Internet Safety
The National Parents Council - Primary (NPC-P) is the nationwide organisation for parents of primary school children and is recognised by the Education Act 1998. Membership of the NPC provides Parents Committees with access to support systems and training programmes. For more information go to their website National Parents Council.
Parents Guide to a Better Internet This booklet will help parents to help their children have a positive experience when they are online. It provides information, advice and conversation starters about the benefits and risks they need to be aware of when using the internet. *RECOMMENDED READING FOR ALL PARENTS BY OUR PARENTS’ ASSOCIATION*
Free Online Training Course: Internet Safety - Online Course for Parents provided by The National Parents Council (www.NPC.ie)
Parents will be introduced to strategies to help their children be responsible, effective and safer Internet users. This session also looks at cyber bullying.
As parents, it is vital to have good, open communication with your child about their internet lives. Like all other aspects of their lives. We need to talk to our children about the potential dangers that they may come across online as well as the many benefits they will find.
Setting rules and boundaries around children’s Internet usage is an important aspect of keeping them safe online.
Free Online Training Course: Supporting your child to build healthy friendships and relationships by The National Parents Council (ww.NPC.ie)
This session explores what Relationships and Sexuality Education (RSE) means to you as a parent. It looks at the aims of the RSE Programme and outlines the Social, Personal and Health Education (SPHE) curriculum and how your child is taught in school. Some of the topics covered in the training are:
Active listening.
Picking good times to talk to your child.
How the school supports your child to build healthy friendships and relationships.
The aims of the Relationships and Sexuality Education in school.
Relationships and Sexuality Education and Special Education needs in school.
Creating a caring and strong relationship with your child.
WebWise
Become a Webwise Parent with our free expert advice, how to guides, explainers and talking points. Get extra support with our free internet safety guide for parents.
Parents Hub (www.webwise.ie)
Advice for Parents (www.Webwise.ie)
Advice Videos for Parents (www.Webwise.ie)
Apps explained for Parents (www.Webwise.ie) *RECOMMENDED READING FOR ALL PARENTS BY OUR PARENTS’ ASSOCIATION*
Have the Chat - Talking Points for Parents (www.Webwise.ie)
How to... guide to setting parental controls on devices etc (www. Webwise.ie) *RECOMMENDED READING FOR ALL PARENTS BY OUR PARENTS’ ASSOCIATION*
Parental Guide (www.Webwise.ie)
Additional Supports for Parents:
Online Safety Tips for Parents - The leaflet has useful tips for parent to ensure that their children have a positive experience online. It includes advice on having an open and ongoing conversation, agree rules, and leading by example. *RECOMMENDED READING FOR ALL PARENTS BY OUR PARENTS’ ASSOCIATION*
Family e-Safety Kit - Aimed at six to twelve year olds, The Family e-Safety Kit, was created to help parents share the benefits and risks of surfing the web in a fun and engaging way.
Play and Learn - Being Online Intended for 4- to 8-year-olds, this book gives a glimpse of the impact of modern technology on everyday life, through 30 pages of fun and games. Above all it offers an opportunity for parents and teachers to sit together with their children and discuss these important issues.
Top 8 Tips for Parents - As parents, the most important thing you can do to reduce online risks is to engage with your child’s digital lifestyle. These practical tips will help you to prepare your child to be a responsible internet user.
Checklist - How to deal with cyberbullying Help your child take control by not putting up with offensive content and by reporting it when you come across it. Here are some ways you can respond to unwanted messages.
Checklist - How to manage your online reputation Help your child make the most of their time online with this useful checklist for managing their digital footprint.
The #TalkListenLearn campaign for Safer Internet Day encourages parents to have open and regular conversations with their child about the internet. To talk to them about benefits and the risks, but also to listen to what their child has to say and to learn about their life online. Research consistently shows that many children do not tell if something
goes wrong online. Having conversations with your child is one of the most effective ways of ensuring that they have a safe and positive experience, and to help them to feel comfortable coming to you if they encounter an issue.
Learn more about the campaign
Use the Topic Generator
Download the Parent Toolkit
Data Protection Commission (DPC) Parent Guides
My child’s data protection rights (www.DataProtection.ie)
Children’s data & parental consent (www.DataProtection.ie)
Protecting my child’s data (www.DataProtection.ie)
Are there any limits on my child’s data protection rights? (www.DataProtection.ie)
Substance Abuse
Planet Youth is an international evidence-based primary prevention model in Galway, Mayo and Roscommon that has been developed in order to reduce substance use rates amongst adolescents. Click on the links to view the results of the 2022 report on Roscommon.
Roscommon: Growing Up in the West - Planet Youth 2022 Survey Results (www.PlanetYouth.ie)
Planet Youth County Roscommon Report 2022 (www.PlanetYouth.ie)
Planet Youth County Roscommon Infographic 2022 (www.PlanetYouth.ie)
The model works by isolating and directly targeting the risk and protective factors that determine their substance use behaviours and enhancing the social environment they are growing up in. By developing targeted interventions that seek to reduce the identified risk factors and strengthen the identified protective factors the problems associated with adolescent substance use can be reduced or prevented before they arise.
This comprehensive lifestyle survey is administered to the 15-16 year olds in each target community and it examines all aspects of their lives. There are questions on their substance use, physical health, mental health, family life, school experience, screen use, wellbeing, peer behaviours, and many other categories. There are 92 questions in the current Planet Youth questionnaire and a total of 1,972 variables; all of which can be examined and cross-tabulated.
The data returned from the survey is used to inform the development of suitable interventions in the
community that will help address the known risk and protective for young people and thus improve outcomes.
In this pilot phase of the project, there will be three initial Planet Youth surveys, conducted in 2018, 2020, and 2022.
Mental Health and Wellbeing
Parents guide to supporting your child’s positive mental health & wellbeing(www.NPC.ie)
The National Centre for Youth Mental Health (www.Jigsaw.ie) provides mental health information for young people, their parents and guardians, and those who work with young people. Get practical advice from Jigsaw Clinicians who work with young people everyday. 
Free Online Training Course: Mental Health Awareness Course for Parents (www.Jigsaw.ie)
Additional Resources for Parents:
Parents Supporting Students in a time of War NEPS Advice (www.gov.ie)
How to Calm and Support your Child Advice for Parents & Guardians (www.gov.ie)
Managing Stress and Anxiety A Guide for Parents & Guardians (www.gov.ie)
Tips to a better Night Sleep (www.HSE.ie)
Going To Big School (www.NPC.ie)
Bullying (www.NPC.ie)
Helping someone else (www.HSE.ie)
Wellbeing Catalogue of Resources Primary (www.gov.ie)
Free Ebook
Written and illustrated by Jon Burgerman
In this bright and friendly picture book, children learn that it’s okay to worry about coronavirus.
Everybody Worries offers your child the reassuring message that this crisis will pass, we are there for them, and we will get through this together.
Click on the book cover to read the ebook.
