Bearings
A calm, practical way to set your bearings on family life online.

Tonight's Fast Start

Five device-level settings to do tonight while your full plan is being hand-reviewed. The device layer is the backstop — it governs every app, install and website at once, even when an app's own controls are bypassed. Tick each box as you go. Menus move; if a path doesn't match your screen, search the setting name in the app.

  1. 1

    Apple Screen Time — Downtime (iPhone / iPad)

    Sets hours when only the apps and calls you allow will work — e.g. overnight and homework. Lock Screen Time with a passcode your child doesn't know first, or it can be switched off.

    WhereSettings → Screen Time → [child's name] → Downtime

  2. 2

    Apple Ask to Buy (iPhone / iPad)

    Requires your approval, from your own phone, for any purchase or download — including in-app spending. Set up through Family Sharing.

    WhereSettings → [your name] → Family Sharing → [child] → Ask to Buy

  3. 3

    Google Family Link — Content filter (Android / Chromebook)

    Sets maturity limits across Chrome, Google Play and YouTube for a child's supervised account, so age-inappropriate apps and sites are filtered out.

    WhereFamily Link app → [child] → Controls → Content restrictions

  4. 4

    SafeSearch (Google search)

    Filters explicit results out of Google searches. On a supervised Android account, lock it through Family Link; on any device, turn it on at the search settings below.

    WhereFamily Link → [child] → Controls → SafeSearch  ·  or visit google.com/safesearch

  5. 5

    Broadband adult-content filter (your home Wi-Fi)

    A network-level filter from your broadband provider that blocks adult sites on every device using your home Wi-Fi — a layer that works even on devices without their own controls.

    WhereProvider account → Broadband / Wi-Fi → Parental controls or Content filter → turn on

One thing that makes the rest work: set your child's real date of birth on every account. Almost every protection keys off the birthday — get the age right and the defaults do more of the work for you. A device passcode your child doesn't know keeps these five from being switched back off.

If something has already happened

In immediate danger, call 999. To report a sexual or grooming concern online: CEOP (ceop.police.uk/safety-centre). To remove a nude image of an under-18: Report Remove via Childline. NSPCC 0808 800 5000 · Childline 0800 1111. These are the official services for incidents — this card is for setup, not for handling an emergency.