Online safety survey

A new survey, commissioned by legal experts Slater and Gordon and the Anti-Bullying Alliance, has revealed that 55.2 percent of children and young people in England accept cyber-bullying as part of everyday life, yet parents and teachers, the people they are likely to turn to for help, feel ill equipped to deal with the problem.

The survey, published to kick start activities for Anti-Bullying Week, which took place from 18 to 22 November, revealed that 67 percent of children and young people would turn to their parents if they were bullied online.

However, 40 percent of parents do not know how to respond to cyber-bullied or how to set up filters on computers, tablets and mobile phones that could protect them. 49 percent of parents said that the amount of opportunities their child has to access the internet leaves them struggling to monitor online behaviour, with 51 percent stating this also makes them afraid for their child.

69 percent of teachers and 40 percent of young people said that more should be taught about cyber-bullying and online safety through the national curriculum. However, 43 percent of teachers said their school did not currently teach anything about cyber-bullying and online safety. 31.5 percent of teachers said they didn’t have adequate knowledge to match the online behaviours of their pupils, with 44 percent stating they didn’t know how to respond to cyber-bullying.

32.1 percent of young people said that educating schools, parents and young people would have the greatest impact towards combating the problem of cyber-bullying.

For further information on the Anti-Bullying Alliance and to access its online resources relating to anti-bullying policy and practice visit www.anti-bullyingalliance.org.uk/1083.aspx.