Bullying
Bullying is behaviour by a person or group,repeated over time, that intentionally hurts others either physically or emotionally. Bullying can take many forms, and includes cyber-bullying via social media or the internet.
Bullying
Bullying is not always easy to recognise as it can take a number of forms. A child may encounter bullying attacks that are:
- Physical: pushing, kicking, hitting, pinching and other forms of violence or threats
- Verbal: name-calling, sarcasm, spreading rumours, persistent teasing
- Emotional: excluding (sending to Coventry), tormenting, ridiculing, humiliating.
Persistent bullying can result in:
- Depression
- Low self-esteem
- Shyness
- Poor academic achievement
- Isolation
- Threatened or attempted suicide
Signs that a child may be being bullied can be:
- Coming home with cuts and bruises
- Torn clothes
- Asking for stolen possessions to be replaced
- Losing dinner money
- Falling out with previously good friends
- Being moody and bad tempered
- Wanting to avoid leaving their home
- Aggression with younger brothers and sisters
- Doing less well at school
- Sleep problems
- Anxiety
- Becoming quiet and withdrawn
What Parents and Carers should do?
You should take action if…
- You suspect or discover your own child or a child you know is being bullied;
- You are concerned that your own child is bullying others.
Talk to the parents/carers of children who are being bullied or might be bullying others.
Alternatively, talk to teachers/the school or, if it’s serious, you should talk to Children’s Social Care (see Reporting Concerns).
- Read Brighton & Hove City Council’s leaflet for parent’s here, which includes advice for talking to the school about the problem as well as ways to support your child.
- Check out advice from the internet such as The Anti Bullying Network or Bullying UK