Bully Aware!

1. Bully Aware! Course Introduction: • This course is particularly suitable for new teaching assistants, welfare assistants and members of mid-day supervisory teams. • Participants will look at a definition of bullying and the effects it can have on the children involved.  We will look at both preventative and reactive interventions, including strategies for managing single incidents of bullying, developing behaviour plans for individuals and group strategies. • By the end of the session, participants will • * be able to define the nature of bullying and a ‘no-blame’ approach • * have an understanding of the bully as well as the victim • * have a working knowledge of how to respond to different types of bullying, e.g. listening to all parties involved, encouraging co-operative behaviour, withdrawing privileges, setting individual goals, using strategies consistently and setting up ‘special friend’ schemes • * have a working knowledge of electronic/cyber bullying, and an awareness of the latest DFCS anti-bullying guidelines, and the relationship between equality legislation and some forms of bullying.   • * Explore the links between the course materials, the Five Outcomes and safeguarding children • * have a working knowledge of preventative interventions, e.g. whole school and family commitment and involvement, awareness days/weeks, group activities, classroom approaches, boosting emotional intelligence and self-esteem, parental involvement

2. Bully Aware! Introductions.... Your trainer Do you know each other?

3. Skills Active Overview: Access Training is accredited by SkillsActive and has signed up to its national Code of Practice SkillsActive “quality assure” the training. This training may be useful, or even count towards, other qualifications, such as NVQs.

4. Bullying Awareness: What we are discussing today: • The national picture • What we can do as the Mid-Day Team • What is “bullying”? What effects it can have on children and adults? On Bully, and on Victim • The value of the “No Blame” and other approaches • How can we reduce/prevent /react to bullying • How might we react to single incidents • How bullying is a “whole school issue”

5. How does this course support The National Picture • The Five Outcomes: • be healthy • stay safe • enjoy and achieve • make a positive contribution • achieve economic well-being. • Safeguarding Children • The National Anti-Bullying Charter & National Guidance

6. Definitions of Bullying • being called names – face to face or behind one’s back • being teased • being pushed or pulled about • being hit or attacked • having your bag & other possessions taken & thrown around • having rumours spread about you • being ignored and left out • being forced to hand over money or possessions • being attacked because of your religion, colour, culture • being ridiculed • Sexual bullying • Cyber bullying by email, text, chat room, “Facebook” & similar

7. Definitions of Bullying “Bullying is the intentional, unprovoked abuse of power by one or more children to inflict pain or cause distress to another child on repeated occasions. It is particularly likely to occur in social groups with clear power relationships and low supervision. It occurs to some extent in all schools and often without apparent provocation.” Salmon et al. (2000) Bullying a Review. Clinical Child Psychology and Psychiatry 5:4

8. Definitions of Bullying “Bullying is when someone uses their power to hurt or scare others. It can be done by an individual or a group. It can be carried out physically, emotionally or verbally. People bully because they feel bad about themselves or to gain popularity or sometimes for pleasure” Elmsleigh School, Derbyshire

9. Anti-Bullying “Stop-Start” “Several Times On Purpose STOP Start Telling And Report Trouble START • Support for the individual • Playground Pals, individual support & programs • Support for groups: • SEAL (Social & Emotional Aspects of Learning) • Nurture Groups • Playground Pals (Yr 2) / Friendship Stop • Circle time • November “Anti-Bullying Week” • Half-term topics (feeling, relationships, self-awareness) • Support for Staff: • Training • Environment & Organisational Changes: • e.g. Play Training, lunchtime activities, “Healthy Schools” • “Time Out Zone”. Derbyshire ABC Anti-Bullying accreditation

10. National Guidance • Bullying related to race, religion and culture (2006) • Safe to Learn: Embedding anti-bullying work in schools (Sept 2007) • Let’s fight it together (April 2008) • Preventing and responding to sexist, sexual and transphobic bullying (10 Dec 2009)

11. National Support Organisations and resources • Teachernet • Parentline Plus • Bullying UK • Kidscape • Childnet International / Kidsmart • Beat Bullying

