Tips for Keeping Your Child Safe Online

Check your child’s privacy settings

Be aware of your child's privacy settings on mobile apps, computer software and online accounts. The default is often to share every type of information with the widest audience possible; you have to “opt out” if you don’t want to share.

Be aware of your child’s location services

Location services provide GPS information about your current location to and through the apps used on a device. Some location-related apps, like maps, do need location information for some functions. You can quickly turn off location services by doing the following:

1. Open the Settings app, then tap Privacy.
2. Tap Location Services. Here you can view a list of apps that have access to your location information and a toggle switch to turn off Location Services entirely. If you want to turn off Location Services for all apps, slide the Location Services toggle to the off position.
3. Tap an app’s name to adjust its Location Services setting.

Know about metadata

Be aware of metadata in the photos you send, receive and post. Metadata can reveal information about photos even after they have been deleted. For more information on metadata and its impact on your privacy online, visit: teachingprivacy.org

Avoid unsecured Wi-Fi connections

Generally, you can call a network “unsecure” if there is no password or login credentials needed to access it.

Report any cyberbullying

Report inappropriate pictures, threats and other forms of misuse. Ways to report cyberbullying include:

• Directly to the app or website: Most apps and websites have procedures to report abuse. If you are unsure of how to report within an app, you can visit cyberbullying.org/report for step-by-step instructions.
• To a trusted adult
• To the police

Reminders for your child

• Use privacy settings to limit who can see and post on their profile.
• Limit online friends to people they actually know.
• What they post could have a bigger “audience” than they think.  Before you click “send” or “post,” think about how you would feel if your family, teachers, coaches or neighbors found it.
• Once you post something online, you can’t take it back, even if you’ve “deleted” it. 
• Trust your gut if you feel threatened or uncomfortable because of someone or something you find online. Report it!
• Personal information should stay private.
• Keep your passwords private.
• Be cautious about opening attachments or clicking on links.
• Learn about security software and how your computer and devices are protected. Always update the software on your device.
• Whether it’s your laptop, tablet or phone, don’t leave it unattended in public, even for a minute.  Don’t connect to unfamiliar or unprotected Wi-Fi networks.

Additional Resources for Cyberbullying and Internet Safety:

• Cyberbullying Research Center
• Pacer’s National Bullying Prevention Center 
• Stopbullying.gov

Nationwide in 2018, approximately 4.3 million referrals concerning the welfare of children were made to Children’s Protective Services (CPS). Of these reports, approximately 2.4 million referrals required further investigation (“screened-in”) by CPS. 

Nationally, an estimated 678,000 children, or 9.2 victims per 1,000 children, were victims of abuse and neglect. 

We've compiled some resources for you to help keep you and your friends safe.

• Kindergarten - Second Graders
• Third - Sixth Graders
• Seventh - Eighth Graders
• Online Safety Tips
• Where to Get Help

Nationwide in 2018, approximately 4.3 million referrals concerning the welfare of children were made to Children’s Protective Services (CPS). Of these reports, approximately 2.4 million referrals required further investigation (“screened-in”) by CPS. 

Nationally, an estimated 678,000 children, or 9.2 victims per 1,000 children, were victims of abuse and neglect. 

We've compiled some resources for you to help keep your family safe.

• Child Abuse
• Bullying
• Is My Child Being Bullied?
• How to Address Bullying
• Online Safety Tips
• Reporting Child Abuse
• Resources by Age

COCA's Personal Safety Program for Kindergarteners, First and Second Graders focuses on teaching children about bullying, ways to solve problems and the importance of kindness and friendship. We include a strong emphasis on the importance of telling a trusted adult if bullying situations get out of hand.

