How parents and schools can help

Thursday, 19th June 2014

We spoke to the Department for Education and Beat Bullying about Switched On Families and the importance of parents engaging in their children’s online lives.

Edward Timpson, Children & Families Minister said:

“I welcome Switched On Families as a helpful initiative to keep children safe online and tackle cyberbullying. No child should have to suffer fear and victimisation – that’s why every school has to have measures in place to prevent all forms of bullying.

“It’s vital that children are better educated about the dangers of the internet which is why, from September, all children will learn about online safety through the new National Curriculum.

“We’ve strengthened teachers’ abilities to tackle cyberbullying by giving them further powers to search for and delete inappropriate images or files on mobile phones. We’re also providing £4 million to a range of anti-bullying organisations.”

We asked Anthony Smythe, Managing Director at Beat Bullying to weigh in with some advice and tips for parents about online safety and dealing with cyberbullying.

“The internet and social networking sites can be a fantastic resource for children if used safely. Filtering technology is one way parents can prevent their children from accessing inappropriate content, but it only goes so far in addressing the many factors of cyberbullying and staying safe online. It’s important to talk to your children about the good the internet can do, but also about the potential risks and how to deal with any problems they might have.

Open up the conversation with your children: let them know that you are there to support them, and help them to feel comfortable speaking to you about any issues and concerns they might have online.

Here are our top tips for parents:

Start a conversation with your children about the internet at an early age

Education for safety and good behaviour online should begin as early as possible, before cyberbullying becomes an issue. In the same way that you would teach them to stay safe in a new offline environment, such as the park or the street, it is important to teach your children how to stay safe online before issues arise. Encourage your children to set strict privacy and security settings on social media sites, and to steer clear of sites that encourage anonymity to reduce the risk of anonymous threats, abuse and bullying.

Take an active interest in the latest apps and online trends

Know the sites and apps that your children use; get your children to show you how they work, and even sign up for them yourself. By understanding what a social network or app is for, and how it works, you can be better aware of the potential dangers but also the positive opportunities that it creates for your children. If a problem should arise, you will be in a better position to help your children to deal with it.

Sharing is part of the fun of social networks, but should have boundaries

Encourage your children to think carefully about what they choose to share online, and how this might make them more of a target for online bullies or ‘trolls’. Explain to them that once something is posted online, or sent to someone through the internet, you can’t get it back and it could easily fall into the wrong hands. Make sure they also know that it isn’t safe to post any personal information like their address, phone number or school online, because you never know who could end up seeing it.

Make sure your children know how to deal with cyberbullying

Preventative measures can do a lot to keep your children safe from cyberbullies, but it is still important for your children to know what to do should it happen. Explain that it is always best not to react to cyberbullying, and make sure your children know how to report, block and delete anyone should they need to. If they need someone to talk to about the bullying, let them know that extra support is available online from mentors and counsellors at beatbullying.org.

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