The internet can be an extremely useful tool in supporting the puberty education of children with intellectual disability and autism spectrum disorder. As you journey through Planet Puberty, you’ll find that there are lots of strategies we suggest that involve utilising tablets, phones, YouTube and other different digital platforms to assist your child in things like communication, visual scheduling and creating social stories. Internet connected devices can also be a much-needed support for parents, especially when you want some private time or when your child wants some entertainment! See Self-Care.
Parents are often concerned about their child’s access to the internet and how they can keep them safe. Depending on the devices or apps your child commonly uses, they may have varying degrees of access to different parts of the internet. Here are some suggestions to help keep your child safe and cyber-smart online:
- how long you spend online
- what types of websites and games can be visited
- what is acceptable online behaviour
- what to do if you see something that makes you feel bad
- make sure their social media profiles are able to be viewed only by ‘friends’
- set their profiles so that they have to approve pictures before they are tagged in them
- delete contacts that they don’t actually know
- familiarise themselves with the report and block buttons.
- make sure your child feels confident in blocking and reporting any content or contact they receive that makes them feel unsafe. The person will not know you have reported them so it is safe to do.
- delete any requests you receive from strangers.
- full name
- address
- phone number
- school name or photos of their school uniform
- how long you spend online
- what types of websites and games can be visited
- what is acceptable online behaviour
- what to do if you see something that makes you feel bad
- make sure their social media profiles are able to be viewed only by ‘friends’
- set their profiles so that they have to approve pictures before they are tagged in them
- delete contacts that they don’t actually know
- familiarise themselves with the report and block buttons.
- make sure your child feels confident in blocking and reporting any content or contact they receive that makes them feel unsafe. The person will not know you have reported them so it is safe to do.
- delete any requests you receive from strangers.
- full name
- address
- phone number
- school name or photos of their school uniform
- how long you spend online
- what types of websites and games can be visited
- what is acceptable online behaviour
- what to do if you see something that makes you feel bad
- make sure their social media profiles are able to be viewed only by ‘friends’
- set their profiles so that they have to approve pictures before they are tagged in them
- delete contacts that they don’t actually know
- familiarise themselves with the report and block buttons.
- make sure your child feels confident in blocking and reporting any content or contact they receive that makes them feel unsafe. The person will not know you have reported them so it is safe to do.
- delete any requests you receive from strangers.
- full name
- address
- phone number
- school name or photos of their school uniform
- how long you spend online
- what types of websites and games can be visited
- what is acceptable online behaviour
- what to do if you see something that makes you feel bad
- make sure their social media profiles are able to be viewed only by ‘friends’
- set their profiles so that they have to approve pictures before they are tagged in them
- delete contacts that they don’t actually know
- familiarise themselves with the report and block buttons.
- make sure your child feels confident in blocking and reporting any content or contact they receive that makes them feel unsafe. The person will not know you have reported them so it is safe to do.
- delete any requests you receive from strangers.
- full name
- address
- phone number
- school name or photos of their school uniform