Policy: Supporting Young Disabled People to Tackle Online Bullying (UK) National Guidelines Best Practice.

4 days ago
2 min read

This policy sets out how the organisation will prevent, identify, respond to, and record online bullying affecting disabled children and young people, ensuring their safety, dignity, and wellbeing. Disabled young people are statistically more likely to be targeted online and may face additional barriers to reporting abuse. [anti-bully...nce.org.uk ],

2. Scope

This policy applies to:

Disabled children and young people (typically under 18, or up to 25 where SEND applies)
Staff, volunteers, carers and professionals working with them
Online activity on social media, messaging apps, gaming platforms and forums

3. Legal and Policy Framework (UK)

This policy is informed by:

Children Act 1989 & 2004 – duty to safeguard and promote welfare
Working Together to Safeguard Children
Equality Act 2010 – protection against disability discrimination
Online Safety Act 2023 – platforms’ responsibility to protect children
Education and Inspections Act 2006 (schools)
Protection from Harassment Act 1997 and Malicious Communications Act 1988 [gov.uk ], [jfcs.org.uk ]

4. What Is Online Bullying?

Online bullying (cyberbullying) includes repeated or targeted behaviour online intended to cause harm, including:

Insults, threats, harassment or trolling
Disability‑related hate abuse (a potential hate crime)
Exclusion from online groups
Sharing images or content without consent
Impersonation or fake accounts [nspcc.org.uk ], [jfcs.org.uk ]

5. Why Disabled Young People Are at Greater Risk

Disabled young people may be more vulnerable because:

They may rely more heavily on online communication
They may interpret language differently or miss online risk cues
They may face social isolation or be targeted due to disability
They may have communication barriers that delay disclosure [anti-bully...nce.org.uk ], [theeducati...people.org ]

6. Prevention Measures

The organisation will:

Provide accessible online safety education, adapted to individual needs
Teach safe use of privacy settings, blocking and reporting tools
Promote positive digital behaviour and peer respect
Ensure staff receive SEND‑specific anti‑bullying training
Foster safe reporting cultures where young people are believed and supported [theeducati...people.org ], [anti-bully...nce.org.uk ]

7. Responding to Online Bullying

When online bullying is disclosed or suspected:

1. Listen and reassure the young person; do not blame them

2. Record the incident accurately (screenshots, messages, dates)

3. Assess risk (emotional distress, self‑harm risk, safeguarding concerns)

4. Support the young person:

o Block and report the perpetrator

o Adjust online settings

o Provide emotional and advocacy support

5. Escalate where required:

o Safeguarding lead involvement

o School/college action

o Police involvement if harassment, threats or hate crime are suspected [gov.uk ], [chscp.org.uk ]

8. Safeguarding and Reporting

All concerns must follow the organisation’s safeguarding procedures
Disability‑related abuse may meet thresholds for child protection
Multi‑agency working will occur where necessary (school, social care, police) [chscp.org.uk ], [gov.uk ]

9. Support for Families and Carers

The organisation will:

Provide guidance on parental controls and reporting tools
Signpost to national support services
Encourage consistent messaging between home and education settings [nspcc.org.uk ]

10. External Support and Reporting Routes

Young people and families may be signposted to:

Childline – 0800 1111
NSPCC Helpline – 0808 800 5000
Anti‑Bullying Alliance
Reporting to platforms (TikTok, Instagram, Xbox, PlayStation)
Police (101 / 999) for serious threats or hate crime [nspcc.org.uk ], [jfcs.org.uk ]