Children are growing up with the Internet as a normal part of life, using it at home, with friends and at school and exploring its amazing possibilities. The Internet has become a vital tool for fun, communication, information, entertainment and shopping, and is becoming a central part of the everyday lives of children and young people in today’s world. Most schools are now connected to the Internet, and whether in further education or a future job, they will almost certainly be expected to be confident users of computers and the Internet.

A recent online study by the Insight Research Group (from May 5-10 2006) shows 91% of parents think the Internet helps their children explore their passions, and 77% think the Internet is one of the most valuable education tools teens have. But 88% think it's important to know what their kids are doing online.

You can make a huge difference if you talk to your children about their Internet use, let them know you are there to guide them, and pass on essential safety advice. For the great majority of children, their use of the Internet will be perfectly safe and enjoyable. But nothing in life is 100% safe all the time, and the Internet is no different. Just like in the real world, we all need to take sensible precautions on the Internet to protect our families from harm.

You can use everyday parenting skills to help keep your child safe. Just take an interest in what your child does online, either on a computer or a mobile phone.

These pages will help you gain a better understanding of the opportunities and challenges associated with the Internet and highlight how to make sure your children benefit from the possibilities it brings in the safest way. If you don't yet know how to use the Internet, you can generally get a free course or taster session at a local library, college or UK online centre. Alternatively, you can ask your children to help you learn.