Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, Ed Balls, being interviewed by the BBC. (Photo: David John Earls/Typographer.org)

Teacher Support Network today welcomed the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families’ commitment to address the issue of ‘cyberbullying’.

Speaking at teaching union NASUWT’s annual conference in Birmingham, Ed Balls announced that he had asked the ‘cyberbullying’ taskforce, which is Chaired Kevin Brennan MP, to report to him by July on what can be done to promote head teachers’ existing powers and help eradicate the growing phenomenon.

Cyberbullying is abuse that uses mobile phones, social networking sites or other technology to deliver its message. Such incidents include upsetting emails, unwelcome text messages, silent phone calls and the malicious use of websites and internet chat rooms.

A survey conducted last year by Teacher Support Network and the Association of Teachers and Lecturers revealed that 17 per cent of respondents had experienced this type of bullying.

Only eight percent of those questioned said that they knew the school had a code of conduct relating to cyberbullying, with 19 percent of this group saying it was ineffectively enforced.

Patrick Nash, Chief Executive of Teacher Support Network, said: “We’re pleased that the campaign work the teaching unions and Teacher Support Network have done recently has caught the government’s attention.

“We know from helping thousands of teachers through our free support services that this kind of bullying can have a devastating effect on a teacher’s wellbeing and ability to teach, which can cause serious ramifications for the education of his or her pupils. While we can help individuals cope with their circumstances, we need schools, local authorities and national government to tackle the climate that allows such abuse to occur.

“We look forward to the report and hope that it will result in serious action from the DCSF.”