Cyber bullying is in the news again today and Relate has a special podcast aimed at parents. Go to
Cyber Bullying to download it.
Has any of your kids experienced this ? How have you dealt with it ?
Hi there
I have attached some advice from the company I work for which is great advice for dealing with bullying by mobile phone. Like any kind of bullying we all need to encourage our children to come to us or another responsible adult.
Bullying
Receiving malicious calls or unpleasant texts or pictures can be very upsetting, especially when your child has to face the bully in school or on the street. 'Happy slapping', a form of bullying where mobiles are used illegally to video and distribute footage of physical assaults, has received much media attention.
Tips on keeping your child safe
Advise your children:
To only give their number to family and friends they know well and trust
Not to be persuaded by anyone to confide very personal information about themselves or to do anything which they would be ashamed or embarrassed by if it was later revealed through a mobile phone
To think very carefully before sending any pictures and video clips of themselves - these are easy to change and could end up in the wrong hands
Not to reply to text or picture messages that they don't want to receive - the best way to deal with bullying is not to react
Not to leave their name on their voicemail as this confirms to any callers that it's their mobile
To tell someone they trust if anyone uses a camera phone in a way that makes them feel uncomfortable
Not to leave their mobile unattended
That if they want to talk to someone in confidence online, to go to www.there4me.com where they can chat to a counsellor about problems. They can also call the NSPCC's ChildLine service on 08001111
How to deal with bullying
What to do if your child is bullied by phone:
Involve the school. If the bullying is serious or involves offensive content, then get the police involved as well
If the bullying doesn't stop then change their phone number. Most networks will do this free of charge if you are receiving malicious calls.
Don't delete nasty messages - you may need to show them to teachers or the police
Further information
Here are a few organisations that offer advice on dealing with bullying:
www.childline.org - anti-bullying and child abuse advice from children's helpline ChildLine (or call 0800 1111)
www.stoptextbully.com - advice from NCH on how to stop text bullying
The Anti-Bullying Alliance (ABA) - this alliance seeks to reduce bullying and create safer environments for children
www.dfes.gov.uk/bullying/ - general advice from the Department of Education on how to tackle bullying
www.direct.gov.uk/cyberbullying - advice about dealing with bullying through mobiles, the internet and other technologies