Principles Call on Government to Introduce National Policy to Tackle Cyber-Bullying

The National Association of Principles and Deputy Principles has called upon the Government to introduce a National Policy to tackle Cyber-Bullying after a survey has found that there has been a 33% increase in Cyber-Bullying since last year. images-11

The findings, to be published today as the ISPCC launches its Anti-Bullying Month campaign, include:

-16% of students admit to being a victim of cyber-bullying — a 33% increase on the 2013 figure;

-Only 12% of parents knew about this bullying;

-9% of students admit to having cyberbullied another student — an 80% rise;

-Only a quarter of surveyed parents monitor their children’s online activity daily. 15% never monitor;

-64% of parents aged under 35 monitor their children’s online activity weekly, compared to 40% of parents aged over 45. (Irish Examiner)

The survey found that while 16 per cent of students admitted to being cyberbullied, only 12 per cent of parents admitted to being aware their children had experienced online bullying.

This has promted the NAPD to call upon the Government for training for not just children and teens in schools but for parents on how to monitor their childrens online activity and to detect cyber-bullying.

The results come on the day the Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children announces its Anti-Bullying Month, which will run for the month of March.

 

Digital Training Institute Managing Director and Young Minds Online Founder, Joanne Sweeney-Burke has backed the calls by NAPD to establish formal training for teens and parents in social media.

 

“I wrote the secondary school course Young Minds Online specifically with teens and parents in mind. One of our six modules is called Putting Young Minds on Old Shoulders. This module sees teens writing a training course for parents and teaching them what they know about social media with a view to filling the knowledge gap between parents and teens.

 

“I believe that our course can help provide some answers to the ongoing concerns of schools and parents about cyber-bullying and the lack of education in this field.”

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Jillian O’Toole

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