Cyberbullying: this is what you can do.

Cyberbullying puts great pressure on your child. It is logical to want to stop it quickly. But where do you start? How do you stop cyberbullying? And what steps do you need to take?

Ask for help

Do not be afraid to ask for help. Cyberbullying is very serious and hard to solve. For example, you can ask the following organizations for help:

• Meldknop
• Helpwanted
• GGD
• Police (if there are threats, discrimination, hacking, stalking or other crimes)

Gather evidence of the cyberbullying

As hard as it is, to stop cyberbullying you need to save and keep bad messages and photos. This gives you an overview of the bullying and when it happens. This information is useful to talk with school.

How do you gather evidence? Do at least this:

• Write down when the bullying happens: which day and time and by whom.
• Make screenshots of unwanted messages, photos, videos and fake online profiles.
• Save Whatsapp chats and unwanted emails.
• Save other digital data, like username, email address and IP address.
• Do not reply to messages, even if that is hard sometimes.
• Use the report button when possible, so the platform knows about the bad messages. Ask others to do this too.
• Write down what your child has done to stop the bullying and what effect it had.

It can help your child to secure their social media accounts. Block bullies and shield the accounts.

Talk with school

Talk with school. It is useful if you have a clear overview of what happened but that is not needed. You can talk with school even at the first signs. You and your child can go to the bullying contact person or the trusted person at school.

Discuss what school can do and make clear agreements. At least agree on the school actions, who your child can safely go to and how you will keep contact. Plan a follow-up meeting at once.

What should the school do about cyberbullying?

Cyberbullying often happens mostly outside school time. Is it still the school’s problem? That depends on the situation, but often your child also deals with it at school.

Does the bullying happen in a class app? Or is it done by children from the class or school? Then the school always has to do something. Your child does not feel safe at school because of cyberbullying. And even if it does not happen directly in class, the social environment at school is the base of bullying.

Is your child bullied online outside school? For example, at the sports club? Then it can still be wise to involve the school. Especially when these children go to the same school.

If your child does not feel safe at school, the school is partly responsible for stopping the bullying. The school has the duty of care to ensure the social safety of students.

Questions or personal advice?

Do you have questions about this topic, would you like advice regarding your situation, or just a listening ear? Then please contact us via 088-6050101, email vraag@oudersenonderwijs.nl or WhatsApp ons.