Child Abuse Safety Rules

1. Say No

2. Get Away

3. Tell Someone

4. Keep Telling

There Are 4 Rules Song

Sing this song to remind you of the 4 Rules of Child Abuse Safety (Sung to the tune of “Are You Sleeping”)

There are 4 Rules, There are 4 Rules

To Keep Me Safe, To Keep Me Safe

Say No! (shake your head)

Get Away(move arms in running motion)

Say No! (shake your head)

Get Away(move arms in running motion)

Tell Someone (make talking motion with fingers & thumb)

Keep Telling (make talking motion with fingers & thumb)

Books about bullying and kindness

“What Does it Mean to Be Kind?” Rana DiOrio and Stephane Jorisch

“Llama Llama and the Bully Goat” by Anna Dewdney

“The Juice Box Bully” by Bob Sornson, Ph.D

“Spaghetti in a Hot Dog Bun” by Maria Dismondy

“We All Sing with the Same Voice” by J. Phillip Miller

COCA's Personal Safety PRogram for Grades 3 - 6 focused on teaching children about the different types of bullying that happen and how to safely address bullying. 

Child Abuse Safety Rules:

1. Say “No”

2. Get Away

3. Tell Someone

4. Keep Telling Until Someone Believes You and Gets You Help

Bully Behavior Safety Rules - The 3 R's:

Recognize, Refuse, Report

Bullying is different from being mean or rude - Bully Behavior happens repeatedly and involves an imbalance of power.

RECOGNIZE that bullying includes: physical violence, verbal taunts, name-calling, threats and intimidation, exclusion, and sexual harassment (in person or through the Internet/through texting).

Try to REFUSE any bully behavior by being assertive. Stand up for yourself or stand up for the person being bullied.

One of the best ways to solve a bully problem is to REPORT the situation to a trusted adult.

Cyberbullying can be reported on each individual website, app, or game.

5.4 million students skip school at some point in the year due to bullying. You can help stop bullying behavior at your school by utilizing the 3 safety rules: RECOGNIZE, REFUSE, REPORT

RECOGNIZE when “just joking” crosses the line into bully behavior. There are 5 major types of bullying: Physical, Verbal, Sexual, Social, & Cyberbullying.

REFUSE to participate in bully behavior. If you are being bullied, you can refuse bully behavior by: ignoring the bullying and walking away, not reacting to the bullying or not fighting back, standing up to the bullying or getting a group of friends to help you stand up to the bullying, or reporting the bully behavior to a trusted adult.

If you are a bystander of bullying, you can refuse bully behavior by talking to the person being bullied in private and offering support, confronting the person doing the bullying, labeling their behavior as bullying, and telling them it’s not acceptable or reporting the bully behavior to a trusted adult.

REPORT bullying situations to a trusted adult when things get to be too much for you to handle.

Child Abuse Awareness

Nationally, an estimated 678,000 children, or 9.2 victims per 1,000 children, were victims of abuse and neglect in 2018.

There are 4 major types of child abuse: Physical, Verbal/Emotional, Sexual, and Neglect

Physical: Hitting, whooping, spanking, or beating a child too hard and leaving a mark

Verbal/Emotional: Calling a child names, making them feel worthless or unloved

Sexual: An adult touching a child on the private parts of their body for no good reason, an adult making a child touch them on the private parts of their body, showing them pictures or movies of adults who are naked, or any type of sexual activity between an adult and child under the age of 18.

Neglect: When a parent cannot give a child enough food or shelter, leaves them alone a lot, does not take them to the doctor or to school

Perpetrators

A perpetrator is the person who is responsible for the abuse or neglect of a child.

• 54% of perpetrators were female, 45% of perpetrators were male, 0.9% were unknown gender
• 83% of perpetrators were between the ages of 18-44 years. Perpetrators in the age group 25–34 are 41.9 percent of all perpetrators.
• 91.7% of victims were maltreated by one or both parents, either together, alone, or with others

If you or someone you know needs to talk to someone immediately, call:

281-CARE or 988 

If you or someone you know is experiencing any forms of bullying, anxiety, depression, self-harm, or other issues and wish to speak to someone, please contact the 24/7 crisis line 281-CARE. You can also text 4HOPE to 281-CARE, it will connect you to someone who can talk you through what is going on and get you help.

To report suspected child abuse in your area, call:

Hamilton County 

513.241.KIDS (5437)

Butler County 

513.887.4055

Clermont County 

513.732.7173

Greene County 

937.562.6600

Montgomery County 

937.224.KIDS (5437)

Warren County 

513.695.1546

Kenton, Campbell, & Boone County 

859.292.655

Reporting Child Abuse and Neglect

To report suspected child abuse in your county, call:

What is Child Abuse?

