Release Date: 01/02/2012

Often get beaten by your son on football manager? Does your daughter get the football results on her phone before you?

Feel they know more about the internet than you? Think you know how to keep your family safe online?

The Irish Football Association has teamed up with the Child Exploitation and Online Protection (CEOP) Centre, to teach families how to keep up with their children online and keep them safe.

The internet is central to all of our family’s lives, it is how we stay in touch, play and learn. But don’t forget, it’s a public place. Whilst it brings many benefits and opportunities,  it can sometimes present challenges and as a parent/guardian feel a bit overwhelming.

Each year, CEOP celebrates an international day of action called Safer Internet Day (SID). It is used to highlight the importance of educating children and young people about their online safety and this year, the Irish FA is supporting SID and encouraging as many parents/guardians, coaches and club Welfare Officers to get on board!

It is just as important to be involved in your children’s life online, as it is offline. Just as you would ask about their friends at school or the clubs they go to, we want parents and those responsible for children, to start asking about the people they meet online, the sites they visit and the things they enjoy.

To help get you started, the CEOP Centre are releasing the ‘Parents’ and Carers’ Guide to the Internet’ - a short, entertaining TV-style programme looking at what it’s like to bring up children in the online world. The programme will help you to:

 Stay up-to-date with the technology your children are using;
 Understand steps you can take to keep your children safe online; and
 Know what action to take and where to seek further support if things go wrong.

The Irish FA and the CEOP Centre are encouraging parents to view The ‘Parents’ and Carers’ Guide to the Internet’ online, which will be available on Tuesday 7 February.

Visit www.thinkuknow.co.uk/parents or www.irishfa.com/grassroots/childprotection/online-safety  to watch the programme and access information on how to keep your family safe online.

CEOP is also offering a new trailer for Safer Internet Day which is available to view now. This is a short ‘snippet’ that gives a brief overview of the longer 20-minute TV-style programme ‘The Parents’ and Carer’s Guide to the Internet’, which will be available on the 7th February. 

To view it, please log onto www.youtube.com/ceop.

« Go Back