​Anti-bullying: Preventing Bullying at School

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Anti-bullying week 2021

Bullying is a severe issue in schools, and it affects the victims as well as their surroundings. The effects of bullying can be long-lasting, so it's essential to take action before things get worse. This blog post will talk about anti-bullying tips for teachers and educators looking for ways to prevent bullying at school.

What exactly is bullying?

Bullying can be defined as repeated aggression with the intent to hurt someone. It has been found that 50% of students in the UK have experienced bullying and online harassment, such as through social media or texting, at some point during their school years. Over 13 million children are bullied each year.

People who are bullied tend to report higher levels of anxiety, depression and loneliness than those who aren't. Also, bullying can lead to long-term effects such as physical self-injury or even suicide in severe cases. Thus, bullying is a severe problem that needs to be resolved before it affects even more people.

For parents, it's heartbreaking to hear that their child is being bullied at school. Bullying is hurtful and dangerous for the victim and can be a sign of underlying issues which lie with the bully. Unfortunately, it can also be difficult to stop bullying in schools or even know if it's happening around you. If you suspect that your child is being bullied, here are some tips for you to try.

Bullying can be stopped when the victim or bystanders speak up about it using kind words and standing up against the bully in a safe way. Bullies need to know that bullying is unacceptable and will not be tolerated in their school community. This may involve talking with teachers and parents of the bully to help them understand how their actions are hurting someone else.

Pastoral care in schools has accelerated over the past few years and could be a useful resource to help recognise and resolve the bullying issues that are taking place.

Check your child's school website or handbook to find out their bullying prevention plan. You should ask how it works and question if the policy seems effective for stopping bullying at school. If you don't feel confident that they have a system in place, investigate other options such as inviting an anti-bullying speaker to present to the students or a specialist consultant who can help address the issue.

If, after working with your child's school to stop the bullying from happening, you may consider transferring your child to another school that will be better for their needs. Don't let bullying happen in schools when there are actions you can take to reduce the impact.

Bullying prevention

What can be done to prevent bullying? Luckily, there are several ways that parents and schools can help make sure children and young people stay safe. Unfortunately, around three-quarters of bullied students do not report incidents. If the bullying is hidden, then teachers can't deal with something they don't know about which can lead to difficulties in stopping or preventing further bullying. Many schools have anti-bullying policies, and some might even offer additional training to teachers.

Parents can also play a role in bullying prevention by talking with their children about the issue, knowing where they are at all times and making sure that other adults around them understand what is going on so they can help if necessary. It is also essential that parents monitor their children's online behaviour and what they post on social media to make sure it isn't being used as a platform for bullying others.

Additionally, students can help combat bullying by reporting bullying incidents, so teachers know the problems occurring at school. They should also stay strong and not give in to the demands of bullies.

Bullying can have long-term effects on victims, so it's essential to stop or reduce this behaviour before the problem gets worse.

When it comes to preventing bullying at school, parents should start with their own experiences. As a parent, if you suffered at the hands of bullies, try modelling behaviour to ensure your child doesn't fall into the same pattern of behaviour. Role-playing can be helpful for this purpose, discussing why the child would not want to be in that position and how to deal with certain situations if they do arise. Parents could also teach their children how to stand up for themselves, and what boundaries need respecting during playdates.

What Can Parents Do About Bullying?

Parents should be wary of TV and movie content that depict bullying as normal behaviour. This can be detrimental to the child's psyche and lead them to believe it is okay to harm others because they see those behaviours on-screen. Parents concerned about their children being bullied at school, but do not know how to help, should speak to their child's teacher about their concerns.

Conclusion

In the spirit of Anti-Bullying Week, we wanted to share a few simple things you can do at home and school to prevent bullying. We hope this article was helpful for everyone who wants to be part of the solution. If you have any additional questions or want help implementing these solutions in your classroom, please reach out!

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