My child is being bullied

Bullying can affect anyone and can have devastating effects for children in terms of feelings of self-worth, self-confidence and school performance.

There's nothing more worrying than thinking your child could be the victim of bullying. We all know that children can be unkind and that what can start off as playful teasing can move into a more serious situation. It can be a difficult time for your child and you the parent to deal with.

Bullying rarely takes place between a 'victim' and a 'bully' alone. It tends to be a group behaviour. Others, by assisting or enabling the bullying or by defending and supporting the target of the bullying, can have a significant influence on the outcomes of behaviours among children and young people, intentionally or otherwise.

Bullying is not simply a 'falling out' it is:

• hurtful
• repetitive
• can include a power imbalance
• intentional

Bullying behaviour can be:

• Physical – pushing, poking, kicking, hitting, biting, pinching etc.
• Verbal - name calling, sarcasm, spreading rumours, threats, teasing, belittling.
• Emotional – isolating others, tormenting, hiding books, threatening gestures,  ridicule, humiliation, intimidating, excluding, manipulation and coercion.
• Sexual – unwanted physical contact, inappropriate touching, abusive comments, homophobic abuse, exposure to inappropriate films etc.
• Online /cyber – posting on social media, sharing photos, sending nasty text messages, social exclusion.
• Indirect - Can include the exploitation of individuals.

The Law - Some forms of bullying are illegal and should be reported to the police. These include violence or assault, theft, repeated harassment or intimidation (for example name calling), threats and abusive phone calls, emails or text messages, hate crimes. Bullying at school: The law - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

You may find yourself struggling to find the right support. Don't worry, there are ways you can tackle bullying, including asking the school for help and support.  There are also some websites you can visit for more information and advice:

• Helping Children Deal with Bullying & Cyberbullying | NSPCC
• Bullying | Parents Guide to Support | YoungMinds
• Online bullying and the Law (anti-bullyingalliance.org.uk)
• Anti-bullying Alliance: national organisation committed to stopping bullying of all forms

Information and support for young people on bullying:

• ChildLine: national organisation committed to keeping children safe