Gaming consoles are social platforms as much as gaming devices.
Your child can chat with strangers, spend real money, and access online communities — all from the living room.
Work through each checklist and tick as you go.
PlayStation 5 (PS5)
Family Management setup
☐ Settings → Family and Parental Controls → Family Management
☐ Create a PlayStation Network (PSN) account for your child if they don't have one
☐ Link their account to your Family as the Family Manager
☐ Set their date of birth accurately — PlayStation uses this to apply age-appropriate restrictions automatically
Spending controls
☐ Settings → Family Management → [Child's account] → Monthly Spending Limit
☐ Set a monthly spending limit — or £0 to prevent all purchases
☐ Disable adding payment methods without your permission
☐ Turn on Purchase Notifications for email alerts on every transaction
Content restrictions
☐ Settings → Restrict Use of PS5 Features
☐ Set Age Rating Level for Games to your child's age (3, 7, 12, 16, or 18)
☐ Toggle Restriction of Internet Browser to On for younger children
Communication settings
☐ Set "Players you can communicate with" to Friends Only
☐ Set "Viewing content created by other players" to Off for younger children
☐ Disable Cross-Platform Play if you want to restrict who your child plays with online
☐ Enable Safe Messaging — filters offensive language in messages
Xbox Series X/S
Microsoft Family Safety setup
☐ Download the Microsoft Family Safety app on your phone (iOS or Android)