Leeds expert sees traumatic rise in cyber bullying cases

Teachers are facing ever-increasing pressures to deal with cyberbullying in their schools the report by Leeds online safety company Smoothwall highlights the issues that that teachers are experiencing with cases of online bullying increasing by over a third in the past year.

Research has found that 66% of teachers believe that cyberbullying is their biggest concern in their classrooms, overtaking the 39% of teachers who see online grooming as there largest worry.

A huge 62% of teachers believe that their not being fully supported on this issue; high numbers of teachers 84% would like government to do more to help train and prepare them around internet safety within their classrooms Claire Stead from Leeds-based internet safety group Smoothwall says:

“I know training is provided perhaps at the moment it’s maybe more of a tick box exercise and it not applicable to real life perhaps they need more training on how to deal with specific situations because at the moment its one size fits all”.

As well as government input teachers have spoken about what else may help they them to control the issue in their schools these include; having regular training sessions by online safety experts, clearer guidelines, government- led course and a dedicated helpline.

Claire Stead stresses, “It needs to be made clear that a verbal punch online is no different to a physical punch in the playground. They have equally devastating impacts”.

The online expert carries on to say that pressure to control cyberbullying in school should not solely be put upon teachers, it is now up to everyone to improve online safety for children