Child abuse and neglect are ongoing patterns of maltreatment that have a harmful effect on the well-being of a child. Child maltreatment includes physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional abuse, verbal abuse, and neglect. The effects of child maltreatment on children can be significant. Research shows that child maltreatment can cause problems such as neurological damage, low self-esteem, depression, anxiety, school adjustment problems, and poor academic performance.

PHYSICAL ABUSE: Physical abuse is the non-accidental, physical injury or cruelty to a child. It includes the use of physical means to vent an adult’s anger with no intent to appropriately discipline, and physical discipline out of proportion to the offense. Often, physical abuse results in a mark, such a bruise or laceration, on the child’s body. Severe beatings, slapping, punching, biting, kicking, use of objects for striking, burning, shaking and strangulating are forms of physical abuse.

VERBAL ABUSE: Verbal abuse is the use of insulting, coarse or obscene language constantly used to humiliate a child and undermine his/her self-esteem. 

EMOTIONAL ABUSE: All forms of abuse are ultimately emotionally damaging, but it is possible to be an emotional abuser without engaging in other forms of abuse. Emotional abuse includes chronic acts or omissions, which interfere with a child’s psychological and social growth and development. Continuous criticizing, shaming, name-calling, blaming, making excessive demands, threatening severe punishment are all examples of emotional abuse. Additionally, exposure to family/domestic violence is also considered child abuse, and falls under emotional abuse.

SEXUAL ABUSE: Sexual abuse is when an adult or an older child forces sexual contact on a child under age 18. It includes touching, fondling, and penetration. Sexual abusers may use bribes, threats, physical force, or take advantage of a child’s lack of knowledge. Sexual abuse includes: using children in the making of pornographic materials; forced exposure to sexual activity; passively allowing a child to be exploited or used sexually; actively engaging children in sexual activities ranging from exhibitionism, to fondling, to intercourse. 

CHILD NEGLECT: Child neglect is the failure to meet the requirements basic to a child’s physical development, the failure to provide necessary support and affection for a child’s psychological and social development, the failure to provide appropriate supervision, and the failure to ensure that a child has an opportunity to learn in a school or home environment.

Bullying

In recent years, “bullying” has become a hot button word that parents have several concerns and opinions on. Bullying behavior in children and adolescents is deliberate and repeated mistreatment toward a peer or group of peers.

Bullying can take many different forms. Some types of bullying are more obvious and easy to identify while others are more subtle. Physical, Verbal, Sexual, Social, and Cyberbullying are the main categories of bullying that children experience. 

Physical bullying - Physical bullying includes repeated hitting, kicking, punching, and pushing or damaging property.

Verbal bullying - Verbal bullying includes repeated name-calling, insults, teasing, intimidation, or homophobic or racist slurs.

Sexual Bullying- Sexual bullying includes repeated inappropriate touching or jokes. Sexual Bullying can also be is harassment that is connected to a person’s sex, gender, sexual orientation or sexual activity.

Social bullying - Social bullying, is often harder to recognize and can be carried out behind the bullied person's back. Social bullying includes repeated:

• Excluding or leaving someone out
• Spreading rumors
• Damaging someone's social reputation or social acceptance

Cyberbullying - sending, posting, or sharing mean things online using computers, phones, tablets, and more. Cyberbullying can include repeated:

• Abusive or hurtful texts emails or posts, images or videos
• Deliberately excluding others online
• Gossip or rumors

More Resources

Age-Appropriate Books About Bullying and Kindness to Read With Your Child

Ages 5-8

“What Does it Mean to Be Kind?” Rana DiOrio and Stephane Jorisch

“Llama Llama and the Bully Goat” by Anna Dewdney

“The Juice Box Bully” by Bob Sornson, Ph.D

“Spaghetti in a Hot Dog Bun” by Maria Dismondy

“We All Sing with the Same Voice” by J. Phillip Miller

“You, Me and Empathy” by Jayneen Sanders

Ages 9-12

“Restart” by Gordon Korman

“Hello, Universe” by Erin Entrada Kelly

“Save Me a Seat” by Gita Varadarajan

“Stand Up for Yourself & Your Friends: Dealing with Bullies & Bossiness and Finding a Better Way” by Patti Kelley Criswell

