Training Staff to Respond to Bullying
All staff who are in the front line dealing with pupils’ complaints
about each other need to be trained in effective ways of responding.
The following notes may be helpful to use in discussing this issue. The
importance of some of these key messages may need to be emphasised, for
example, asking the child to come up with possible solutions, believing
that a child can change and involving peers
Help for Children Who Feel Bullied
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Help for Children Who Bully
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- don’t ignore
- listen and talk
- ask child for suggestions
- find out about feelings
- agree next steps / way forward
- build self-esteem and confidence
- praise and reinforce reporting
- develop and practise appropriate responses
- ensure not isolated, peer support
- practise skills
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- ask for explanation
- explain why behaviour unacceptable
- criticise behaviour, not child
- awareness of impact and consequences
- seek to repair relationship
- seek ways to change behaviour
- believe in change
- praise change and appropriate behaviour
- meet attention and esteem needs
- ensure not isolated, peer support
- practise skills
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If playground supervisors know the conflict resolution strategies that
pupils have been taught they can ask children whether they have tried
to use them in sorting out disputes and support pupils in doing so.
Of course supervisors and teachers also need to be aware that some
pupils will not tell anyone that they are being bullied and it is therefore
important to look out for the signs and symptoms.
Signs & Symptoms |
- Avoiding interaction
- Avoiding eye contact
- Bite marks, bruises
- Cries easily
- Refusing to attend school
- Refusing to say what’s wrong
- Quietness
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- Staying behind to help/chat
- Upset tummy, feeling unwell
- Personality changes
- Torn clothing, damaged property
- Unexplained injuries
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There is always a reason why someone uses bully behaviour. When a child
is repeatedly involved in hurtful behaviour, responses need to get to
the bottom of their triggers or pay offs if there is to be any effective
change.
Why do people bully?
Because they get a pay off!!
- Feel powerful
- Gain admiration, raise status or sense of belonging
- Feel there is someone “less” than themselves
- Get their own back for something
- Communicate/maintain their power/dominance
- Bigotry and dislike for particular groups
- Expel their anger
- For fun
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