Anti-Bullying including Cyberbullying Policy

Policy Statement

The purpose of this policy is:

• to help prevent bullying from happening to students in our care
• to make sure bullying is stopped as soon as possible if it does happen and that those involved receive the support they need
• to provide information to all staff, homestays, volunteers, students and their parents about what we should all do to prevent and deal with bullying.

Bright World Guardianships believes that:
• children and young people should never experience abuse of any kind;
• we have a responsibility to promote the welfare of all children and young people, to keep them safe and to practise in a way that protects them.

We recognise that:
• bullying causes real distress. It can affect a person’s health and development and, at the extreme, can cause significant harm;
• all children, regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, race, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation, have the right to equal protection from all types of harm or abuse;
• everyone has a role to play in preventing all forms of bullying (including online) and putting a stop to it.

Contact Details
Nominated anti-bullying leads and DSLs
Name: Robbie Piper
Phone/email: 01273835745 robbie@brightworld.co.uk
Designated lead for safeguarding and child protection

Name: Lana Foster
Phone/email: 01273835745 lana@brightworld.co.uk

NSPCC Helpline: 0808 800 5000

Policy

What is bullying?

Bullying may be repeated over time and intentionally hurts a student or group physically or emotionally. It may be motivated by prejudice or discriminatory attitudes, for example relating to race, religion or belief, disability, sex, sexual orientation or gender reassignment. Bullying may take place face-to-face or online and may involve cyberbullying, online harassment, image-based abuse, harmful sexual behaviour or the misuse of emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence (AI).

Bullying includes a range of abusive behaviour that is:
• repeated;
• intended to hurt someone either physically or emotionally.

The NSPCC explains that bullying can take different forms. It could include:
• physical bullying: hitting, slapping or pushing someone;
• verbal bullying: name calling, gossiping or threatening someone;
• non-verbal abuse: hand signs or text messages;
• emotional abuse: threatening, intimidating or humiliating someone;
• exclusion: ignoring or isolating someone;
• undermining, constant criticism or spreading rumours;
• controlling or manipulating someone;
• making silent, hoax or abusive calls;
• racial, sexual or homophobic bullying (this is also a hate crime);
• bullying someone because they have a disability (this is also a hate crime).

The NSPCC explains that no single sign will indicate for certain that a child is being bullied, but watch out for:
• belongings getting ‘lost’ or damaged;
• physical injuries, such as unexplained bruises;
• being afraid to go to school, being mysteriously ‘ill’ each morning, or skipping school;
• not doing as well at school;
• asking for, or stealing, money (to give to whoever is bullying them);
• being nervous, losing confidence, or becoming distressed and withdrawn;
• problems with eating or sleeping;
• bullying others.

Who is at risk?

The NSPCC explain that any child can be bullied for any reason. If a child is seen as different in some way or seen as an easy target they can be more at risk.
This might be because of their:
• race or ethnic background
• gender
• sexual orientation.

Or it could be because they:
• appear anxious or have low self-esteem
• lack assertiveness
• are shy or introverted.

Popular or successful children are also bullied, sometimes because others are jealous of them. Sometimes a child’s family circumstance or home life can be a reason for someone bullying them.
Disabled children can experience bullying because they seem an easy target and less able to defend themselves.

Further reading
Further information on bullying (including cyber-bullying) can be found on the NSPCC website https://www.nspcc.org.uk/what-is-child-abuse/types-of-abuse/bullying-and-cyberbullying/

Prevention

Bright World Guardianships will seek to prevent bullying by:
• developing a code of behaviour that sets out how everyone involved in our organisation is expected to behave, in face-to-face contact and online, and within and outside of our activities;
• holding discussions with staff, homestays, volunteers and students in our care about bullying and how to prevent it. These discussions will focus on:
• group members’ responsibilities to look after one another and uphold the behaviour code;
• practising skills such as listening to each other;
• respecting the fact that we are all different;
• making sure that no one is without friends;
• dealing with problems in a positive way;
• checking that our anti-bullying measures are working well.
• providing support and training for all staff, homestays and volunteers on dealing with all forms of bullying, including cyber bullying, racial, sexist, homophobic and sexual bullying;
• promoting respectful relationships, inclusion and positive behaviour in both face-to-face and online environments;
• raising awareness of harmful sexual behaviour, misogyny, misandry and prejudice-based bullying, ensuring that these behaviours are recognised, challenged and responded to appropriately;
• encouraging students, staff and host families to report concerns at the earliest opportunity.
• making sure our response to incidents of bullying takes into account:
• the needs of the person being bullied;
• the needs of the person displaying bullying behaviour;
• needs of any bystanders;
• our organisation as a whole.
• reviewing the plan developed to address any incidents of bullying at regular intervals, in order to ensure that the problem has been resolved in the long term;
• Making parents fully aware of our procedures by providing them with a copy of this policy.

Cyber Bullying

What is Cyber Bullying?