Ages 12-14

“Backlash” by Sarah Darer Littman

“Can’t Look Away” by Donna Cooner

“Bystander” by James Preller

“Jumped” by Rita Williams-Garcia 

Age-Appropriate Books about Child Abuse, Body Safety and Trauma to Read With Your Child 

Ages 5-8

“Your Body Belongs to You” by Cornelia Spellman

“Some Secrets Should Never be Kept” by Jayneen Sanders

“I Said No! A Kid-to-kid Guide to Keeping Private Parts Private” by Kimberly King

“Angryman” by Gro Dahle

“Somebody Cares: a Guide for Kids Who Have Experienced Neglect” by Susan Farber Straus

Ages 9-12

“Genesis Begins Again” by Alicia D. Williams

“Let's Talk about Body Boundaries, Consent & Respect” by Jayneen Sanders

“Consent (for Kids): Boundaries, Respect, and Being In Charge of You” by Rachel Brian

Ages 12-14

“How Long Does It Hurt? A Guide to Recovering from Incest and Sexual Abuse for Teenagers, their Friends and their Families” by Cynthia L. Mather

“Invisible Girls: the Truth about Sexual Abuse” by Patti Feuerisen

“This Side of the Sky” by Marie-Francine Hébert

Online Safety

Tips for Keeping Yourself Safe Online

• Check your privacy settings on your mobile apps, computer software, and online accounts. The default is often to share every type of information with the widest audience possible; you have to “opt out” if you don’t want to share.
• Be aware of your location services, which provide GPS information about your current location to and through the apps you use on a device. Some location-related apps, like maps, do need location information for some functions. You can quickly turn off location services by doing the following: 
  1. Open the Settings app, then tap Privacy.
  2. Tap Location Services. Here you can view a list of apps that have access to your location information, and a toggle switch to turn off Location Services entirely. If you want to turn off Location Services for all apps, slide the Location Services toggle to the off position.
• Be aware of metadata in the photos you send, receive, and post. Metadata can reveal information about photos even after they have been deleted. For more information on metadata and its impact on your privacy online, visit: teachingprivacy.org
• Avoid unsecured Wi-Fi connections. Generally, you can call a network “unsecure” if there is no password or login credentials needed to access it.
• Report any cyberbullying, inappropriate pictures, threats, and other forms of misuse. Ways to report cyberbullying include:
  • Directly to the app or website: Most apps and websites have procedures to report abuse. If you are unsure of how to report within an app, you can visit https://cyberbullying.org/report for step-by-step instructions.
  • To a trusted adult
  • To the police

Find out how to report child abuse in your area here.

Videos and Activities 

Protect Yourself Rules

Stop the Secrets that Hurt 

Pacer’s National Bullying Prevention Center 

Pacer Center’s Kids Against Bullying 

McGruff the Crime Dog Games 

The Family Safety Toolkit: Safer, Smarter Families

Is My Child Being Bullied?

Your child may be experiencing bullying if:

• Your child comes home with torn, damaged, or missing pieces of clothing, books, or other belongings
• Has unexplained cuts, bruises, and scratches
• Has few, if any friends, with whom he or she spends time
• Seems afraid of going to school, walking to and from school, riding the school bus, or taking part in organized activities with peers
• Obsession or withdrawal from electronic devices
• Has lost interest in schoolwork or suddenly begins to do poorly in school
• Appears sad, moody, teary, or depressed when he or she comes home
• Complains frequently of headaches, stomachaches or other physical ailments
• Has trouble sleeping or has frequent bad dreams
• Experiences a loss of appetite
• Appears anxious and suffers from low self-esteem

Your child may hide the fact that they are experiencing bullying for many reasons. Some kids feel as though talking to parents about bullying could make their situation worse or cause stress for their parents.

