Where does bullying occur? Where does bullying occur? OFSTED Report 2008OFSTED Report 2008

• 55% at school55% at school

• 24% at home24% at home

• 18% around where children live18% around where children live

• 12% around where children go to 12% around where children go to schoolschool

• 11% travelling from one place to 11% travelling from one place to anotheranother

Impact on WellbeingImpact on Wellbeing

• 15% of those persistently bullied 15% of those persistently bullied thought about killing themselvesthought about killing themselves

• 22% of those bullied persistently – 22% of those bullied persistently – made them give up interestsmade them give up interests

• 25% of those bullied persistently – 25% of those bullied persistently – changed personalitychanged personality

• 15% of those bullied persistently – 15% of those bullied persistently – self-harmedself-harmed

Anti-Bullying approach at The Anti-Bullying approach at The AshcombeAshcombe

• Try to be pro-active (Anti-bullying Try to be pro-active (Anti-bullying week/surveys/key messages presented in week/surveys/key messages presented in assemblies/badges)assemblies/badges)

• Trying to avoid being tokenisticTrying to avoid being tokenistic• Ensuring pupils know the different types of Ensuring pupils know the different types of

bullying that existbullying that exist• School Council drafted new Anti-Bullying School Council drafted new Anti-Bullying

CharterCharter• Anti-Bullying Policy on websiteAnti-Bullying Policy on website• Silver Charter markSilver Charter mark

Key parts to the policyKey parts to the policy

• Defines bullying (different from friendship Defines bullying (different from friendship fall-out)fall-out)

• Distinguishes between the different types of Distinguishes between the different types of bullyingbullying

• 3 stages: pro-active approach/working with 3 stages: pro-active approach/working with the victim and the perpetrator/sanctionsthe victim and the perpetrator/sanctions

• Roles within the school community Roles within the school community (pupils/parents/staff/governors/SMT)(pupils/parents/staff/governors/SMT)

CyberbullyingCyberbullying

• No legal definition within UK lawNo legal definition within UK law

• There are laws that can be applied to There are laws that can be applied to cyber-bullying: cyber-bullying:

• Protection from Harassment Act 1997Protection from Harassment Act 1997

• Malicious Communications Act 1988 Malicious Communications Act 1988

• Communications Act 2003Communications Act 2003

CyberbullyingCyberbullying• bullying through email, bullying through email,

instant messaging, in a chat instant messaging, in a chat room, on a website or room, on a website or gaming site, or through gaming site, or through digital messages or images digital messages or images sent to a cellular phone. sent to a cellular phone. Although sharing certain Although sharing certain features in common with features in common with traditional bullying, [...] traditional bullying, [...] cyber bullying not only looks cyber bullying not only looks and feels a bit different than and feels a bit different than traditional bullying, but traditional bullying, but presents some unique presents some unique challenges in dealing with it’ challenges in dealing with it’

• Bullying UK: calls Bullying UK: calls relating to relating to cyberbullying – 77% cyberbullying – 77% increase over a 12 increase over a 12 month periodmonth period

• Online survey:43.5% Online survey:43.5% bullied through social bullied through social networknetwork

Strong relationship betweenStrong relationship betweencyberbullying and bullying at cyberbullying and bullying at school school • Less than 16% of cyberbullying exists Less than 16% of cyberbullying exists

solely on the Internet without a face to solely on the Internet without a face to face component at school (Dubit 2007)face component at school (Dubit 2007)

• Seven forms of cyberbullying: mobile Seven forms of cyberbullying: mobile phone calls, text messages, picture/video phone calls, text messages, picture/video clips, email, instant messaging, chat-clips, email, instant messaging, chat-rooms and websites. Of these, phone rooms and websites. Of these, phone calls, texts and instant messages were calls, texts and instant messages were the most commonly reported.the most commonly reported.

How does cyberbullying How does cyberbullying differ?differ?

• Both in and out of school – action can Both in and out of school – action can take place any time of the daytake place any time of the day

• Comment is able to be spread with Comment is able to be spread with speedspeed

• Always visible evidenceAlways visible evidence

• Once on the Internet, potentially Once on the Internet, potentially difficult to removedifficult to remove

Cyberbullying-Tips to Stay Cyberbullying-Tips to Stay Safe OnlineSafe Online

• Don’t post personal information Don’t post personal information online e.g.your mobile numberonline e.g.your mobile number

• Never let anyone have access to Never let anyone have access to your passwordsyour passwords

• Think carefully about posting Think carefully about posting photos-anyone can download the photos-anyone can download the imageimage

• Never respond or retaliateNever respond or retaliate• Block users that send nasty Block users that send nasty

messagesmessages

Useful strategiesUseful strategies• Devices left downstairs at bed timeDevices left downstairs at bed time

• Lead by example!Lead by example!

• Keep laptops/ tablets etc. in a family roomKeep laptops/ tablets etc. in a family room

• Encourage children to talk about what Encourage children to talk about what they’re looking atthey’re looking at

• Stress importance of a passwordStress importance of a password

• NEVER share passwordsNEVER share passwords

• Parents should create online accounts – have Parents should create online accounts – have access to passwords access to passwords

Useful StrategiesUseful Strategies• If your child has a laptop, set you up as the If your child has a laptop, set you up as the

administratoradministrator

• Create your child's account without these Create your child's account without these rights – prevents child from installing harmful rights – prevents child from installing harmful softwaresoftware

• Microsoft –easy to use parental controls – Microsoft –easy to use parental controls – create a child’s accountcreate a child’s account

• A report can be created on your child’s A report can be created on your child’s activities (most used search terms’ number of activities (most used search terms’ number of hours used certain applications) hours used certain applications)

Useful StrategiesUseful Strategies

• Save and print bullying messagesSave and print bullying messages• Make a note of dates and times of Make a note of dates and times of

bullying messages + any details about bullying messages + any details about sender’s IDsender’s ID

• Don’t pass on cyberbullying messagesDon’t pass on cyberbullying messages• If you’re being bullied, consider If you’re being bullied, consider

changing user ID/nicknamechanging user ID/nickname• Google yourself – it will show what is Google yourself – it will show what is

online about youonline about you

If things go wrong…If things go wrong…

• Communicate with school if you think Communicate with school if you think it will help: it will help:

• Let Head of Year know or meLet Head of Year know or me

• Print messages + dates/timesPrint messages + dates/times

• Reassure your child that they have Reassure your child that they have done the right thing by telling done the right thing by telling someonesomeone

What else can you do as a What else can you do as a parent?parent?

• Be interested in their online activities. Ask questions:Be interested in their online activities. Ask questions:

• Why do they like the site?Why do they like the site?

• What can they do on it?What can they do on it?

• What’s so fun about it?What’s so fun about it?

• Who uses it at school?Who uses it at school?

• Who you can talk to?Who you can talk to?

• Who are their friends on it?Who are their friends on it?

• /new gadgets-more likely to seek support if issues/new gadgets-more likely to seek support if issues

• Could encourage your child to teach you how to use a particular Could encourage your child to teach you how to use a particular gadgetgadget

• Know what to do if something goes wrongKnow what to do if something goes wrong

• Go on the school website and read the information on e-safetyGo on the school website and read the information on e-safety

What else can you do as a What else can you do as a parent?parent?

• New gadgets-more likely to seek New gadgets-more likely to seek support if issuessupport if issues

• Could encourage your child to teach Could encourage your child to teach you how to use a particular gadgetyou how to use a particular gadget

• Go on the school website and read Go on the school website and read the information on e-safetythe information on e-safety