A HEAD TEACHER has spoken out with concern at how parent ‘trolling’ could be dangerous to a child’s development.

Sarah Welch, head teacher at Gosfield School in Halstead, has said parents could be setting a bad example by arguing over Facebook about their children’s problems.

She said she feared the ever-changing world of social media is escalating playground disputes, with some parents naming and shaming other people’s children.

She said: “It is becoming very hard for people when they have 24 hour access to social networks and have contact with others all the time.

“Children should be left to develop good relationships and cope with things in a way which we do not let them. I have known of incidents where parents have come on Facebook and have moaned at each other over their children’s issues.

“The students fall out, its a way of life, but it’s dangerous when the parents get involved.”

She said she felt parents must learn to take a step back, as they are too quick to intervene, thanks to the immediacy of Facebook.

She said: “Parents need advice on how to deal with social media, do they try and access their child’s Facebook account? Or do they just trust that everything is alright? They feel nervous about the fact they are not keeping on top of it.

“We need to help children create spaces where they are not bombarded by social media. In the past it was easy to leave your issues at the school gates and go home to your family, but now we have phones on us all the time it’s difficult to escape it.”

She thought the fact parents were getting involved was not modelling the best behaviour, and it is a growing problem.

She said: “Teenage years are difficult as it’s a balancing act over how much to get involved.

“As a school we want to help the parents as well as children learn how to deal with social media, as it’s a changing world all the time.”