Things to Remember

• Your Body Belongs to You!
• Safety Rules: Say No, Get, Away, Tell Someone, Keep Telling
• When Using the Internet, Protect Yourself, Your Computer/Devices & Your Information
• It is NEVER a Child’s Fault if They Are Being Abused or Mistreated
• If Someone is Scaring or Hurting You, Tell an Adult You Trust
• Telling Allows You To Get Yourself or a Friend Help to Solve a Problem or Stop A Bad Situation

How to Address Bullying

If you suspect that your child is being bullied, it can be helpful to initiate a conversation that is less intimidating than asking, “Are you being bullied?” directly. Some examples of conversation starters include: 

• “I’ve heard a lot about bullying in the news. Is that going on at your school?”
• “Do you have any best friends at school this year? Who are they? Who do you hang out with?”
• “Who do you sit with at lunch and on the bus?”
• “Are there any kids at school who you really don’t like? Why don’t you like them? Do they ever pick on you or leave you out of things?”

If your child tells you that they are experiencing bullying, it is very important to remain calm and reassure them that you are there to listen and help in any way that you can.

If your child is a victim of bullying, here are some helpful tips to address the situation:

• Ask your child to tell you what is going on.
• It is important to respond in a positive and accepting manner. Let your child know it is not his or her fault and that he or she did the right thing by telling you.
• Provide opportunities for your child to talk with you in an open and honest way.
• Don’t encourage your child to fight back. Coach them to try walking away to avoid the bully or seek help from a teacher, coach or other adult.
• Ask your child’s teacher or the school counselor to develop a strategy to stop the bullying.
• If your child becomes withdrawn, depressed or reluctant to go to school, seek professional assistance early to lessen the risk of lasting emotional consequences.

After speaking to your child about bullying, it may be helpful to talk to your child’s teachers or other school personnel to get an idea of how your child interacts with their peers. Together, you can develop a plan for addressing the bullying that your child is facing at school. 

Things to Remember

There are various ways kids can show kindness to their friends and classmates every day including:

• Smiling at others
• Giving compliments
• Being polite
• Celebrating differences in others
• Including those that are left out
• Treating others as one would wish to be treated

How to Stop Cyberbullying

Recognize: Recognize suspicious and cyberbullying behavior and interactions online. 

Refuse: There are many ways that we can refuse cyberbullying. Most devices have settings that let you block the people who are bullying from sending messages. Password protect your phone and your apps, and change your passwords often. Be sure to share your passwords only with your parent or guardian. As you keep metadata in mind, it is also wise to think twice before sharing personal information or photos/videos that you don't want the world to see. Once you've posted a photo or message, it can be difficult or impossible to delete. So remind yourself to be cautious when posting photos or responding to upsetting messages.

If you see someone else being cyberbullied, though it may seem scary to intervene, offering your support to the person being bullied can make a big difference. This could be as simple as liking or leaving a nice comment on a post that is getting a lot of negative attention, disliking mean comments, or even messaging the person who is being bullied directly and asking how you can help. 

Report: Sometimes cyberbullying can become too intense or too overwhelming to be handled alone. This is when reporting is a good idea. Social media sites take it seriously when people post cruel or mean content or set up fake accounts. If users report abuse, the site administrator may block the person from using the site in the future. If someone sends mean texts or emails, report it to phone service or email providers (such as Cincinnati Bell, Google, and Verizon). In addition, it is always a good idea to tell a trusted adult about cyberbullying—they want to help!

Additional Resources

Reporting Cyberbullying Resources

Tyler Clementi Foundation

Bullying No Way Activities

Cyberbully Zombies Attack Game

The Meaning of Beep: Cyberbullying Game

Cyberbullying Videos

What's Cyberbullying?

Protect Yourself Rules - Cyber Bullying

How to Prevent Cyberbullying - NoBullying.com

Why Should You Report?

First and foremost to protect the child. The intent of the reporting law is not to hurt or to punish; it is to get help to children and families in need. All of us have a stake in the protection of children.

Infants and young children cannot speak for themselves. Often older children are afraid to use the protection of the law and need others to act for them. Parents who maltreat their children do not voluntarily request services. 

Who Should Report?