The NSPCC website explains that cyberbullying is bullying that takes place online. Unlike bullying offline, online bullying can follow the child wherever they go, via social networks, gaming and mobile phone and can include:

• sending threatening or abusive text messages
• creating and sharing embarrassing images or videos
• trolling – the sending of menacing or upsetting messages on social networks, chat rooms or online games
• excluding children from online games, activities or friendship groups
• shaming someone online
• setting up hate sites or groups about a particular child
• encouraging young people to self-harm
• voting for or against someone in an abusive poll
• creating fake accounts, hijacking or stealing online identities to embarrass a young person or cause trouble using their name
• sending explicit messages, also known as sexting
• pressuring children into sending sexual images or engaging in sexual conversations.

Cyberbullying may also include:

• using artificial intelligence (AI) to create manipulated, embarrassing or sexually explicit images (“deepfakes”);

• impersonating another person using AI or fake online accounts;

• sharing manipulated images or videos to humiliate or intimidate another person;

• coordinated harassment through anonymous messaging services or online platforms;

• targeted abuse based on sex, gender, race, disability, religion, sexual orientation or other protected characteristics.

Cyberbullying is just one type of online abuse. Further details on the different types and signs, as well as how to help keep students safe online can be found in our online safety policy.

Harmful Sexual Behaviour and Online Harassment

Bright World recognises that bullying may overlap with harmful sexual behaviour, sexual harassment, online sexual harassment, misogyny, misandry, image-based abuse and violence against women and girls (VAWG).

Behaviour that is dismissed as “banter”, “just having a laugh” or “part of growing up” may constitute bullying, harassment or abuse and will always be taken seriously.

Allegations involving sexual harassment, harmful sexual behaviour, misogyny, misandry or online abuse will be managed in accordance with the Bright World Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy.

Procedures

We will take seriously and investigate any bullying or cyber-bullying concerns that are reported to us:
• Students will be made aware that they can talk to their parents, teachers, homestay, or a member of Bright World Guardianships staff about any bullying concerns they may have;
• Bright World Guardianships staff member may receive a report of suspected online abuse from a student, parent or other source by face to face disclosure, email or telephone call. This disclosure will be recorded in writing by the member of staff (using the ‘Tell Explain Describe’ model if the information is being given by a student);
• Any concerns raised by a student, parent, homestay, member of staff or other source will be reported as soon as practicable to the Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL), Robbie Piper or Lana Foster. The written record (see above) must be submitted at this time.
• The DSL will hold an emergency strategy meeting to discuss the incident, assess the alleged threat and risk to the student (including any relevant facts about the child which may affect their vulnerability including age and ability), implement an action plan and continue to review the situation until a resolution has been achieved. Written notes will be kept securely of this meeting by the DSL;
• The DSL will arrange for the young person to be helped and supported in recognition of the pressures (and possible vulnerabilities) they may have been under as a result of the suspected abuse;
• Any concerns that bullying (including cyber-bullying) has taken place at a student’s school will be referred to the DSL of the school concerned;
• If the alleged bullying incident involves a member of the homestay family, or another student staying at the homestay, Bright World Guardianships will investigate fully as outlined above and, if necessary find alternative accommodation for the student;
• In most cases parents will be kept informed about the situation and the actions that Bright World Guardianships is taking unless there is good reason to believe that involving these parties would put the young person at risk of harm;
• We will support the victim and the perpetrator (if they are a student in our care) and monitor students well-being following a bullying incident for as long as necessary;
• Where there is ‘reasonable cause to suspect that a child is suffering, or likely to suffer, significant harm’ due to bullying, we will refer the matter to local agencies;
• Please note that strong sanctions such as termination of our contract may be necessary in cases of severe and persistent bullying;
• Full records will be kept of any bullying concerns and of any actions taken. These will be held confidentially by our DSL, Robbie Piper or Lana Foster].
• Whilst is acknowledged that bullying may be repeated over time, we will take action in response to a single incident and make an appropriate record.
• The DSL will consider whether AI or other emerging technologies have been used to create, manipulate or distribute abusive content, whether online harassment forms part of a wider pattern of abuse, and whether the incident should be managed under the Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy.

Specific cyber-bullying procedures in addition to the above

• In the case of cyber-bullying support for the student could include helping them to understand how to recognise the early signs of online abuse, the wider issues and motivations of online abuse and making available relevant information and material. This help and support could be provided by accredited organisations such as the school, National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC), Childline, National Crime Agency (NCA), Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre (CEOP) websites and helplines;

• The DSL will ensure that viewing of any images or other content is only undertaken where there are good and clear reasons to do so (unless unavoidable because the student has willingly shown a member of staff). Incident decisions should be based on the information provided about the content wherever possible. Staff members should not search through devices or delete imagery unless there is a clear safeguarding rationale for doing so. Where there is a clear reason to view imagery, the DSL will follow the current DfE guidance Sharing nudes and semi-nudes: advice for education settings working with children and young people. Viewing should only take place where there are good and clear reasons to do so, with another senior member of staff present wherever possible. A clear record of the reasons for viewing, those present and the outcome will be maintained.

See our Sharing of Nudes and Semi Nudes Policy and Procedure

We are committed to reviewing our policy and good practice annually.

This policy was last reviewed on: 03 August 2026

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