Despite the fact that many schools now have anti-bullying policies in place, many children will still experience bullying behaviour at some stage during their years at school.
Bullying can take many different forms and does not always involve the use of physical force, threat or name-calling.
Bullying can take place by emails, text messages or social media; children may have belongings stolen or damaged; children can be embarrassed by rumours spread around friends and other pupils in and out of school. These acts are all forms of bullying.
It’s not always easy to spot the signs of bullying; watch out for any changes in behaviour that may indicate that your child is being bullied or indeed may be bullying others. A child who is bullied may become withdrawn, tearful or even refuse to go to school altogether. A child may complain that they feel too unwell to go to school; there may be unexplained bruises or cuts. But the effect of bullying can also be very subtle and slowly undermine a child’s self-esteem and confidence over a period of time. Regular interested chats with your child about how their day has been can help you to notice changes. Remaining alert to any indications of distress or withdrawal is probably the best way to spot any potential problems. Many parents will also have experienced bullying in their own schooling. It is important not to dismiss the child’s perspective of the experience even if what is happening to them seems relatively insignificant compared to your own childhood bullying experience. Offer understanding, reassurance and support, especially if the problem is serious enough for a child not to want to go to school. Reassure them that it’s not their fault, and that they don’t deserve to be bullied. Talk together about what you can both do to stop the bullying.
The best strategy may be to approach the school. Arrange an appointment with the class teacher or the head teacher and ask for a copy of the anti-bullying policy so that you are aware of what sort of reaction and support you can reasonably expect from the school. If you find the school’s response unhelpful, you can refer the issue to the local education authority. If the bullying involves any physical violence and the perpetrator is over the age of 10 (8 in Scotland), you can also involve the local police.
A child, who is being bullied, may be suffering stress-related symptoms. It is possible they could become physically too unwell to attend school. The best option may then be to approach the GP to discuss what can be done to help.
Advice and resources on how to tackle bullying in schools is also available on the web sites below.
workplacewellbeing.com assumes no responsibility for the content of linked websites.
