Bullying may be defined as deliberately hurtful behaviour, usually repeated over a period of time, where it is difficult for those bullied to defend themselves. It can take many forms, including physical, verbal, emotional or cyber, and can cause the victim considerable distress, to the extent that it can affect their health and development and/or cause them significant harm (including self harm.)
The most common effects of bullying are:
- Anxiety and depression that can lead to intermittent and long-term absence from school, physical illness, psychosomatic complaints or even suicide.
- Poor self-esteem, which inhibits children from forming positive relationships, leads to feelings of worthlessness and betrayal, and causes some to lower their expectations, standards of work and therefore their academic attainments
- Withdrawal, which may lead to low participation in school and other activities.
Bullying leaves the victim feeling helpless to prevent it or put a stop to it. In some case an imbalance of power may mean that bullying crosses the threshold into abuse requiring implementation of safeguarding procedures. If it is suspected that bullying behaviour may cause the victim significant harm, the safeguarding procedures must be followed.
The needs of both the child being bullied and the perpetrator must be considered. It is important to remember that:
- National surveys indicate that half the children and young people who bully had been bullied themselves
- Bullies can have distress in their own lives and use fighting and threatening behaviour as a way of coping
All settings in which children are provided with services or are living away from home must have in place rigorously enforced anti-bullying strategies.
Schools have a legal duty to prevent all forms of bullying among pupils. In cases of sexist, sexual and transphobic bullying, schools must always consider whether safeguarding procedures need to be followed because of the potential for serious violence.
Ref:
DE Safe from Bullying in Children’s Homes
Working Together 2010 Chapter 11 Para 11.56 – 11.64
GOOD PRACTICE GUIDANCE:-
Possible Indicators of bullying are:
- Changes in attitude
- Unexpected illness
- Damaged/missing clothes, belongings or money
- Unexplained scratches/bruising/cuts/bite marks
- Going to school or coming home a different way
- Poorer school performance
- Truanting
- Getting easily upset or emotional
- Wanting to be escorted to places
- Absconding
- Crying at night/nightmares
- Bullying other children
- Returning home hungry (lunch/snack money stolen)
- Asking for more money than usual or stealing money
- Stopping eating
- Self harm/attempted suicide
