Bullying At School
Parents’ greatest fears when their child starts school are that they will be bullied or will not do well, rather than whether they will smoke, drink or use drugs, a survey has revealed.But their offspring’s number one concern is making the right sort of friends as they make the transition to their new environment, the same findings show.
Bullying can be devastating for children’s confidence and self-esteem. They need lots of love and support, both at home and wherever the bullying is happening. They also need to know that you will take action to prevent any further bullying.Many children who are being bullied are afraid to speak out. They are scared of reprisals if they tell someone. Reports have shown that as young people grow older, they are less likely to tell someone. They become more and more isolated, experience depression and, in extreme cases, can harm themselves or attempt suicide.
If your child is being bullied, get the help of your school as quickly as you can. Schools take bullying extremely seriously. Your child’s teachers will be trained in spotting and handling bullying. They will work with you to try to prevent further bullying.Your school will assess the situation with you. Schools will always focus first on protecting the victim. Then they will look at changing the bullying behaviour and deterring others from bullying. Their suggestions will depend on the circumstances of the bullying and on the children involved.
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