Worrying rise in cyberbullying, NSPCC warns

The number of children and young people experiencing online bullying has increased by 88 per cent over the past five years, according to a new report from the NSPCC.

The report, entitled ‘What children are telling us about bullying’, shows that Childline counselled 4,541 children about cyber-bullying in 2015/16, compared to 2,410 in 2011/12.

The NSPCC has launched the new report to mark the start of Anti-Bullying Week and highlight key concerns around online bullying and related mental health issues.

In a quarter of counselling sessions children and young people were also counselled for a mental health and wellbeing issue, including low self-esteem, self-harm, suicidal thoughts and depression, and children as young as seven told Childline counsellors they were being tormented by hurtful messages from which they felt there was no escape.

Dame Esther Rantzen, president of Childline said: "Bullying can wreck young people's lives, especially now that the bullies don't stop at the school gates.

“Cyberbullying can follow them home until it becomes a persecution they can't escape. It's imperative that adults, parents and teachers intervene to protect them, because we've learned over the years from Childline callers that bullying doesn't stop on its own - left alone it gets worse.

"Schools must take this problem seriously, and above all, children must ask for help. Bullying has been among the top problems children have brought to us since we launched 30 years ago. So children need to be reminded that Childline is here for them day and night, offering confidential help and advice on effective ways to beat the bullies."

In response to the report, Russell Hobby, general secretary of the National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT), believes that ensuring all children take part in PSHE lessons is a ‘crucial’ step to allow more open discussions around online bullying.

Hobby said: “School leaders work very hard to address bullying in their schools and beyond, but it can be very hard to monitor activity on social media.

"School can help young people to protect themselves and prepare for the range of issues they need to consider in their everyday life. NAHT has consistently called on the government to ensure all children take part in PSHE lessons. Guaranteed curriculum time would allow teachers to talk about sensitive issues. Unless we see PSHE on the curriculum, children will never learn all the skills they need for life outside school. The government can make this simple change now."