The internet is a wonderful tool to use for learning, and children's websites can make learning simple and lively. It is fairly easy to guide younger children into using computers for the right purpose but problems can arise as kids get older and take control of their lives and actions - at this stage, the guidelines for use of the internet have to be more prescriptive.

Away from the internet, the books children read, the people they talk to and the places they visit are all monitored to an extent. Similarly, there is no reason why children can't be told what is suitable reading on the internet, who are the people they can talk to and which websites they can visit.

The first thing you can do to help ensure your child's safety when using the internet is to place the computer in a family area where people are around all the time and parents can monitor what their children are up to. Limit the hours that the computer can be used by each child by encouraging family activities such as indoor/outdoor games, hobbies and creative crafts, which automatically minimize the time spent on the computer.

There are many safeguards available to monitor and restrict access to undesirable websites. Some internet Service Providers (ISPs) bundle these tools for parents in the standard service, but there are also tools to buy that do this job.

List of such tools can be found on websites such as http://kids.getnetwise.org.

Before being allowed access to email, all children should be warned that they should only write to, or accept mail from, people they know. It is possible to monitor and control who your children email, and undesirable junk mail can also be eliminated with the use of filters. Most email software applications have such controls built in but, as with website filtering, there are also powerful software tools to help with this.

It is also important to regularly check on the message boards, chat rooms, instant messages and email contacts that your child is using. Make sure that the message boards and chat rooms that your child visits are professionally monitored and suitable for his age group - these things should be clearly labelled somewhere on the service. Check the contact lists in your child's instant messaging and email tools and question any new names you see in there.

It's important for parents to keep one step ahead in their knowledge of the uses and hazards of the internet. If you don't feel particularly web-savvy, websites like bbc.co.uk/webwise can help you understand how the internet works. Some terminology can be quite confusing but none of it's rocket science! 'Ask Bruce' on the Webwise website is a very useful area where you can get technical questions answered.

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