Anyone who has reason to believe a child is being abused or neglected! All of us have a responsibility to report a child we suspect may be in danger. Ohio law encourages everyone to act on behalf of children in need of protection and to report suspicions to the appropriate authorities. 

Certain Professionals, identified in Section 2151.421 of the Ohio Revised Code, are mandated to report any child they suspect may be, or is at risk of being, abused or neglected.  Those required to report suspected child abuse and neglect include:

• Attorneys
• Physicians including hospital interns and residents
• Speech Pathologists
• Audiologists
• Practitioners of a limited branch of medicine or surgery as defined in R.C. 4731.15
• Children’s Services Workers
• Psychologists
• Other health care professionals
• Clergy
• School authorities
• Employees of a certified child-care agency
• Coroners
• Day-Care Personnel
• School employees
• School psychologists
• School teachers
• Licensed prof. counselors
• Social Workers
• Nurses 

Reporting

A report can be made by telephone, in person, or in writing to the Children’s Services Agency in the county in which the child lives or was abused or to a law enforcement agency.

In Hamilton County, the Children’s Services Division of Hamilton County Department of Job and Family Services, 222 East Central Parkway, Cincinnati, Ohio 45202-1225, receives reports.

CALL 241- KIDS (5437) 24-hour reporting number

In Butler County, the Children’s Services Board, 300 North Fair Avenue, Hamilton, OH 45011, receives reports.

CALL 513- 887- 4055 OR 1- 800- 325- 2685 24-hour reporting number

What Should You Report?

You should report any child under 18 years of age, or physically or mentally handicapped child under 21, who you have reason to believe has suffered any wound, injury, disability or condition of such a nature as to indicate abuse or neglect. It is important to note that you need only suspect—have reason to believe—that abuse or neglect is occurring. Physical proof or other forms of validation are not required. It is the responsibility of the children’s services agency, through its investigation, to determine if abuse or neglect is in fact occurring.

What information should you give?

• Name and address of the child you suspect is being abused or neglected
• Age of the child
• Name and address of the parent or caregiver of the child
• Name of the person you suspect is abusing or neglecting the child
• The reason you suspect the child is being abused or neglected
• Any additional information you have about the family, such as other children in the home and ages of the children, child’s behavior, and parental capacities

It is helpful if you provide as much of this information as you can. You should not hesitate to report if you do not have all the information. We must at least have a description and location of the child. Any uncertainty regarding whether to report should be resolved in favor of the child’s protection.

You can choose to remain anonymous or choose to give your name. Mandated reporters can request the following information if they leave their name, address and telephone number: 

• Whether Hamilton County Department of Job and Family Services (HCJFS) has initiated an investigation of the report
• Whether HCJFS is continuing to investigate the report
• Whether HCJFS is otherwise involved with the child who is the subject of the report
• The general status of the health and safety of the child who is the subject of the report
• Whether the report has resulted in filing a complaint in Juvenile Court or of criminal charges in another court by law enforcement officials

Confidentiality

A report of suspected child abuse and neglect is confidential. Your identity will not be released or affirmed to anyone without your written consent, except through court process. Be aware that the reporter’s identity may be guessed by the parent; again, your identity is never affirmed. You are also protected from civil or criminal liability. By law, anyone participating in good faith in making a report is immune from any civil or criminal liability.

What Happens To Your Report?

Children’s Services begins a child welfare investigation within 24 hours of receipt of the report.  The investigation is to determine the circumstance surrounding the injury, abuse or neglect; the cause thereof; and person or persons responsible.  Investigations are made in cooperation with law enforcement officers who conduct the criminal investigation. The child welfare investigation is a social service function and can result in the provision of emergency and protective services. Ohio’s child abuse and neglect laws are not intended to punish but, instead, to help the family.  Primary emphasis is placed upon preserving the family unit whenever possible through provision of supportive services.  Children will be removed from the home when sufficient protection cannot be provided to guarantee their continued safety within the home environment.

When deciding whether to report suspected abuse/neglect, you should consider that, regardless of the circumstances, the abuse/neglect will not stop without professional intervention. Not to report is to allow the maltreatment to continue.

For questions about reporting child abuse and neglect, or about how to report in your area, contact the Council on Child Abuse at 513-684-7976.