Parents given advice on internet safety ahead of PC rollout

Parents can help their children to surf safely

The government has developed a new facility on the training web site Myguide to help parents manage the risks children can face on the internet.

The service has been launched following the Safer Children in a Digital World review of internet safety conducted by Dr Tanya Byron, ahead of the national rollout in December of the Home Access programme providing computers to pupils in families unable to afford them, together with internet connectivity.

The course covers top parental concerns about the internet, from phishing and spam to extremist web sites and the dangers posed by chat rooms, file sharing and stealth marketing.

Children's minister Delyth Morgan said the service is designed for parents new to the internet who need to know more about the risks involved and how to manage them while supporting their children's learning.

Byron said the new resource "means that parents just beginning to learn about the internet can from the outset learn how to keep their children safe and savvy online”.

The Home Access programme announced by prime minister Gordon Brown in September 2008 has provided 11,700 grants to low-income eligible families to enable learners to get online at home, to support their learning and to help parents and carers get more involved, with pilots taking place in Oldham and Suffolk.

The scheme will initially target learners in school years three to nine.