Bullying information for parents

If your child is being bullied, it can be hurtful not only to them but also to you as parents.  Knowing what to do to help them isn't always obvious, but there are several things you can do to help and ultimately resolve the situation.

There are many forms of bullying such as:

• Name calling
• Hitting/punching
• Theft of property
• Damage of property
• Rumour spreading
• Intimidation
• Cyberbullying - bullying via e-mail, instant messaging, social network sites
• Virtual bullying - bullying by text or mobile phone

Your child might not always tell you they are being bullied.  They might be embarrassed or worried as to how you will react.  However, if they are displaying any unusual signs or symptoms e.g. headaches, not eating properly or not wanting to go to school, then try to talk to them in a constructive and compassionate way and attempt to get to the root of the cause.

If they tell you they are being bullied, make sure you tell them they have done the right thing by telling you and make sure you do the following:

• Make notes of everything they tell you and try and get as much information as possible such as dates, times and specific events without pressuring them.
• Tell them to tell their class teacher as soon as possible.
• Arrange an appointment to talk to their class teacher or other representative as soon as possible and ask to see a copy of the school's anti-bullying policy.
• Ensure any resulting actions to be undertaken are clearly understood.
• Maintain regular contact with the school so that both parties can provide regular updates.
• Refer your child to our bullying pages in the young people's section to provide them with advice on what they can do.

If you discover your child is bullying another child, then you should also take action and work to stop the bullying from occurring.

• Tell your child that their actions are unacceptable, but refrain from displaying aggressive behaviour when doing so.
• Praise your child when they show good behaviour.
• Talk to your child's teacher to see what can be done.
• Contact anti-bullying advice lines for further information.