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An anti-bullying research expert has told the Education Committee that concern about children being bullied online has risen sharply in recent months, due to measures taken in response to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Today marks the first International Day against Violence and Bullying, including cyberbullying.
The day is about raising awareness of the help that is available to attack and tackle all forms of bullying in schools.
Dr. Angela Mazzone, a psychologist and postdoctoral researcher in anti-bullying studies, National Center for Anti-Bullying Research and Resources, at DCU, told politicians that the negative effects of cyberbullying and other forms of online bullying can be devastating. for children and young people.
A study conducted by the National Anti-Bullying Research and Resource Center at DCU found that 28% of children have been the target of cyberbullying.
It found that half of the children in the sample reported seeing others being cyber bullied.
Dr. Mazzone told the committee that research suggests that addressing bullying and cyberbullying should be a combined effort of students, parents, and educators.
He said the findings highlight the need for educational programs aimed at increasing children’s digital skills.
Dr. Mazzone also said that a national anti-bullying program that includes an online safety component should become a specific part of the national curriculum for elementary and post-primary schools.
He said additional funding should be provided for the establishment of a permanent observatory based at the National Anti-Bullying Research and Resource Center to continuously measure bullying and cyberbullying in Irish schools.
Dr. Mazzone also said that ongoing professional development for teachers should have a strong focus on addressing bullying.
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Sinn Féin’s Rose Conway Walsh said young people’s lives are being destroyed as online bullying is being discussed and asked how everyone can work together to stop talking about it and do something about it.
Ms. Conway Walsh wanted to know how experts and politicians can better work together to ensure that there are resources for ongoing assessment around bullying.
He said that students, teachers, bus drivers and everyone needed to get involved to address the problem.
He said he was passionate about the issue because he said too many lives have been destroyed because bullying behavior is not being addressed.
In response, Dr. Mazzone agreed and said that a national anti-bullying program should be implemented.
She said bullying is a complex phenomenon and occurs when supervision is low, so everyone should participate.
Dr. Mazzone said it was essential to raise awareness of the problem and agreed that children need constant messages on the subject.
Ms. Conway Walsh asked if the country had failed as a state to address bullying in schools.
Dr. Seline Keating, an adjunct professor and researcher in anti-bullying studies at DCU’s College of Human Development, said that we had not failed and that in 2013 it was a positive step that all schools had an anti-bullying policy.
However, Ms. Keating said that talking is not enough and that school staff and parents must be actively involved and trained to handle bullying.
He said anti-bullying policies are not evaluated annually as recommended in the 2013 guidelines and said having an auditing tool would make it possible for all schools to verify their anti-bullying policy.
Fianna Fáil Senator Fiona O’Loughlin said early intervention was important to help the victim and the harasser.
She said it was shocking to see that peer bullying was happening in preschool.
Ms. O’Loughlin also said that mindfulness practice could be a useful tool in addressing bullying.
Dr. Keating agreed that early intervention was essential. He said each education sector should have a spiral approach so that connections are made between the three education sectors.
He said it was important to look at the bullying industry and the role of the bystander.
She said theater is a good tool to use in the classroom and for children to develop empathy and put themselves in the shoes of people who might be being bullied.
Aodhán Ó Ríordáin from Labor asked if it was difficult for schools to tackle bullying because he said the problem now follows children home on their smartphones and is not something they can turn off.
He also said that some parents do not understand the nature of bullying and that there may be “waste” in the schoolyard that he claimed was not bullying. He noted that harassment has to do with power and are repeated actions over a period of time.
In response, Dr. Keating said that bullying can be a “buzzword” and can be used incorrectly. He said schools should have a clear definition of bullying, which he said was really important.
Dr. Keating said that students should be aware of the difference between “laughing” and harassment and bullying.
He said that sometimes students don’t realize they are actually bullying. Dr. Keating said that the definition of bullying needs to be language friendly so that students can understand it.
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