Taking on the Cyberbullies

Technology is integral to young people's lives, opening up countless opportunities. But it also poses threats including the risk of being targeted, taunted and threatened via the devices they cherish.

In extreme cases, the misery caused by cyberbullying has driven teenagers to suicide and research from the Anti-Bullying Alliance suggests it is part of everyday life for more than half of all children. In its recent survey of more than 10,000 young people, Brighton-based anti-bullying charity Ditch the Label found seven out of 10 had been victims.

"Cyberbullying hurts your confidence and lowers your self-esteem," says 17-year-old Jade Wilson, a young ambassador for the alliance. "Because it's online, it is open to thousands of people all over the world and easily spread." The nature of social networking websites also means young people risk being drawn in as "virtual bystanders". Just by clicking "like" or sharing something, they're contributing to bullying.

Cyberbullying is the theme of this year's Anti-Bullying Week (18 to 22 November), which will include a conference organised by the young ambassadors. "The way to deal with bullying is sometimes seen to be to ignore it, to be the better person," says Jade. "But we want young people to speak out."

The key themes of the week include equipping young people to recognise cyberbullying, and supporting professionals to develop youth-led anti-bullying initiatives and promote positive use of technology, explains Luke Roberts, national co-ordinator of the Anti-Bullying Alliance. "It's really important everyone who works with young people knows about cyberbullying and how to tackle it, because you don't know who will be the first port of call," he says. "Professionals need to understand what's happening with smartphones and tablets rather than saying 'oh we don't understand this type of technology'."

Caring professions are at times warned away from social networking for professional reasons, but need digital skills to be able to support young people. A recent report from the British Association of Social Workers and the NSPCC found 47 per cent of social workers were not knowledgeable about how young people communicate on social networking sites.

Adrienne Katz, director of the Bullying Intervention Group, runs an annual piece of research, the Cybersurvey. While unpleasant name-calling and people talking about you nastily online were the most commonly reported incidents, young people were most distressed by photographs deliberately used to humiliate and bullying carried on from life in school.

Some groups, including young carers, looked-after young people, those with mental health issues or special educational needs (SEN), are particularly vulnerable.

Young people in care may miss out on e-safety lessons, perhaps joining a class half way through a school year, and may be more likely to seek intimacy in online relationships. Young carers are also more likely to depend on the internet for their social life, while SEN pupils may need tailored e-safety training.

Young people who self-harm are especially high risk, says Katz: "A lot of suicides attributed to cyberbullying turn out to have been self-harmers. Returning again and again to a site where you're being abused could in itself be a form of self-harm." Katz suggests a three-tier support system, with universal support, targeted interventions for at-risk groups and intensive support for the most needy.

There are plenty of practical things professionals can do to equip young people to avoid bullying and support those being bullied (see "top tips" box). Schools sometimes feel there are blurred boundaries when it comes to cyberbullying that means it does not take place on school premises, but the Education Act 2006 gives them powers to discipline for out-of-school actions and confiscate phones if necessary.

Children are using technology at an increasingly young age, so support needs to start in primary school. But Katz's research has found that 15-year-olds are the least likely to follow e-safety advice - only 30 per cent say they always do so - so this age group needs extra support. "Teenagers want practical demonstrations broken into chunks," says Katz. Role play can help and professionals should check messages have sunk in, perhaps with a follow-up quiz.

Ditch the Label is working with online teen community Habbo Hotel to deliver anti-bullying support at the point of need. The organisation staffs a "virtual advice desk" on the site. "We make young people aware that involving the police is an option," says Jon Cross, outreach manager. "We also advise them to screenshot any comments and not retaliate."

Of its anti-bullying resources for schools, material on cyberbullying is most in demand. "It's important to instil a sense of social respect, so if they see nasty comments they know not to share or like, but instead report it or even say something nice," adds Cross. "We aim to get potential cyberbullies to reflect on their behaviour, think about what they're typing and how it could affect that person - we talk about severe consequences, such as suicides."

The temptation among some professionals, parents and politicians is to rely on technology to protect children. But as blocking mechanisms evolve, so does children's ability to circumvent filters. Rather than engaging in this increasingly futile technological arms race, many experts highlight the need to build social skills, such as resilience, self-esteem and empathy.

Tracy Hobson, head of house at Ormesby School in Middlesbrough, says the school's restorative approach to cyberbullying, combined with an emphasis on pastoral support and relationship building, helps nip incidents in the bud. The school has a relationship management policy rather than an anti-bullying policy, preferring to concentrate on positives rather than negatives.

"You can't hide behind a computer screen in a face-to-face discussion," she says. "Many young people can't see the connection between what they type on a screen and real feelings." Meetings are voluntary, but young people often appreciate the chance to sort things out. "Usually when you get two young people together, neither of them meant to hurt the other one," says Hobson.

The school has a strong focus on wellbeing, with 15 staff trained as "mental health first aiders", four counsellors, an attached social worker and a school nurse, plus links with outside agencies such as Barnardo's. "Often when there's a fallout between friends, young people go onto Facebook and escalate the problem," says Hobson. "We let them know they can come and talk to us, nothing is too minor."

