Bullying - A Guide For Parents And Carers

A bullied child may or may not tell you directly that they are being bullied.  A bullied child may feel like they cannot tell you, or may feel like the problem will get worse if you intervene.

There are signs that you can look out for that may indicate a child is being bullied, these signs are listed on Bullying Online website.  If you suspect your child is being bullied, Bullying Online also has some questions that you could ask to try to confirm or allay your suspicions.

Talking With Your Child

When you talk with your child, whether they have approached you directly or you have asked them yourself, it is important to remain calm and understanding.  Some parents may feel angry and want to go straight to their child's school to complain, although it is much better to take time to listen your child and find out if they have any preference in how they would like to deal with the situation.

How To Deal With The Situation

Whether the bullying is taking place in or out of school, you should approach your child's school in the first instance.  Remember to be firm but non-confrontational - the school is probably not aware of what is going on.

Most schools take a hard-line with bullying and have a bullying procedure in place.  They will have dealt with instances of bullying before and will be able to talk about the problem and deal with the problem discreetly without embarassing your child or making the problem worse.

Bullying Online has a comprehensive section for parents including information about approaching your child's school, bullying policies, bullying outside of school, and much more.  This site is very informative and highly recommended.

Other Links

• Information from Shropshire County Council about 'Anti-Bullying'.
• Childline have an information sheet (opens as a PDF) for parents about bullying.
• Directgov has a page of information for parents with advice about spotting signs of bullying and talking to teachers and more.
• The Don't Suffer In Silence website also has advice and information for parents.
• StopTextBully has information for parents/carers specifically about cyber-bullying.