The safety of children using the internet concerns all of us. While there has been a great deal of scare-mongering about the dangers of the internet, going on-line does present some potential risks to young people.

The internet is a rich resource and rather than preventing children from using it frequently, we should be encouraging them to learn to use it safely. At the same time we should be implementing sensible strategies to help keep them safe. Internet safety in schools has a number of aspects, including:

• teaching children about the possible dangers, and about how to use the internet and e-mail safely;
   
• implementing available automatic safety measures;
   
• monitoring children’s use of the internet and e-mail;
   
• protecting computers themselves from risks posed by viruses and the like;
   
• implementing sensible protocols for the use of personal information about children and other members of the school community appearing on the school’s website;
   
• implementing a policy for the acceptable use of the internet.
  

  I can help and advise with aspects of internet safety in school.