Understanding the nature of cyber-bullying and what can be done to support pupils is a vital part of safeguarding practice. Drawing on her research, Dr Lucy Betts has created resources to support schools

Using digital technology and social media is now ubiquitous for most young people. Recent figures support this trend and suggest that 99 per cent of 12 to 15-year-olds are online (Ofcom, 2017).

Digital technology use offers many benefits for young people including providing social support, facilitating social connections, and enhancing educational attainment. Young people also regard digital technology as a facilitator and mechanism to maintain social networks. Despite these many benefits that engaging with digital technology affords young people, using it is not without risk.

Cyber-bullying is frequently identified as one of the most common harms that young people experience when using social media and digital technology.

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