Cyberbullying: A Need To Know Guide

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2 Bullying has always been a problem within schools; for many children, and adults, it is as much a part of school life as homework or hopscotch. However, it doesn t have to be an unavoidable part of school life. No child deserves to be bullied, and it should be treated as completely unacceptable behaviour in all schools. Recently, a new menace has appeared - so new, in fact, that many schools still don t know how to properly deal with it. Cyberbullying differs from other forms of bullying in that it can happen 24 hours a day, seven days a week - and reach a victim wherever they are. Schools, of course, have become a breeding ground for cyberbullies. So, with help from e-safety Adviser s Alan Mackenzie, we ve put together a Need To Know Guide to help you combat cyberbullying in your school. A definition of cyberbullying. Cyberbullying is so named because it largely takes place in cyberspace: In internet forums, social media sites and applications and via . But it can encompass any type of bullying that uses technology, like mobile phone text messages. In recent years, social networking sites have become places that cyberbullying happens all too much. The most common forms of cyberbullying are those via social networking services such as Facebook, Twitter, and the widely reported Ask.FM, says Alan Mackenzie. These are the most common simply due to the fact that the large majority of teenagers, and significant majority of younger children, will have accounts on one or more social media services. The fact that social networking sites are so widely used by children, and on a daily basis, means that innocent discussions and messages can actually become, or be viewed as, offensive and upsetting. It is easy to say something without thinking or to say something which can be taken out of context, says Alan. Another reason why cyberbullying is rife online is because written communication via technology often gives children greater confidence. Not having actual human contact, or even being able to see the recipient or be seen by the recipient, means there can be a feeling of invincibility - the "you can't touch me" attitude, or the misconception of anonymity. Page 2

3 Cyberbullying can be far more invasive than other forms of bullying, and the nature of social media sites - where thousands of children can be linked together through friends - means nasty words and offensive comments can spread faster, ultimately causing more harm and distress to the victim. Unlike being bullied at school, which you can escape from when you go home, with cyberbullying it can feel like there s no escape. For these reasons, cyberbullying is now a massive priority in schools around the world; for example, part of an Ofsted inspection now includes a review of the school s safeguarding and e-safety policies, to ensure enough is being done to prevent problems like cyberbullying. Two BBC videos about cyberbullying, which are a good resource for educating children and teaching staff on the subject, can be found here. Prevention is better than the cure. In order for any prevention, schools must be aware of what cyberbullying actually is, how prevalent it is, and the effects/consequences, says Alan. Awareness is important with the students, but equally it is just as important with all (not just teaching) staff, parents and governors. We recommend an initial training session for your staff about cyberbullying, so everyone understands the problem and why/how it should be prevented - or at least discussing cyberbullying with them. You also need to interact with pupils in your school regularly so they understand cyberbullying and know when to report it. Raising awareness of cyberbullying and the consequences of becoming a cyberbully should help deter those who ever consider it. Regular, engaging discussions with the students will give the school a good understanding of whether cyberbullying is a particular problem at the school and how big or small that problem is, which in turn will give a good indication of what needs to be done to tackle any issues that come to light. Children should be aware of what cyberbullying is. Conducting regular, engaging discussions in school ensures the seriousness, and the consequences, are always front of mind for your pupils. Facilitating a two-way discussion allows pupils to express their views on the subject, and even bring to light situations where they may felt threatened or hurt. Says Alan: It is wrong to "teach" cyberbullying. What is important is that students are aware of what it is, and the consequences of cyberbullying not only to others but to themselves too. Page 3

4 Many children will not understand that some comments could be construed as bullying, and may also not understand the devastating consequences that bullying can have. These matters should be discussed with the students, allowing them to put their own thoughts and viewpoints over. It is also important to instill resilience and empathy. Resilience because not all comments are bullying comments, but are viewpoints taken out of context. Empathy so that the potential bully can see the effect that comments have on others. Schools are required to have anti-bullying policies in place. The DfE states that is is compulsory for schools to enforce measures that will encourage good behaviour and prevent all forms of bullying. Therefore, the first step after educating staff and pupils is to create an anti-bullying policy. This is crucial to maintain not just awareness for pupils, but also guidelines for staff. If you already have an anti-bullying policy, create one specific to cyberbullying and internet/technology usage in school. The policy must also describe exactly how any issue is to be tackled. This is to maintain standardisation ensuring that staff deal with incidents in the same way. Alan says: Each case should be dealt with in accordance with the school anti-bullying policy. Ideally what would happen is as follows: An incident is discovered and dealt with in accordance with the school policy. Incident is discussed with the parents of both children to get to the bottom of the matter (was it a one-off, is there something more deep-rooted etc). School will hold an anti-bullying session with the students and with parents (alternatively a letter can be sent home to parents). In order to keep awareness high amongst both staff and pupils is to introduce a peer mentoring system. Many children will not approach an adult if they have a problem - but they may be willing to discuss it with their peers. Pairing a younger child with an older one may prove a very effective way of uncovering, and overcoming, issues. Page 4

