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Scotland's schools are no place for bullying and it must be tackled wherever and whenever it arises. That was the message from Maureen Watt, Minister for Schools and Skills, at an anti-bullying event in Glasgow today.

Speaking at Respectme's first annual conference, Ms Watt called on everyone, including politicians, schools, parents and communities, to take collective responsibility to make sure young people can benefit from the opportunities available to them.

Ms Watt said:

"Only by working together and taking the issue seriously can we begin to tackle bullying effectively.

"In its first year, Respectme has worked closely with councils and partner agencies to challenge the way we think about bullying and our responses to it.

"Respectme is continuing to support those working with children and young people to build their capacity to prevent and tackle bullying, through providing advice, information and training across Scotland.

"However, there is still more that needs to be done. We must ensure that practical support is available for all children who need it, while striving to develop a culture of mutual respect and positive behaviour in our schools."

The Schools Minister also announced the winners of a national competition for children to create a leaflet about cyberbullying, when people are bullied using email, text messages and online.

Ms Watt said:

"The use of technology has made the scope for bullying even more complex and cyberbullying can have the same impact as other types of bullying.

"The nature of cyberbullying also allows for anonymity on the part of the bully and can take place anywhere, including at home, which makes it even harder to deal with.

"I am delighted at the efforts put into this initiative by all entrants and congratulate the winners for their contributions to raising awareness and helping to tackle cyberbullying."

Respectme is Scotland's anti-bullying service and was launched in March 2007. Respectme is a Scottish Government funded service managed by the Scottish Association for Mental Health in partnership with LGBT Youth Scotland.

The winners of the cyberbullying leaflet competition are:

Emma Hicks, Strathdon School in Aberdeenshire (9-11 year old category) Olivia Conway, Boroughmuir High School in Edinburgh (12-16 year old category) Sam Speirs, Hamilton School for the Deaf (pupils with additional support needs category)