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Children want adults to show more respect for each other ahead of Anti-Bullying Week

The results of a poll, published by the Anti-Bullying Alliance ahead of Anti-Bullying Week 2018, suggest that over four-in-ten children (41%) have seen adults bullying each other during the last six months, with an even greater number (60%) witnessing grown-ups being disrespectful to other adults.

Children said they saw much of the adult bullying take place face-to-face (21%), but had also come across it online (18%) or in the media (20%).

More than 4 in 5 of the children polled (87%) also reported having seen children bullying each other. The majority (76%) had seen this happen at school, with a third (34%) seeing it online and a quarter (27%) seeing it in their communities.

The results come as children continue to suffer on the receiving end of hurtful behavior. Nearly half of the children surveyed (45%) said they had been bullied face to face at least once during the last six months, with over a third (34%) saying they had been bullied online over the same period. Worryingly, the equivalent of one child in every classroom (4%) said they had been bullied face-to-face or online every day over the last six months.

However, nearly all children surveyed (98%) said that showing respect to each other is important and that it is possible to be respectful even if you disagree with someone else. 97% said adults should set a good example and show more respect for each other.

The Anti-Bullying Alliance, with the continued support of SafeToNet, is encouraging everyone to ‘Choose Respect’ during Anti-Bullying Week. The campaign, expected to be supported in approximately three-quarters of schools in England, takes place from 12 to 16 November.

CBeebies star Andy Day and Anti-Bullying Alliance patron, and his band Andy and the Odd Socks, have launched a new song in support of Anti-Bullying Week 2018 and are encouraging students to wear odd socks to school during the campaign to show their support and raise money for a good cause.

On Thursday of Anti-Bullying Week, the Anti-Bullying Alliance has teamed up with The Royal Foundation and The Duke of Cambridge to support their Royal Cyberbullying Taskforce to shine a spotlight on cyberbullying by holding ‘Stop Speak Support Day’ which encourages young people to become upstanders when they encounter bullying online.

Martha Evans, Director of the Anti-Bullying Alliance, said:
‘Children who experience bullying are at higher risk of experiencing a range of mental health issues and leaving school with fewer qualifications. The impact of bullying can last well in to adulthood. We need children to learn that we don’t have to be best friends with each other or always agree with each other but this is never an excuse for bullying or hurtful behavior. We must always choose respect. We are urging adults to role model the ‘choose respect’ message, and help us stop bullying in schools to prevent it from affecting so many children’s lives.’

Richard Pursey, CEO of SafeToNet, said:
‘SafeToNet is delighted to once again support Anti-Bullying Week. We’re passionate about safeguarding children’s online experience from all kinds of cyber abuse, while allowing them to enjoy all of the positive benefits that the internet and social media provide. Bullying, whether online or offline, can have a damaging effect on young people’s lives and we all need to do everything we can to choose and show respect.’

Anti-Bullying Week runs from 12 to 16 November 2018 – get involved at www.anti-bullyingalliance.org.uk / @ABAonline: #AntiBullyingWeek #ChooseRespect #OddSocks.

Our sister site, Safeguarding Essentials (incorporating E-safety Support, offers resources to tackle bullying and cyber bullying. Join the FREE Membership service for the bullying assembly resource. E-safety Support members can also download cyber bullying specific resources and distribute Internet safety training. Safeguarding Essentials members have access to the full suite of cyber bullying and bullying resources including policies, teaching resources and staff training. Find out more.

• A poll of one thousand 11-16 year olds shows 97% would like adults to show more respect for each other.
  
• 41% of children have seen adults bullying each other during the last six months.
  
• Children themselves continue to experience bullying: nearly half (45%) say they have been bullied face to face, and 34% online, at least once during the last six months.
  
• The equivalent of one child in every classroom (4%) said they were being bullied face to face or online every day.
  
• Nearly all the children surveyed (98%) said that showing respect to each other is important and that it is possible to be respectful even if you disagree with someone else.
  
• Anti-Bullying Week runs from 12-16 November 2018 with the theme ‘Choose Respect’

After a record-breaking year last year, with over 150,000 pupils joining, tootoot’s Pupil Voice Week is back and bigger than ever.

Running from the 24th – 28th September, this year’s Pupil Voice Week has more partners and resources than ever before to help schools celebrate.

With the theme ‘Use Your Voice’ Pupil Voice Week this year will celebrate all of the incredible things that happen when our children and young people use their voice to speak-up about the things that are important to them.

Children and young people are our future and hold a huge potential for the communities they are part of. We know that when children feel valued and confident to speak-up it creates a positive force for change.

We want children around the world to feel comfortable to speak-up about anything; empowering children’s voices should be at the core of everything we aim to do which is why the Pupil Voice Week activities, lesson plans and resources focus on the idea that it’s good to speak-up, and that if we want to make a positive change in our communities children’s voices have to be a part of that.

It is time to act now and work together to make sure that this becomes a reality. Sign-up and download the resources and activities. Let’s celebrate the pupil voice together.

Receive your free support and resources by signing up at pupilvoiceweek.co.uk, and join the celebration on social media from the 24th – 28th September using #PupilVoiceWeek and tag @tootootofficial.

Since 2013, Kodo Education have been supporting schools across the UK and beyond to deliver consistent, outstanding practice in online safety. Recently, we have added additional resources to our service to address wider safeguarding requirements.

To date, our online training has been completed over 130,000 times and over 100,000 downloadable resources have been accessed by our members.

However, we recognise that some of the schools who need the greatest support are those with the least resource, particularly financially, to overcome their challenges.

That’s why we have teamed up with our partners at Friendly WiFi to offer subsidised Safeguarding Essentials membership to those most in need - up to 100% discounts are available to qualifying schools.

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How do schools qualify for subsidised membership?
Our subsidised memberships are allocated based on current Ofsted rating or school status.

What does membership include?
Membership to Safeguarding Essentials provides your school with a suite of resources to support your safeguarding provision, including teaching materials, guidance for colleagues, advice for parents, policy templates and online training courses for staff. A full list of downloadable resources can be found here

In addition, our supporters at Friendly WiFi are pleased to be offering their certification at exclusive rates, with up to 100% discount to qualifying schools.

What is Friendly WiFi?

Friendly WiFi is the world’s first safe certification standard for WiFi that shows users that they are being protected online from exposure to child sex abuse images and inappropriate adult content. The scheme was initiated by UK government and industry in a move to increase online safety measures for WiFi services, especially where children and young adults can be present.

For schools it is essential to have some form of safeguarding for their students and visitors when they access the WiFi available and by evidencing that their WiFi includes the correct filters, schools can become Friendly WiFi certified. Friendly WiFi status shows they are protected and that the school is taking responsibility for the online safety and health of their students whilst providing a safe browsing environment for all users.

To find out more, download a Friendly WiFi leaflet here

To find out if your school qualifies for discount, click here