With most children and young people on devices in their free time, online child-on-child abuse has become more common. But while parents and carers may understand the concept of bullying and cyberbullying, child-on-child abuse is far more complex. Many parents aren’t aware of what exactly it is.
We created this tips guide with insight from online safety expert Karl Hopwood and psychologist Dr Linda Papadopoulos to help parents and carers understand child-on-child abuse and how to deal with it if it happens.
Child-on-child abuse is when one child or young person causes harm to another. This can be at school, online or in other social situations. KCSIE (Keeping Children Safe in Education) lists these as some forms of child-on-child abuse, though it can be many things:
Explain to them what inappropriate behaviour looks like as appropriate to their age and empower them to report anything that makes them uncomfortable, even if it’s done by a close friend. It’s important they don’t brush abusive behaviour off as harmless banter.
With your child or teen, set up these controls. Explain how they work and what impact they could have on their safety. Setting them up together can help them develop their understanding and take ownership of their safety.
When they get their first device, help your child learn how to use the internet properly. This could include how to communicate with others and where to get help when they need it.
Go along with them on their journey as they pass milestones like getting a new device or joining social media platforms to help them have positive interactions with others.
See related advice and practical tips to support children online: