We hope you all had a wonderful holiday, although it seems so long ago now!

The Christmas holiday period is a popular time for gifts to be exchanged and it may be when smartphones and tablets are purchased for loved ones. Internet Safety in the family home is sometimes one of the last things you may think about but it could really do with being one of the first, so we hope this advice will be helpful. With Safer Internet Day just around the corner next month on Tuesday 11th February, the timing is quite apt.

The BBC have recently introduced the “Own IT App” for children/teenagers who are starting off with their first smartphone. More information can be found here: https://www.bbc.com/ownit/take-control/own-it-app

Please also take a look and read this sound advice from National Online Safety website (attached).

It’s not just for kids either, we all may benefit from these pointers, neuroscientists already have evidence that smartphones are changing how our brains function.

http://sitn.hms.harvard.edu/flash/2018/dopamine-smartphones-battle-time/

Wishing you all the best for 2020 with happy, safe and secure devices.