Tackling offences among kids

AS IT relates to cyberbullying involving students, Gordon Harrison cautioned against a heavy-handed approach being taken to tackle the problem since it is usually other children who are involved.

She is in favour of teaching behavioural change. In this regard, the Office of the Children’s Advocate has had its own social media campaign dubbed ‘Be Social, Be Smart’.

“It identifies the risks if you associate with certain types of behaviours and what are the consequences that are attached to those risks. So we not only produce posters, but in a very instructive way we developed ‘Be Social, Be Smart’ manuals that address different cohorts,” said Gordon Harrison.

“We now have a manual that speaks to children 12 years and below; and we have another one that speaks to those above 12 years and up to 18; and then we have a manual that speaks to adults, specifically parents and administrators, in terms of guiding them as to how to have responsible and age-appropriate conversations with children who are violating some of the acceptable norms on the social media platforms,” Gordon Harrison said.

“We absolutely believe in public education because that’s how you affect behavioural change,” she argued.

“It has to be a sustained effort if we’re going to curb the careless ways in which some of our youth use these various platforms,” the children’s advocate added.