose
touch with what they’re doing.
“Adolescence is often an unstable and emotional time…there is a significant drive for social interaction…
There is some evidence that social networking sites offer teenagers a place to test various adolescent
behaviours or to take ‘safe’ risks (Livingstone, 2008)…Young people may evade and rebel if parents are
heavy-handed at this stage. The aim is to protect them from some content or experiences, empower them
by discussing risk and mediate interpretation of challenging content” -(Source: The Byron Review, March
2008)
As stated on Web Aware, although your child might feel in control of technology, they’re still vulnerable –
they might be caught out by marketing scams, be the victim of cyberbullying, or choose to explore their
sexual identity online, for example.
As the parent of a pre-teen or young teenager, most of the information on this website is relevant. You’ll find
advice about everything from blogs to video, cyberbullying to identity theft, so that you can get more
involved and help your family stay in control of their digital world. Here’s a quick checklist to kick things off.

6. Checklist
• Double check that you’ve set up Parental Controls to the right level for your child’s age and maturity
on any computer they use at home and set passwords on your own computer so that they can’t
access anything on it – but remember, Parental Controls might not be 100% accurate and they
aren’t a substitute for talking to your kids about the internet
• Ask them where they go online and who they meet – you wouldn’t let them go out in the real world
without knowing where they are and whom they’re with, so why let them do it in the digital world?
• Teach them how to behave responsibly online and respect others in the online community – eg
how to download music legally and not to spread rumours about or bully other people – as
something that starts as fun can easily spiral out of control
• Talk to them about their digital footprint – explain that any comments or images they post on the
internet now could be there forever and could be accessed by anyone, including university
admissions tutors and future employers
• Explain why it’s important that they don’t give out their personal information online
• Talk to them about how they could easily run up large mobile bills if they usepremium rate services
• Direct your child to bona fide websites for support on health and wellbeingissues, such as body
image, and warn them that other websites might contain harmful content, promoting eating
disorders or suicide, for example.
• Find out how they’re using technology when they’re not at home with you. What rules do their
friends’ parents set? What devices are they using at school?
• Regularly encourage them to come to you if anything makes them feel uncomfortable or threatened
online, on their mobile or on other devices, and don’t say you’ll take their internet, mobile or other
device away from them as this might deter them from talking to you

7. 15+
Once your children are teenagers, it might be tempting to think that they’re tech-savvy and dealing with
everything the virtual world can throw at them. You probably watch in awe as they switch from chatting with
friends on Facebook to updating their Twitter page; playing against someone on the other side of the world
on their games console to downloadingmusic on their mobile.
It’s all great fun but, as they get older, the things you need to help them to cope with in their digital world are
ever more challenging. Far from leaving them to it, you really need to keep communicating with them.
As a 2009 study by YouthNet notes, there is a need for more guidance and support for “the vulnerable ‘in-
between group’ of 16 and 17 year olds who may be particularly at risk of over confidence as they feel under
pressure to take on the responsibilities of adulthood”.
Teenagers are often the driving force behind technology take-up and innovation – just look at how they have
taken things like the iPod and PlayStation to heart – and it’s likely that they know more about it than you do.
“This period [15-18 years old] is the last stage of what we call ‘childhood’, when young people may still be
the responsibility of their parents, but are also viewed as young adults…Effective online management at this
stage will involve providing opportunities for them to explore and try different roles and identities while
offering non-judgmental support in the form of talking, discussing and supporting” -(Source: The Byron
Review, March 2008)
They might be interested in building relationships online and finding other ways to explore their sexual
identity and they might start buying things on the internet if they have access to a credit card, according
to Web Aware.
Take a good look around this website so that you can talk confidently to your teenagers about their digital
world. They might want to keep some things to themselves, so respect their privacy; they might want to take
sole control of it, so respect their independence; and they’re no doubt becoming resilient enough to deal with
some online risks themselves.

8. But remind them that you’re there for them and use the checklist below as a starting point for your
discussion.
Checklist
• Teach them how to behave responsibly online and respect others in the online community – eg
how to download music legally and not to spread rumours about or harass other people – as
something that starts as fun can easily spiral out of control
• Explain why it’s still important that they don’t give out their personal information online, even if they
are young adults and think they know what they’re doing
• Talk to them about the benefits and potential risks of location services – whilst they’re useful for
finding the nearest takeaway or cash machine, friends and strangers can also use them to track
their whereabouts
• Discuss how they explore their sexual identity online, such as the risks of posting or sharing
intimate or naked photos or videos online, looking at pornography and taking part in flirting or
dating websites
• Talk to them about their digital footprint – explain that any comments or images they post on the
internet now could be there forever and could be accessed by anyone, including university
admissions tutors and future employers
• Direct your son or daughter to bona fide websites for support on health and wellbeing issues, such
as body image, and warn them that other websites might contain harmful content promoting eating
disorders or suicide, for example
• Make sure they check with you before buying anything online with your credit card
• Regularly encourage them to come to you if anything makes them feel uncomfortable or threatened
online, on their mobile or on other devices