Phyllis Stephenson is originally from Mulleek, near Belleek in County Fermanagh.

She works as an Education Advisor and represents the NSPCC and Childline on the Northern Ireland Anti Bullying Forum.

The Forum brings together a range of statutory and voluntary sector organisations from across Northern Ireland, all working together to reduce bullying behaviour and create a safer environment for children and young people. I ensure that the Forum is kept informed of the work that NSPCC is undertaking in the field of bullying from research, developing awareness raising programmes, to responding to young people who call our Childline Service.

Over the years I have worked to prevent bullying from happening by developing resources to teach children about healthy relationships, how to recognise bullying behaviour and know how best to respond.

For young people, what is the most common form of bullying seen today?

While face to face bullying is still happening, we are very concerned about the increase in counselling sessions with children about online bullying behaviour as restrictions were introduced to keep us safe from Covid-19. From January to March last year Childline were delivering an average of 134 UK wide counselling sessions about online bullying. This average increased by 70% per cent from April to October to 228 counselling sessions per month.

What is the effect of social media on bullying behaviour – does it make it easier for it to happen?

Online bullying behaviour can be more subtle than face-to-face. People often find it easier to engage in bullying behaviour when there is a screen between them and the person they are harming as they don’t have to see the impact of their actions in real-life.

If someone is being bullied online they may feel like there is no escape as it can come through many different platforms at the same time. Bullying can also happen anonymously online as people can hide their real identities.

This can cause severe emotional damage that can have very serious consequences if not dealt with. Over the last 12 months, as more children have been spending time online at home due to lockdown, the risk of experiencing bullying in the digital world has increased. From April to October last year, NSPCC trained counsellors held 1,593 counselling sessions with young people from across the UK about online bullying.

Can social media be used as a positive tool to stop bullying?

Social media can be a very useful way of communicating key messages to children about the importance of asking for help if they are experiencing bullying behaviour.

Nowadays, most websites and apps thankfully have rules against bullying and harassment that can help. For those who have seen or are experiencing bullying on social media, it’s important to report what’s happened on the site or app, block the person displaying the bullying behaviour and then tell a trusted person such as a parent, carer or teacher.

Many children and young people will reach out to a peer for support which is why it is so important that we have comprehensive awareness raising programmes in schools to enable young people to feel more confident in supporting each other.

Has Covid affected children’s experience of bullying behaviour?

As mentioned previously, due to restrictions in place to respond to Covid 19 children and young people have been spending more time online and there has been a significant increase in contacts to Childline about cyberbullying.

Types of cyberbullying include sending threatening or abusive text messages, being pressured into sending self-generated sexual images or engaging in sexual conversation. Some children and young people have been being excluded from online games, activities or friendship groups and others have created fake accounts, hijacked or stole a child’s online identity to embarrass or cause trouble using a child’s name.

The NSPCC NetAware site is a useful resource for parents who want some help and advice about keeping their children and young people safe when they are online. Net Aware: Your guide to social networks, apps and games (net-aware.org.uk)

What advice would you have for children who are experiencing bullying behaviour and maybe see no end in sight?

It’s very important to highlight to children and young people that if they are experiencing bullying behaviour it is never their fault. Childline’s website has a variety of tips and advice to deal with face to face and online bullying.

Some helpful tips include reporting and blocking the person engaging in the bullying behaviour, not replying to abusive messages, keeping evidence such as screenshotting abusive messages or a diary of what’s been happening, when back in school telling someone such as a teacher or getting support from a trusted person in their life such as a parent, guardian/carer or youth worker/sports coach. It’s also very helpful to take a break from phones and other devices to help ease distress or anxiety. It’s natural to want to see what people are saying when they’re targeting you. But taking time away from your phone or device, even for a few minutes, can help you to feel calmer.

And what would you say to those who are engaging in bullying behaviour?

Children and young people don’t always realise what they’re doing is bullying, or understand how much their actions have hurt someone.

If you see someone engaging in bullying behaviour it’s important that you let them know their behaviour is unacceptable and enable them to take responsibility for their behaviour.

It would be helpful to get them to tell you about what happened and think about what led them to behave in the way they did. Help them to think about how their actions will have affected the other person.

You could ask them how they think the other child or young person is feeling, and to remember how they’ve felt when someone has said or done something unkind to them. Help them to think about what they need to do and tell them what you need to do next e.g. tell someone who is responsible for responding to bullying behaviour. Tell them to talk to an adult they trust or let them know that that Childline has lots of helpful information that will help them understand their bullying behaviour.

The NSPCC’s Childline service provides a safe, confidential place for children, whatever their worry, whenever they need help. They can contact Childline 24 hours a day, 365 days a year on 0800 1111 or childline.org.uk.