A MOTHER who lost her daughter to suicide after what she says was years of bullying has met with the Education Minister and other key stakeholders, determined to bring about institutional change to protect other children.
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Emma Mason's daughter Tilly Rosewarne was just 15 when, after years of torment, she took her own life on February 16 this year.
In the years and months leading up to her death, her devastated parents said they did everything possible to protect their daughter, but they say a lack of power and knowledge in schools and police failed her.
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Ms Mason, supported by her husband Murray Rosewarne, has since called for change and sent a six-page document to Education Minister Sarah Mitchell outlining what they believe needs to happen.
Ms Mason said as the family continue to try to live with the tragedy, they want more than anything to try to make a difference "for all the little Tillys in our world".
In her letter, Ms Mason said Tilly's death is an opportunity for action.
"Her death is not a secret and provides politicians with a platform to make real changes in the way schools respond to the increasing incidence of bullying in our schools."
She said it is not just schools, but society generally.
But she said Ms Mitchell, as Education Minister, can do something about what happens in schools, and change needs to occur now.
"There are so many 'Tillys' in our community."
"And although my Tilly is an extreme example of what happens when bullying erodes a person's psyche - a bookend of the type of results - the spectrum of the effects of bullying are many and varied," she said.
Since Tilly's death, Ms Mason said she has been contacted by well over 1000 parents who have shared their stories about the bullying of their children, and on Friday she met with Ms Mitchell and other key stakeholders to talk about change.
As a result of that meeting, Ms Mitchell said she will mobilise school resources to improve awareness about the powers of eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant.
She is also establishing an advisory committee to hand down recommendations on preventing cyber-bullying.
Ms Mason said it was encouraging Ms Mitchell was supporting her call for change.
"She said yes to all of it (the submissions outlined in my paper)," she said.
Among the recommendations put forward to the minister was information about the eSafety Commissioner to be included in every single email signature for teachers.
She also called for school-based consequences for bullies.
"I want specific policies and procedures in every NSW school with real consequences," she said.
Ms Mason also wanted teachers to have a bullying tool kit to help them deal with cases like Tilly's.
Among the torment suffered by Tilly was a fake nude snapchat image circulated by a student at her school.
Another time she was chased around the school and told she would be killed, "put six feet under", the torment not stopping until Tilly sought refuge in a locked toilet cubicle.
But there were no consequences for the perpetrators.
"You can send the Snapchat image, nothing happened," Ms Mason said.
Tilly's parents have previously said they are sharing the examples of the bullying suffered by their daughter not to "cast blame at any one person, or one school, but to plead with all our educators and parents that something has to change".
If you need support please contact:
Lifeline 13 11 14
Beyond Blue 1300 224 636
Kids Helpline 1800 55 1800
eSafety.gov.au
headspace.org.au
au.reachout.com
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