Thursday 18 March 2010

Joining forces to protect children

Beatbullying in new partnership with UK’s national police agency for protecting children

Beat Bullying Logo

The UK’s leading anti-bullying charity - Beatbullying - has today joined forces with the Child Exploitation and Online Protection (CEOP) Centre in a new partnership which will offer further protection to children at risk of abuse.

Beatbullying, which over the last seven years has helped and supported over 300,000 children and young people through their CyberMentors programme, is the first peer mentoring social networking site run by young people for the benefit of young people.

Beatbullying will work with the CEOP Centre to ensure key educational messages around cyberbullying reflect reporting patterns into CEOP. The two organisations will also explore opportunities to create joint resources and materials to tackle the issue of bullying – including CEOP’s online ‘one stop shop’ of advice and support for parents and children.

The latest figures from Beatbullying reveal that one-in-three 11-16 year olds has been deliberately targeted, threatened or humiliated by an individual or group through the use of mobile phones or the internet. Given these figures, the partnership between the leading charity and the UK’s law enforcement agency for child protection is both timely and essential to reversing this worrying trend.

Jim Gamble, Chief Executive of the Child Exploitation and Online Protection (CEOP) Centre said:

“We know that young people face a range of issues and risks when they go online and we want to ensure that they can get the most from the technology, whilst staying safe from harm. Working with Beatbullying - which has a track record of achievement and credibility with young people – will mean that we are better able to provide the best support to young people when they need it, particularly through CEOP online advice and reporting facilities.

“I’ve long admired and supported the work of Beatbullying and look forward to a creative and productive working relationship with them”.

Emma-Jane Cross, Chief Executive of Beatbullying commented:

“We’re delighted to be working with CEOP to improve child protection for those at risk of abuse and are confident that together we can set a precedent for how Government and charities can work together to improve the safety of young people online.

As Beatbullying’s figures indicate, this is a serious issue which must be tackled. Through our CyberMentors programme, launched in March 2009, we have created a virtual environment in which young people support, assist and mentor their peers. Over 300,000 children and teenagers have already accessed the site for support and we look forward to helping them further, both through CyberMentors and via our partnership with CEOP.”

For more information please contact :

Frank PR – Mira Ryness

miraryness@frankpr.it | 0207 693 6957

Beatbullying - Sherry Adhami

sherry.adhami@beatbullying.org | 0781 400 4963

Ends

Notes to Editors

The CEOP Centre works in both online and offline environments to protect children from sexual exploitation. Full information on all areas of work as well as online safety messages and access to online reporting can be found at www.ceop.police.uk
For Beatbullying’s latest figures on cyberbullying, download the ‘Virtual Violence Report’
Beatbullying joins the following organisations who work in partnership with the CEOP Centre:
ACS International Schools; Axios Systems; Becta; BT; Churches’ Child Protection Advisory Service; Crimestoppers; Detica; Department of Children, Schools and Families; Ford Motor Company; The Foundation for Social Improvement; GCHQ; Google; Hector’s World; HM Revenue and Customs; Intuitive Media; Microsoft; Miss Dorothy; National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC); O2; PayPal; Red Consultancy; Serco; UK Border Agency; Virgin Media; VISA Europe; Vodafone UK; World-Check
Both CEOP and Beatbullying are members of the UK Council for Child Internet Safety (UKCCIS)
For media enquiries for CEOP, call 0870 000 3434
For media enquiries for Beatbullying, call 0845 338 5073

What advice would you give to a young person who is being bullied both off and online?

Go to CyberMentors.org.uk and speak to the trained CyberMentors who will be able to help you. Alternatively, tell someone you trust, a friend or adult. The important thing is not to feel like you have to deal with it on your own, because you don’t. Also it’s important that you:

Keep and save any bullying emails, text messages or images you receive
Make a note of the time and date that you are bullied verbally, physically or via messages and images sent to you along with any details you have about the sender
Try changing your online user ID or nickname
Mobile phone companies and internet service providers can trace bullies, so don’t be afraid of reporting it to them
Block instant messages from certain people or use mail filters to block emails from specific email addresses
Don't reply to bullying or threatening text messages or emails – this could make matters worse and lets those carrying out the bullying know that they've found a 'live' phone number or email address
Be smart. If you’re sent or come across anything that is hurtful, offensive or threatening to someone else, don’t laugh at it or encourage it
Make a safety plan to minimise the risk of being physically assaulted by planning safe routes to and from the school/group/club

What can parents say to their child that is worried about being bullied online?

Keep and save any bullying emails, text messages or images you receive
make a note of the time and date that messages or images were sent, along with any details you have about the sender
Try changing your online user ID or nickname
Mobile phone companies and internet service providers can trace bullies, so don’t be afraid of reporting it to them
Block instant messages from certain people or use mail filters to block emails from specific email addresses
Don't reply to bullying or threatening text messages or emails – this could make matters worse and lets those carrying out the bullying know that they've found a 'live' phone number or email address
Be smart. If you’re sent or come across anything that is hurtful, offensive or threatening to someone else, don’t laugh at it or encourage it

Beatbullying provides a range of resources including toolkits for parents, young people and professionals via its website, www.beatbullying.org and advice specifically to those experiencing online bullying on www.cybermentors.org.uk. Beatbullying also works directly with young people, offering workshops in schools, youth groups and communities. Although Beatbullying is not funded to work in Primary schools, we can offer advice and practical support if not direct work.

About Beatbullying and CyberMentors.org.uk

Beatbullying is the UK’s leading bullying prevention charity. Founded in 1999, Beatbullying empowers young people to lead anti-bullying campaigns in their schools and local communities, and builds the capacity of local communities to sustain the work. Beatbullying has directly and indirectly worked with 700,000+ young people over the last seven years, assisting and supporting young people that are being bullied, re-educating and changing the behaviour of young people that bully and preventing bullying in schools and communities across the UK.

CyberMentors.org.uk is a safe, social networking site providing information and support for young people being bullied or cyber bullied. Young people, aged 11-25, are trained as CyberMentors, in schools and online, so that they can offer support to their peers. Encapsulated by cutting edge technology, it is a safe website where young people can turn to other young people for help and advice. CyberMentors are also supported by trained counsellors, available online if needed. CyberMentors is a Beatbullying project.

For more information, visit www.cybermentors.org.uk or www.beatbullying.org.