Cyberbullying response plan for international schools

Cyberbullying is bullying that uses digital technology. UNICEF describes it as repeated behaviour meant to frighten, anger or humiliate someone, on social media, messaging apps, gaming platforms and phones.

The UK Department for Education (DfE) says bullying is repeated, hurts someone on purpose and often involves an imbalance of power. Online, one post can be seen and shared again and again, so do not wait for a pattern before you act.

Keeping children safe in education (KCSIE) lists bullying, including cyberbullying, as a form of child-on-child abuse. It is statutory guidance for England, and many international schools use it as a reference.

Teach staff to spot forms like these.

• Cruel messages, or a group chat built to mock one child
• A fake account that pretends to be a classmate
• Sharing an embarrassing photo, video or screenshot
• Leaving a child out of a group chat on purpose
• Threats, including inside online games
• Fake images or videos made with artificial intelligence (AI) tools

Follow your school's child protection procedure and tell the designated safeguarding lead (DSL) the same day. Do not wait for proof or for a second incident.

If a child is in immediate danger, call local emergency services first. That includes a child who says they want to hurt themselves, and any threat to hurt someone.

The member of staff who heard first writes down what they saw or were told, in the child's own words. They do not question anyone further or confront anyone online. The DSL then makes four quick checks.

• Is any child in danger now, or at risk of self-harm?
• Is there a sexual image of a child? If so, nobody opens, copies or forwards it.
• Could this be a crime under local law? Ask the police or local counsel if unsure.
• Who needs a call today: the child targeted, their parents, the children involved?

Evidence protects the child and shows the school acted. Take a screenshot that shows the message, the username, the date and the platform, and note the web address if there is one.

Keep the copies in the secure place your policy names, not on a personal phone. Share them with the DSL only, because every extra copy spreads the harm.

Sexual images of a child are different. Nobody should open, copy, forward or delete them, and the DSL decides what happens next. Sextortion cases need the same care.

Rules on searching a child's phone differ by country. Check local law and your policy before anyone asks a child to open a device.

Report harmful content to the platform once the evidence is saved. For illegal material, the International Centre for Missing & Exploited Children (ICMEC) lists hotlines by country.

Start by listening, and keep your first reply short. You can say, "I am glad you told me. This is not your fault, and you do not have to deal with it alone."

Do not tell the child to stay offline. UNICEF notes that going offline can leave a child at a disadvantage, and taking the phone away can feel like a punishment for the one who was hurt.

Agree a plan with the child. Name one adult they can go to, plan short check-ins for the first weeks, and block or mute accounts together. Offer the school counsellor, and watch for low mood or self-harm.

Tell the child what happens next and who will know. Child Helpline International lists child helplines by country, so you can share a number that works where you are.

The child who posted or shared is also a safeguarding concern. Some are copying friends and some are being hurt themselves, so the DSL looks at why it happened before choosing a response.

DfE advice says to apply sanctions fairly and consistently, and to ask whether the child who bullied needs support too. A sanction shows the behaviour is wrong. Support helps it stop.

Meet each child separately, with a second adult present. Stay with the facts, ask open questions and do not promise secrecy. You can say, "I want to hear what happened from you, and I may need to share it with the DSL."

Bystanders matter too. Speak to children who liked, shared or stayed silent as a group, without naming the child who was targeted, and ask them to stop sharing once the evidence is saved.

If a crime may be involved, the DSL asks the local police or counsel about reporting duties. The law differs by country.

Call the parents of the child who was targeted the same day, once the DSL agrees the facts and confirms it is safe to do so. Say what happened, what you have done and what happens next, and give them a named contact.

You can say, "Your child told us about messages in a group chat. They are safe at school today. Their form tutor will check in each day this week."

Call the parents of the children involved too. Share facts about their own child only, and do not name or describe other children.

You can say, "We found messages from your child's account that broke our rules. We want to agree next steps with you."

Ask every family not to confront others or post about the case online. Promise regular updates, and avoid promising an outcome you cannot control. What to tell parents about safeguarding covers the wider conversation.

DfE advice says a school's response should not start only after a child is hurt. Children need an easy way to report, and proof that adults listen and act.

Teach it in lessons, assemblies and tutor time, using the apps your students use now. Teach bystanders what to do: do not reply, save the evidence, tell an adult and support the child.

The National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC) says online safety belongs inside safeguarding and child protection. Your online safety policy should say who responds, how children report and how parents hear about it.

Ask staff what they see, and whether they would report it. A quiet term does not mean nothing is happening.

Write the plan on one page, so a teacher can follow it in a corridor. Review it each year and after every serious case.

• The names of the DSL and deputy, and how to reach them out of hours
• The same-day reporting rule and the emergency number to call
• How to save evidence, and the rule for sexual images of children
• A support plan for the child who was targeted
• How you respond to the children involved
• Who calls which parents, and what they say
• A review date, and who checks that the bullying stopped