As a children's author reaching out to parents, schools and their children, have you thought about how visible you are online?
One of the first things that people do when they want to know more about someone is to look them up online. Even little children can do this using the dictate feature on a mobile phone or tablet, as modelled by the older children and adults around them.
More children have been introduced to the internet and online communities in recent months through home learning, and they are increasingly able to find their way around independently.
As a writer or illustrator of books for children, you have a responsibility to ensure that your online profile is appropriate for your young visitors and that you know your responsibilities as a role model.
Use the checklist of tiles below as a starting point to make sure that children can access your website safely and that you are aware of some of the ways that you can protect them online.
If you need any further help, you can:
· Email me with queries or for a website audit
· Read the Department For Education publication ‘Keeping Children Safe In Education’.
Please share and spread this message.
Isobel Kent is an Oxfordshire-based editor and proofreader, specialising in children's literature. She also uses her extensive knowledge of children's books and her experience as a school librarian to help published authors prepare for school visits.
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