Protect children from the effects of cyberbullying on social media

It can be hard to detect this kind of bullying. Talk to your child about how they use technology. You can’t police their every move, but by being aware of sites they like and games they play, you’ll notice if they suddenly change their habits – a sign that something is up

Talk to your child about why people bully and help them learn from your personal experiences as well as their own observations

Discuss how the comments are making them feel, and give alternative points of view. For example, your child may hate being teased about their hair color, but the same color could be one of your own favorite features

Talk to them about why people bully. Help them see that there’s no need to change their appearance or try to conform in response

If you think the issue needs to be raised with their school, or even the police, discuss a course of action together so they feel in control

Use the “block” or "report” function against the bully – most social networking sites now have them. Some websites have buttons that let you report incidents directly to the National Crime Agency’s Child Exploitation and Online Protection Command (CEOP) safety centerOpens in new window

Save as much evidence of the bullying as you can, from text messages and emails to screenshots

Avoid responding to the bully – it will provoke them to continue. Instead, keep a record of incidents, show it to someone else, and then turn off the device