Why is my Child Being Bullied?

Bullying is unfortunately a common problem experienced by children. However, it is often less clear why a child is being bullied.

• 1 in 5 young people aged between 8-25 years in England have a diagnosed mental health disorder.
• 11-16 year olds with a mental health disorder are 5 times more likely to have been bullied than their peers without.
• Young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) are up to 7 times more likely to be bullied.
• 30% of 15 year olds report experiencing some form of regular bullying (more than 3 times per month).

This leads us to question: What exactly is bullying? Is my child being bullied? and if so, why?

We define bullying as the “repeated and intentional harm where there is a power differential between the bully and the victim” (Olweus, 1993)

Types of bullying include:

• Verbal
• Overt/physical
• Relational/social
• Cyber

Young people are likely to experience multiple forms of bullying.

The Impact of a Child Being Bullied

The more that a young person is bullied, the more of a negative impact this will have on them in the future. This can include emotional problems, behavioural problems, poor academic achievement, deliberate self-harm, suicidal ideation and psychotic symptoms. Studies suggest that up to 26% of clinical depression diagnoses can be attributed to bullying.

Being the victim of bullying is considered an ‘Adverse Childhood Experience’ (or ‘ACE’), which means that it can have long-lasting consequences. The importance of collaboration, prevention and action can be life-changing.

You may find yourself wondering ‘what can I do about bullying?’. Whether you’re a parent, teacher, or school, there is always something that you can do to help.

Why Does Bullying Happen?

Bullying can happen for a variety of reasons, which can be broadly categorised into individual, relational, community, and societal factors.

Individual

The perpetrator (bully) may seek feelings of power or want to gain social status. They may have difficulties regulating emotions such as anger, or act impulsively. Individuals more likely to be victimised by bullying are those with low self-esteem, depression, anxiety, social withdrawal and SEND.

Relational

A perpetrator may be influenced or reinforced by their peer group. Social learning mechanisms explain why young people exposed to violence or conflict in the home are more likely to display violence themselves.

Community

Violence in the local neighbourhood, or in a particular community will influence what is perceived as the norm. School norms are also important. Teachers feeling stressed and unsupported in their role, or supporting peer hierarchies, is associated with rates of bulling in school.

Societal

Broader social norms relating to dominance and aggression, gender roles, and exclusion of minority groups are highly influential on bullying behaviour.

If you believe that your child may be being bullied at school, reach out to their teachers. If they are having difficulties with their mental health as a result of bullying, we can help.

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