HELP is at hand for parents struggling to protect their little ‘digital natives’ online, as Microsoft launches the Safer Families initiative.

Have you got the safety settings on your computer or phone activated to protect your children?

If the answer is no, you’re not alone. New research from Microsoft reveals that even though 98 per cent of UK parents who have children at home agree that protecting their children’s safety online is necessary – the biggest concerns being sexual content and cyberbullying – less than half have set up any safeguards on the devices their kids use.

That’s why the tech company last week launched the Safer Families initiative.

Developed in collaboration with The Parent Zone (a parenting organisation that specialises in eSafety), the programme aims to turn parents on to the importance of online safety – and guide them through the necessary security steps.

Over the next year, Microsoft will be bringing free sessions to workplaces around the country, starting with Argos, to talk to employees about both the benefits and the risks of internet use for kids.

If there isn’t a workshop happening at your office, a series of videos at microsoft.com/uk/saferfamilies give step by step instructions for getting your security settings up to scratch.

As you’d expect, the videos are Microsoft-focused, offering advice for Xbox (both One and 360 versions), Windows Phone and Windows 7 and 8 for PCs – but as Windows 7 is the world’s most widely used operating system, millions of families can benefit.

For instance, learn how to block inappropriate websites or limit time on certain sites – a handy way to reduce procrastination on Facebook when there’s homework to be done too – and prevent unsolicited friend requests on Skype. These kind of restrictions are particularly important now that games consoles can be connected to the web and game-playing ‘friends’ made anywhere in the world.

Same goes for smart phones. Whether your child has their own or you let them use yours, it’s important to ensure phones are set up so they’re safe for your little ones.

Even if you don’t use Windows products, The Parent Zone’s website (theparentzone.co.uk) has a wealth of advice on digital parenting.

As our children are ‘digital natives’, often more tech-savvy than their parents from a young age, it’s more important than ever for mums and dads to go native too, by starting a conversation about online safety and making sure we’re doing all we can to keep our kids safe online.