AS many children breathe a sigh of relief with the arrival of the half-term holidays, your thoughts as a parent or carer could be a little more complicated, as you consider how to ensure your children are entertained and safe this week.

With the dreary October weather, it’s likely half-term for many children and young people across the region will include online gaming, YouTube videos and social media use, and less time outdoors than an ordinary week during the school term.

The internet can be a huge benefit for parents and children, as a great way to stay in touch with friends and to keep them entertained over half-term, but it can also bring risks. Children spending more time online face an increased risk of discovering, however inadvertently, inappropriate and explicit content. NSPCC staff and Childline counsellors have spoken to many children in recent years who have found the ever-growing influence of social media leads them to compare themselves negatively to others.

All of these factors can have a huge impact on mental health or introduce them to other risks, so half-term is a perfect opportunity for parents and carers talk to children about how to stay safe online.

By talking regularly about this, the same way you'd ask about their day at school, will help your child feel relaxed about the topic. It can be difficult to know where to start though, and that’s where the NSPCC website can help. There are lots of free online safety resources available at nspcc.org.uk to guide you through those initial conversations about what children are doing online.

Lots of parents have signed up to the NSPCC’s free online safety webinars, useful for speaking to young people about the internet. Just email parentworkshops@nspcc.org.uk to book a free place, and you’ll be invited to an online presentation. It’s fun and there’s no techno-babble.

By discussing the apps, games and sites your child uses, and exploring their security features together, you can help ensure they’re safe online. If you’re not sure about an app or game, there’s more advice on our partnership website with O2, net-aware.org.uk, and the NSPCC Helpline is available to discuss concerns.

For some children, online life is real life, so it’s worth remembering that it’s natural that some might not feel comfortable speaking to a parent or carer about online safety. The important thing is to be understanding, reassure them you’re there if they need you, and let them know there are resources like Childline.org.uk to discuss online concerns.

It may feel daunting to talk about online safety, especially when children use the internet differently to you, but we hope by providing advice, tools and knowledge, you can enjoy half-term, confident your children are safer online.