Advice for Dealing With Bullying

Advice for Dealing With Bullying

"If you are worried discuss this with a teacher."

Bullying is not easy to define. Sometimes it involves hitting or kicking. But threats, teasing, and taunting are more common and can be more damaging.

The word 'bullying' is used to describe many different types of behaviour ranging from teasing or deliberately leaving an individual out of a social gathering or ignoring them, to serious assaults and abuse. Sometimes it is an individual who is doing the bullying and sometimes it is a group.

The important thing is not the action but the effect on the victim. No-one should ever underestimate the fear that a bullied child feels.

This advice sums up the most important actions to take -

If someone in your family is being bullied at school - you have to do something to help: you must talk to a teacher.

If you are worried that someone in your family may be bullied - discuss this with a teacher.

If you want to help rid schools of bullying - work with the teachers to make schools safer and happier.

If you are not satisfied with the school's response, do not give up - other sources of help are available.

Support and understanding at home are important in helping people to cope with bullying - do all you can to help children and young people value themselves.

Children and young people who witness or become aware of bullying may be unsure what to do and whether they should tell someone. Make sure they know that they should talk to a parent or teacher, and why.

The key messages to get across to the person being bullied are:

It's not your fault that you are being bullied

You don't have to face this

From: Supporting Schools Against Bullying: The Second SCRE Anti-Bullying Pack (1993)

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...ou might find it easier to write down what's been happening to you and give it to an adult you trust.

What can you do if you see someone else being bullied?

If you see someone else being bullied you should always try to stop it. If you do nothing, you're saying that bullying is okay with you.

It's always best to treat others the way you would like to be treated.

You should show the bully that you think what they're doing is stupid and mean. Help the person being bullied to tell an adult they can trust.

Are you a bully?

Have you ever bullied someone else? Think about why you did it and how you were feeling at the time. If you are sometimes a bully, try to find other ways to make yourself feel good.

Most bullies aren't liked, even if it starts out that way. Remember, it's best to treat others the way you would like to be treated.

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