28/11/11 Cyberbullying - Advice for parents

The devastating impact that bullying can have on children and young people was examined last week by students in schools across Kent as part of National Anti-Bullying Week.

Under the slogan Stop and think – words can hurt, National Anti-Bullying Week highlighted the worrying trend of verbal bullying and the casual use of derogatory language.

According to figures released by the Anti-Bullying Alliance, about a quarter of 11 to 16-year-olds (26 per cent) have directly experienced verbal bullying and 40 per cent reported being bullied online or by mobile phone.

In the past, children may have passed nasty notes or written offensive graffiti as a way of bullying others. Now that technology has advanced, the use of the written word to bully others can now take place online, via emails and via text messaging – now commonly described as cyberbullying.

Rebecca Avery, e-Safety Officer for Kent County Council, said: "The internet and mobile technologies have increased the pace and scale of communication and brought immense benefits to users across the globe.

“But their popularity provides an increased opportunity for cyberbullying, with worrying consequences for both children and adults. It’s crucial that children and young people use their mobiles and the internet safely and positively and are aware of the consequences of misuse.

“It's important that schools and families work together to combat the growing issue of cyberbullying."

Kent County Council’s Cabinet Member for Education, Learning and Skills Mike Whiting said: “Some children, young people and adults can forget that cyberbullying can upset people as much as other forms of bullying. It’s easy to believe that we are anonymous online, so people can be more likely to engage in cyberbullying – not realising the consequences of their behaviour.’’

Cyberbullying - 10 top tips for parents and carers

1. Talk to your child and understand how they are using the internet and devices such as their mobile phone and games console.
2. Remember that your child is just as likely to be a cyberbully as they are to be a target. This is because children do not always realise that online actions can have offline consequences. It is important to discuss, with your child, how to be a good online friend. Role model positive online behaviour for them whenever you use technology.
3. Discuss family rules and expectations about using the internet safely. Set boundaries and involve your child in deciding what they should be allowed to do online.
4. If your child is a victim of cyberbullying, remember, it’s not their fault so removing their technology - for example, banning them from using certain sites - could make them less likely to speak to you about any worries or problems they encounter in the future.
5. Use online safety tools and parental controls for games consoles, computers and mobile phones. Remember that these tools are not always 100 per cent effective. Do not rely on these alone.
6. Remind your child never to retaliate to nasty messages they are sent.
7. Make sure you tell your child to keep any evidence of cyberbullying, for example, emails, online conversations, texts, screen prints of sites/chat messages. Try to include the time, date and, if possible, the number, username or email address of the person who sent it.
8. Visit www.cybermentors.org.uk and www.thinkuknow.co.uk with your child to get more information about keeping safe online and dealing with cyberbullying.
9. Make sure you or your child report the cyberbullying:
   1. Contact the service provider (website, phone company etc) to report the user and ask for the content to be removed.
   2. Contact your child’s school so they could take action if the cyberbullying involves other pupils.
   3. If the cyberbullying is serious and if a potentially criminal offence has been committed, then contact the police. Kent Police has information for children and parents at www.kent.police.uk.
10. Make sure you visit www.thinkuknow.co.uk, www.childnet.com or www.kent.gov.uk for more information about keeping your children safe online.

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