To understand more about what bullying is, prevalence rates, and why it occurs, please refer to our previous blog “Why is my child being bullied?”
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What Can a Parent do About Bullying?
Model kindness, compassion, and inclusion. Children learn most from their parent’s behaviour. Relationships at home matter, and help build emotional and physical resilience in children.
Listen to your child, whether they are bullying others or being bullied
If they are bullying others, try to avoid getting defensive, and find out more about the situation. Take it as an opportunity for your child to learn something important.
If your child is being bullied, take it seriously and validate how they are feeling. Work with your child’s school and follow up regularly. Consider other ways to support them, such as building opportunities for friendship and self-esteem.
If your child is observing bullying, work to increase their confidence to ‘step in’ if bullying is occurring.
Recognise that bullying concerns all children and all parents – become an active bystander.
What Can a Teacher do About Bullying?
Identify cases of bullying in children under your care
Support individual children that are involved in bullying
Students recognise teacher’s attitudes towards bullying, and this affects the level of bullying within a school.
Influence class norms, such as by making students attitudes towards bullying visible and encouraging accountability.
What Can a School do About Bullying?
Bullying is most common in school settings. There is strong evidence to support the role of prevention methods to reduce bullying in schools. There are a number of school-based programs available.
The aim is not to make students ‘less vulnerable’, but to influence the behaviour of bystanders. Schools can also aim to reduce the rewards gained by bullies, and the motivation for bullying in the first place.
Children who are bullied need to feel heard and helped by adults at school
Children who are bullying need to be confronted for their unacceptable behaviour
There should be an ongoing process of prevention, intervention, and monitoring.
Reinforce values of respect, tolerance, and shared responsibility for everyone’s wellbeing.
What Can Other Children do About Bullying?
When asked, nearly every child will think that bullying is wrong. However, many students behave in ways that (knowingly or unknowingly) maintain the bullying or even make it worse.
On average, a school will consist of:
8% bullies – the individuals bullying their peers
12% bullied – the victim of bullying from peers
7% ‘assistants’ – individuals standing up for the victim
20% ‘reinforcers’ – individuals actively supporting or involved in the bullying
24% ‘outsiders’ – individuals who are not involved in the bullying
Every child can make a difference. When more students reinforce a bully, there are higher rates of bullying and more vulnerable children are targeted.
Small things matter – other children can be encouraged to talk to, sit next to, or share an activity with a bullied or vulnerable child.
If you suspect that your child is being bullied, and that it is impacting their mental health, reach out for help.
