The Rise of Parent WhatsApp Groups

Earlier today, I had the opportunity to join Naga Munchetty on BBC 5 Live alongside education lawyer Robert Lewis to discuss a growing trend that’s raising eyebrows (and stress levels) in schools: parent WhatsApp groups.

You can listen to the full discussion below:

This audio clip is from the interview on BBC Radio 5 Live with Naga Munchetty, originally broadcast on 15th April 2025. Audio © BBC – all rights reserved. Used here for informational purposes. Full programme available via BBC Sounds.

Why are parent WhatsApp groups causing concern?

At their best, these groups help parents stay informed, sharing reminders, arranging lift shares, and fostering a sense of community around the school. But increasingly, at Edapt, we’re supporting teachers and school leaders who find themselves on the receiving end of criticism, misinformation or targeted complaints made in these groups, often in ways that spill over into school life, damage relationships and impact staff morale. At a time when the social contract between schools and parents is already strained, the impact that poor use of social media can be significant. It is already a challenge for teachers and school leaders to deal with the fall out of students’ use of social media, let alone that of parents.

There has been increasing coverage of these issues in the media recently with two stories in particular making the headlines. The first, a headteacher who successfully sued parents who harassed him and his family. The second, was in relation to two parents who were arrested and detained on suspicion of harassment and malicious communication.

Schools are now seeking at legal advice about what steps they may need to take as featured in this article that I contributed to in the Sunday Times last weekend.

What does the law say?

As Robert Lewis explained during the discussion, while schools don’t control these groups, the law still applies. In some situations, messages in WhatsApp groups could:

• Breach defamation law

• Amount to harassment under the Protection from Harassment Act 1997

• Fall foul of communications legislation if content is threatening or abusive

Although legal action is rare, it is not unheard of, as we can see from the stories highlighted above. Many schools are now taking steps to issue codes of conduct or guidance for respectful communication with parents, particularly where online channels are concerned and may find themselves having to do this out of necessity soon.

What role does the Employment Rights Bill play?

The Employment Rights Bill, currently in the House of Lords, could expand protections for employees facing harassment from third parties, including parents. If passed, it could place a greater responsibility on schools to take ‘reasonable steps‘ to prevent harassment of staff by individuals outside the organisation. This is an area Edapt will be watching closely as it has potential implications for school policies on parent communication, safeguarding of staff wellbeing and headteacher and governor responsibilities under employment law.

There are other areas in the bill that will also impact schools and I will be delving into these in more detail in a session at the Schools and Academies Show in London on the 15th May. If you’re a school leader and will be attending, be sure to come along. There is still some way to go before the bill is finalised and once done, we will be sure to update subscribers on the main impacts for them along with changes brought about by the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill which is also currently in the House of Lords.