School Bullying

1. Vodcast Six: Issues with parents and evaluating anti-bullying work School Bullying Dr Ken RigbyConsultant Developed for

2. The concerns of parents • Increasingly parents have become concerned about the problem of bullying, especially when it involves their own child • Many want to be assured that the school is taking the matter seriously and there are effective procedures to deal with cases of bullying Developed for

3. Proactive work with parents • As far as possible involve parents in the development of anti-bullying policy • Enable them to make a contribution – for example through answering questionnaires about bullying • Ensure that each parent has a copy of the school’s anti-bullying policy, and relevant information on bullying appears on the school’s website • Inform them through newsletters of relevant developments in the school, especially actions being taken to educate students about bullying • Invite parents to meetings to discuss issues of esteem, eg, problems associated with cyber bullying Developed for

4. Involving parents in addressing bullying • Not all bullying need involve parents. With low level bullying the school is ‘in loco parentis.’ • With serious cases of bullying normally parents need to be involved. • Parents of children suspected of bullying and parents whose children have been bullied raise different issues. Developed for

5. Working with parents of children who have engaged in bullying • Contact the parents and arrange a meeting • View the matter as a problem over which close collaboration is needed • Avoid any suggestion that questions their child’s character • Explain how the school is handling the matter and seek the parent’s support • Emphasise that the school’s action is in accord with agreed school rules Developed for

6. Working with parents whose child has been bullied • Recognise that the anger and (often) critical tone of the parent is understandable and avoid being counter-aggressive • Listen carefully – and supportively – and obtain as much information about the bullying as the parent can provide • Explain that the school will need time to investigate the matter further – but that the parent will be informed of what happens • Although the parent may insist upon a particular course of action, make it clear that the school will act in accordance with its publicised anti-bullying policy (as endorsed by the parent) Developed for

7. Common mistakes • Suggesting that the parent of the victim discusses the matter with the parent of the bully. Usually disastrous. • Not contacting the parent of the victim to check on the outcomes of the intervention • Not recognising the possibility that the victim may have been provocative – and the bully’s parents may have some reasonable concerns. Developed for

8. For parents wanting help • Recommend literature or courses that are helpful in promoting the kind of parenting that makes bullying less likely Developed for

9. Evaluation There are two matters that may concern a school wanting to evaluate its work to counter bullying: (i) Whether the policy or program has led to a reduction in bullying (ii) Whether actual interventions with cases of bullying have been effective Developed for

10. Evaluating policies/programs • First seek to discover how well the policy or program was implemented • This means systematically asking questions of staff members • Decide whether the implementation was (i) really thorough (ii) only partly implemented (iii) implemented hardly at all Developed for

11. Assessing the nature and degree of change brought about by the policy/program • This can only be done validly by obtaining estimates of the prevalence of the bullying before and after the implementation and comparing the changes with that found in a control group • Often it is best to invite an external person or organisation with appropriate skills and objectivity, eg., a University looking for a project to evaluate Developed for

12. Evaluating interventions with cases • For each case addressed, record its nature • eg. how severe; mode of bullying • eg. verbal, physical, indirect, cyber, some or all of these. • How prolonged? • Whether there was group involvement; age, gender, ethnicity • Describe the method or methods of intervention actually used • Rate the success of the outcome as : (i) the bullying stopped (ii) the bullying got less severe (iii) there was no change (iv) things got worse for the victim Developed for

13. Evaluating interventions with cases continued • In rating the outcome, obtain data from interviews with the victim and with the bully or bullies, and then, if practicable, from bystanders, teachers and parents • Repeat the inquiry a month or so later to see whether the situation has altered • Make a recommendation as to the effectiveness of the intervention as carried out in relation to the kind of case and factors involved Developed for

14. Questions • What level of collaboration exists at your school between parents and staff in preventing and addressing problems of bullying? Suggest ways it could be improved. • What do you think your school could do realistically to evaluate efforts to reduce bullying? Developed for