Parents who lack the skills to guide and support their children's internet use may be placing them at a disadvantage when it comes to education and job prospects, according to a British study.

The study, by researchers at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), found that children who are daily and weekly users have parents who also use the internet more often and are more expert.

This shows that it is not just children's exposure to the internet at school that matters but also their parents' experience and home access - basically, internet-literate parents have internet-literate children.

"Now that many young people rely on the internet for information, homework help and careers guidance, the more it matters that some of them are getting left behind. Not knowing how to best use the internet may have a negative impact on their education and employment opportunities," said Sonia Livingstone, professor of social psychology in LSE's Media and Communication Department, one of the researchers in a major project called UK Children Go Online.

According to the report, nearly a fifth of the parents surveyed said they did not know how to help their children use the internet safely. Fearful parents may restrict online access completely and thereby leave their children less aware of online risks, such as chat room dangers, when they do use the internet.

The report notes that one way parents can improve their awareness of the online risks faced by their children is by increasing supportive activities, such as going online together. This needs to be balanced with respect for their children's privacy, an approach that, according to the report, improves trust and ensures safety issues are more likely to be discussed in future.