Dealing with cyberbullying has particular challenges including the wider audience. Young people compete to have as many "friends" as possible online, many of whom they may not have met in person. "It's a lot more difficult to apologise half an hour later, when it's out there in black and white," says Hobson. "It's also more difficult when others become involved." Bullies may be from a different area: "We can do restorative meetings for people here, but not those at other schools or who have left school."

In Nottinghamshire, young people have been put in charge of tackling cyberbullying. Last year, 15- and 16-year-olds from six schools in Ashfield were encouraged to design and deliver a model lesson on cyberbullying to primary pupils. They presented lesson plans, posters, and DVDs to a Dragon's Den-style panel of judges, with £1,000 on offer to the winning school to develop the resources.

"The lessons are being sustained in the schools' PSHE (personal, social, health and economic education) curriculum, which is fantastic," says Leah Sareen, community safety officer at Nottinghamshire County Council. The county is developing a website that will allow anyone to access the resources and launching a DVD developed by one of the schools during Anti-Bullying Week.

Nottinghamshire schools are also benefiting from a survey by anti-bullying co-ordinator Lorna Naylor, whose remit includes e-safety. The results of the survey, completed by 5,000 pupils, can be used by individual schools and on a wider basis to show where training and support need to be prioritised. "We were able to draw out data around specific groups like looked-after young people and issues like homophobic bullying," says Naylor.

She trains staff in schools nationwide, encouraging them to embed e-safety in the curriculum rather than relying on one-time outside speakers. Staff sessions are followed up with sessions for parents. Naylor has also trained children's home staff, foster families and adoptive parents, and is looking at working with sports clubs. Nottinghamshire has a model anti-bullying charter that schools can tailor to their own needs, and Naylor encourages them to involve parents.

In Brentwood, Essex, young people voted cyberbullying the priority issue for the coming year. Brentwood Youth Council decided to focus on Facebook, where much cyberbullying takes place, explains youth worker Susan Macainsh. The group of 13- to 19-year-olds wrote to Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg to ask for a banner on every page allowing young people to report bullying. "Many sites already carry the Ceop (Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre) button, but lots of young people don't see that as being about bullying - more about sexual abuse," explains Macainsh.

She is keen to promote cybersafety such as encouraging young people to ensure privacy settings are high and has used shock tactics. When some claimed they knew all about security settings, she printed out their Facebook "walls" and displayed them in their youth club, emblazoned with the words "someone's watching you". "I told them if I can do it, who else can gain access to your photos and everything else?"

RESOURCES

Anti-bullying Week runs from 18 to 22 November. Go to www.anti-bullyingalliance.org.uk for resources including briefings for youth workers and teachers and lesson plans

• Cyberbullying and e-safety: What Educators and Other Professionals Need to Know by Adrienne Katz includes guidance and tools for professionals www.jkp.com
• Keeping Children Safe Online is an online training programme for frontline children's professionals and managers developed by Ceop's Thinkuknow programme and the NSPCC. www.thinkuknow.co.uk
• Childnet International offers resources for professionals including guides to technology and social networking www.childnet.com

TACKLING CYBERBULLYING: TEN TOP TIPS

• Don't tell young people to "just turn off your computer". Social networking and the internet are key parts of their lives. Many would tolerate bullying if the alternative was disconnecting.
• Make sure anti-bullying resources are up to date. Advice for parents like "keep the PC in the front room" is outdated with the advent of smart phones and tablets.
• Give professionals clear guidance. Provide a flow chart setting out what steps to take in different circumstances, such as saving evidence, getting material removed from websites and when to involve the police, child protection and other agencies.
• Involve young people in developing and delivering anti-bullying charters, campaigns and lesson plans. They are the experts.
• Ensure all children's professionals understand basic social networking and online mechanisms such as report buttons and how to take a screenshot to preserve evidence.
• Forge relationships with young people so you can monitor changes in behaviour and so they know they can come to you with a problem. Changes can be subtle - some may become withdrawn or start picking on others, or there may be changes in attendance, punctuality or appearance.
• Tell young people about consequences for perpetrators and victims. The police could get involved and online bullying may be seen by potential employers or universities.
• Build empathy. Use restorative meetings where victims explain the effect the bully's words had on them. Group work can look at why we say things online we would not say face-to-face.
• Nominate designated staff members who can answer young people's questions and provide support. Staff should also attend sessions delivered by external speakers.
• Ensure anti-bullying policies are integrated with other policies such as e-safety, safeguarding and equality.

Rely on websites for e-safety information
All: 16%
Looked-after: 26%
Young carers: 24%

Rely on youth clubs for e-safety information
All: 5%
Looked-after: 16%

Do not really or never follow e-safety guidelines
All: 14%
Looked-after: 24%
SEN: 28%

Quality of e-safety information
Looked-after children
Not good enough or useless: 20.6%
Very good: 33%
Quite good: 46.4%

Children with SEN
Not good enough or useless: 18.1%
Very good: 35.3%
Quite good: 46.6%

Felt "very distressed and angry" as a result of cyberbullying
All: 45%
Need help with English: 47%
Looked-after: 52%
SEN: 55%
Young carers: 56%
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