Social media
In the case of cyberbullying, if the bullying is repeated or includes comments and pictures that you feel need to be deleted, then firstly block the bully and report the bullying to the site where the comments were posted.
The most popular social media channels have guidance on what to do if you feel you are being bullied through that channel and tools to block users, delete comments and report malicious content. Facebook for example will remove any content that doesn’t comply with its Community Standards.
Here are links to information on how to report bullying to the most common social networks: Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat.
School
If your child is being bullied by someone at school and they’re avoiding attending or their performance is affected, you should inform the school. Every school has a legal duty to prevent bullying and Head teachers have powers to discipline for behaviour outside of school hours.
You can ask to see your child’s teacher or Head of Year and find out what support they can give you to stop the bullying.
If you aren’t happy with the school’s response you can approach The Advisory Centre for Education who can offer step by step guidance. Their advice line is 0300 0115 142. Or you can contact the Head of your child’s school or the School Governors.
Police
Some forms of bullying are illegal. If you feel your child is in danger or suffers any of the following you should report it to the police: serious physical violence or assault, theft, repeated harassment or intimidation e.g. threats, abusive phone calls or messages, or hate crime.
For more information on cyberbullying visit Internet Matters. You can also find useful additional resources to help you deal with a cyberbullying incident here.
Internet Matters is an independent, not-for-profit organisation which aims to help parents keep their children safe online.
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