Today (Tuesday 16^th November), the government confirmed funding for five organisations to support schools in their work to tackle all forms of bullying. The announcement comes during anti-bullying week (15-19 Nov).

Paul Whiteman, general secretary of school leaders’ union NAHT said: “Additional funding for organisations that support schools in their work to tackle all types of bullying is welcome.

“It’s encouraging to see a particular focus on protecting and supporting pupils with special needs and disabilities, and those with protected characteristics – including the LGBT+ community, and victims of hate-related bullying.  We know that certain groups are more likely to be impacted by bullying and it’s good to see this recognised in the additional support announced today.

“The rise of online bullying should be a particular concern for us all. The growth in popularity of social media amongst young people has created a whole new set of challenges that go way beyond the school gate. Online bullying can do enormous harm, and far more needs to be done by both government and social media companies themselves to protect young people.

“The Online Safety Bill provides the government with an important opportunity to improve the way in which social media companies safeguard children and young people especially, and also how those who post harmful content are held to account for their actions. It is an opportunity we cannot afford to miss.

“Schools have a vital role to play when it comes to preventing and tackling bullying of all types but they cannot do it alone. We need parents, government and social media companies to all to play their part to protect and educate children and young people.”