Essendene Lodge School Principal: Mrs. S.A. Haydock
Essendene Road, Caterham, Surrey CR3 5PB Head Teacher: Mrs. K. Ali BA Hons QTS NPQH
Tel./Fax: 01883 348349
ICT BASED FORMS OF ABUSE POLICY
(INCLUDING CYBER BULLYING)
To be read in conjunction with ICT / E Safety/ Safeguarding and Anti-Bullying Policies
"Cyber-bullying is an aggressive, intentional act carried out by a group or individual,
using electronic forms of contact, repeatedly over time against a victim
who cannot easily defend him or herself."
Introduction
Information and communication technology (ICT) based forms of child physical, sexual and emotional abuse can include bullying via mobile telephones or online (internet) with verbal and visual messages. This procedure will be followed in other instances of ICT-based abuse e.g. physical abuse (such as, children being constrained to fight each other or filmed being assaulted).
Concern about a Particular Child/ren
Staff will be made aware that the child may not want to acknowledge their involvement or admit its abusive nature, and may resist efforts to offer protection. It will be made clear that this should not be a deterrent. The local authority and school will need to work together closely in order to continue to monitor and assess the nature and degree of any risk to the child.
Allegations against Colleagues
Allegations against colleagues will be treated with the utmost confidentiality and integrity. Staff wishing to make an allegation should first consult the Designated Safeguarding Lead. A concern should be shared even when there is no evidence to support it. The school’s safeguarding and child protection policy lays out clear guidelines including numbers of local LADO to help individuals report abuse.
E-Safety
The Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre (CEOP) brings together law enforcement officers, specialists from children's charities and industry to tackle online child sexual abuse. CEOP provides a dedicated 24 hour online facility for reporting instances of online child sexual abuse. The main concern for teachers is the safe and effective supervision of pupils using the internet in schools.
However, many pupils now use the internet at home for homework and socialising, therefore the staff need to help the parents understand the positive ways in which the internet can be used and also some of the associated risks. This will be done by running an annual E-Safety workshop to all parents using the ThinkUKnow / CEOP programme.
Cyber-Bullying
We recognise that the advent of cyber-bullying adds a new and worrying dimension to the problem of bullying as there no safe haven for the person being bullied. Unlike other forms of bullying, cyber-bullying can follow children and young people into their private spaces and outside school hours. Cyber-bullies can communicate their messages to a wide audience with remarkable speed, and can often remain unidentifiable and unseen.
Seven categories of cyber-bullying have been identified:
1. Text message bullying involves sending unwelcome texts that are threatening or cause discomfort;
2. Picture/video-clip bullying via mobile phone cameras is used to make the person being bullied feel threatened or embarrassed, with images usually sent to other people. 'Happy slapping' involves filming and sharing physical attacks;
3. Phone call bullying via mobile phone uses silent calls or abusive messages. Sometimes the bullied person's phone is stolen and used to harass others, who then think the phone owner is responsible. As with all mobile phone bullying, the perpetrators often disguise their numbers, sometimes using someone else's phone to avoid being identified;
4. Email bullying uses email to send bullying or threatening messages, often using a pseudonym for anonymity or using someone else's name to pin the blame on them.
5. Chat room bullying involves sending menacing or upsetting responses to children or young people when they are in a web-based chat room;
6. Bullying through instant messaging (IM) is an Internet-based form of bullying where children and young people are sent unpleasant messages as they conduct real-time conversations online;
7. Bullying via websites includes the use of defamatory blogs (web logs), personal websites and online personal polling sites. There has also been a significant increase in social networking sites for young people, which can provide new opportunities for cyber-bullying.
Because of the anonymity that new communications technologies offer, anyone with a mobile phone or Internet connection can be a target for cyber-bullying. Furthermore, bullies can reach much larger numbers within a peer group than they can with conventional bullying. Vindictive comments posted on a website, for instance, can be seen by a large audience, as can video clips sent by mobile phone. Most cyber-bullying is done by students in the same class or year group. Although it leaves no visible scars, cyber-bullying of all types can be extremely destructive.
To educate the children about the risks of cyberbullying and associated internet risks through anti-bullying week, PHSE curriculum and by using the SMART rules. These are posted in all classrooms. We cover E-Safety n ICT lessons using the ThinkUKnow program.
S Be Safe
M Don't Meet up
A Accepting Emails can be dangerous
R Reliable?
T Tell someone
Procedure for dealing with incidents involving bullying
Implementation
The following steps may be taken when dealing with incidents:
· Essendene Lodge School take bullying seriously
· If bullying is suspected or reported, the incident will be dealt with immediately by the member of staff or reported to the Head teacher
· If an incident occurs, the adult reports to the Head teacher/DSL
· Parents will be contacted
· Parents and the class teacher will be kept informed and will closely monitor situation
· The Head teacher will interview all concerned and will record the incident and use appropriate sanctions.
· After the incident / incidents have been investigated and dealt with, each case will be monitored to ensure repeated bullying does not take place.
· Pupils who use the internet in ways that cause harm to others and bring the name of the school into disrepute, may be subject to disciplinary sanctions even if the behaviour took place off school premises.
Guidance for Staff
If you suspect or are told about a cyber-bullying incident, follow the protocol outlined below:
Mobile Phones ( Mobile phones are not allowed in class and are handed into the office at the beginning of the day, however if staff suspect it the following should be followed)
· Ask the pupil to show you the mobile phone
· Note clearly everything on the screen relating to an inappropriate text message or image, to include the date, time and names
· Make a transcript of a spoken message, again record date, times and names
· Tell the pupil to save the message/image
· Go with the pupil and see the Head/DSL or a member of the Senior Management Team
Computers (strong filters are in place to prevent access to inappropriate material, however, if you suspect something then please follow the guidelines)
· Ask the pupil to get up on-screen the material in question
· Ask the pupil to save the material
· Print off the offending material straight away
· Make sure you have got all pages in the right order and that there are no omissions
· Accompany the pupil, taking the offending material, to see the Head/DSL
· Normal procedures to interview pupils and to take statements will then be followed particularly if a child protection issue is presented.
The role of parents
Parents who are concerned that their child is bullied or bullying, should contact their child’s class teacher immediately.
Parents have a responsibility to support the school’s anti-bullying policy and to actively encourage their child to be a positive member of the school.
Monitoring, evaluation and review
The school will review this policy annually and assess its implementation and effectiveness. The policy will be promoted and implemented throughout the school.
To be reviewed September 2018
Ms Skinner
September 2017
www.essendenelodge.co.uk
Essendene Lodge School Ltd Registered in England No 7870020
Registered Office Essendene Road Caterham Surrey CR3 5PB