5 Cyberbullying can affect both the school and the child. Cyberbullying can have a very negative effect on a child. Feeling upset, victimised and alone isn t where it stops - it can have an adverse effect on their schoolwork too, causing them to miss classes, perform poorly in their work - and ultimately stand a slimmer chance of doing well in exams, and being left with positive memories of their school life when they leave. However, it can affect the school, too. Firstly, it can be harmful to teachers, causing extra stress, and undermining their confidence and authority. Teachers can also be a potential victim of cyberbullying - especially if they have social media accounts. You can read more about this in our blog post here. It can also affect the school s reputation: If a serious case of cyberbullying goes public and appears in the papers - which has happened in the past with more serious cases, all eyes will be on the school. When a number of teenage suicides were attributed to cyberbullying through the website Ask.fm (the website mentioned by Alan at the start of this document) recently, the finger was pointed directly at the website operators. Mainly because they didn t have adequate measures in place to prevent cyberbullying happening, or any procedures to deal with it when it did happen. I have never visited or heard about a school that doesn't take cyberbullying seriously, says Alan. It is just that some schools tackle the issues better than others. The key, of course, is to ensure you re not a school who doesn t take it seriously - for the sake of your pupils, staff and the school itself. If a child is being cyberbullied you may notice these signs. 1. The child is unusually withdrawn. However, when asked, they may not say what s wrong. 2. They are reluctant to go to school, or join in group activities. 3. There is a noticeable change in their mood and behaviour. 4. The child and appears generally more isolated than previously from the rest of the class. 5. There is a decline in their performance and participation in school work. Page 5

6 Cyberbullying - ten facts and figures. 1. Nearly 43% of kids have been bullied online. 1 in 4 has had it happen more than once % of pupils report seeing frequent bullying online % of young people think bullying online is easier to get away with than bullying in person. 4. Only 1 in 10 victims will inform a parent or trusted adult of their abuse. 5. Girls are about twice as likely as boys to be victims and perpetrators of cyber bullying. 6. About 58% of children admit someone has said mean or hurtful things to them online. 7. More than 4 out 10 say it has happened more than once. 50% of cyberbullies report doing it for fun. Only 20% report doing it to teach someone a lesson. 8. One third of pupils report being targets of postings of their personal communications for public viewing, being victims of rumors started about them or receiving threatening communications directed at them. 9. One third of victims report being very upset by cyberbullying. 10. Victims of cyberbullying often don t know who the perpetrators are but the bullies usually know the victims. Statistics source: Stamp Out CyberBullying Further reading Ofsted: Safeguarding of children and young people Childline: Online bullying Page 6

7 About Webanywhere Since 2003, Webanywhere has provided website services and e-learning solutions to help schools communicate, collaborate and promote themselves online. As a provider of websites, VLEs, design services and e-learning content, Webanywhere is also recognised by leading organisations. They are an approved supplier to the UK Government Procurement Service, a Moodle partner, a Mahara partner and a Google Apps Authorised Reseller. For more information on Webanywhere or to get the latest education news, advice and tips via , please get in touch. About e-safety Adviser e-safety is about empowering schools and other professionals with the knowledge and resources to safeguard children and young people in a digital world. e-safety isn't about scaring people or wrapping in cotton wool; it is ensuring that everybody is aware of the risks in order to enjoy digital technology whilst at the same time knowing what to do if something goes wrong. Alan Mackenzie, of e-safety Adviser, was the e-safety lead for Lincolnshire County Council Children s Services, and has many years experience of working with schools. As a CEOP Ambassador and an associate member of the UK Council for Child Internet Safety (UKCCIS), all of Alan s training as the e-safety Adviser is delivered to fit the needs of every individual school. Through his training sessions schools can understand how e-safety should never be a barrier to innovative use of technology in school. If you would like to book an e-safety training session for your school, please get in touch. Telephone: free-guides@webanywhere.co.uk Web: Page 7