Worried about the potential impact of cyber bullying on your family? As with face to face bullying, young people don’t always come forward to talk to adults about their experiences, but there are likely to be some warning signs, including:

• An obvious change in temperament or mood
• Reluctance to engage with technology or spending a significantly increased amount of time online
• Aggression or withdrawal shortly after using technology
• Becoming more withdrawn from groups of existing friends
• Reluctance to attend social events
• Problems sleeping or loss of appetite
• Lack of interest in school work

If you suspect your child is a victim of cyber bullying and is not revealing details, do your best to ensure that they have access to trustworthy information and create a relaxed, safe environment for them to be able to talk.

Most social networks have good blocking features and security measures that make it harder for people to reach you online. Work together to improve security on their accounts. Keep screenshots of any threatening messages that are sent as proof of what is going on should it be needed.

Still have concerns about digital security for your family? Talk to us about resources and workshops.

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