12. Bullying – possible signs • withdrawn and isolated in playground • tearful and clingy • continually complaining of feeling unwell • looking miserable or worried • not wanting to stay in school • doing poorly in their schoolwork • continually ‘losing’ things

13. Parents may report: • complaints of feeling ill • eg tummy upsets & headache • nightmares • tearful/ withdrawn at home • loss of appetite • more aggressive behaviour towards siblings/other children • bed-wetting • temper tantrums • uncharacteristic disobedience

14. Bullies: What are we dealing with? Adult or Child? At school or “outside”? Temporary Individual Chronic Group Face to face Distance/Electronic Repeated Bullying? Or “nil action intimidation”? What changes are needed? Bully/Victim/School?

15. Bullies: Temporary or chronic? Temporary: a traumatic event such as: • divorce, • the birth of a new sibling, • a death,frustration e.g. their ‘best’ friend has started playing with another child • boredom.

16. Bullies: Temporary or chronic? Chronic because they: • like the feeling of power • are encouraged to by parents and/or wider network • feel insecure, inadequate, humiliated • have been abused in some way • are scapegoats or bullied at home • are under pressure to succeed/perform well • are emotionally immature/don’t understand how others feel • have poor self-esteem/low sense of accomplishment • don’t have other ways to be popular • have poor assertiveness skills

17. Long-term effects of bullying: Victim: • depression • suicidal thoughts (see press cuttings) • loss of confidence • Unwillingness to try new things • Loss of learning potential • Increased stress/reduced immune system • Elective mute / compensating behaviours • social isolation

18. Can “one size fit all”? • Variety of bullies • Variety of approaches • If one approach does not work, try another

19. Long-term effects of bullying Bully: • having a criminal record • abusing partners and children • having children who are bullies

20. Schools without an effective strategy: Schools that gain a reputation for bullying may suffer: • Reduced regard in community • Reduced educational standards • Reduced quality of behaviours • Reduced job satisfaction • Reduced staff retention • Potential for media adverse publicity • Potential for increased vandalism & arson

21. What can schools do about bullying? • Victims need to be supported, and feel that action has been taken • Why are some children “targeted” more than others? • Bullies need to be stopped: • achieve success to make them feel good about themselves • Alternative ways of feeling secure / in control / successful • Parents have needs • Information, involvement, ideas, support

22. What can schools do about bullying? • anti-bullying policy – everyone has a role • encourage children to talk about bullying assemblies • children’s ideas/solutions • help bullies become part of the group • set up programmes and goals for individual children • discuss/rehearse ways of expressing emotions more constructively • build self-esteem through achievement • teach assertiveness/problem-solving skills • encourage bully and families to change behaviour • through insight re: effects of and reasons for bullying, • through new skills e.g. anger-management, positive praise

23. Decide upon appropriate action For example: • obtain apologies from bully/ies to victim • impose sanctions upon bully • insist on return of stolen items • discuss with bully and victim together how they might resolve the problems • discuss with the bullies the consequences of their actions in some detail, encourage responsibility for actions • provide a safe haven in playtimes • create a buddy system matching older/more confident children to bullied children • provide a named support teacher

24. Changing Behaviours • Consider: We need to change behaviours. • Stick? • Carrot? Which works best for us? For children? Which is more likely to work without alienating the child?

25. The No-Blame Approach: • The Five Outcomes: • be healthy • stay safe • enjoy and achieve • make a positive contribution • achieve economic well-being. • Activity

26. Playgrounds – what else to do • Keep your eyes open • Look out for sad, upset children • Use your personal knowledge of children • Watch out for groups of children huddled together • Listen to each child directly involved individually • Use time-out as temporary way of calming children down – ask them to seek you out only when they feel calm

27. Reducing the Risks • Good training/education • children, parents and staff • Assemblies, PSHE, Nurture Groups, Topics • Emotional Literacy lessons, friendship circles • Observational skills • Lots of activities • Consistent approaches to behaviours and bullying: A “whole school approach” • Meeting “Special Educational Needs” • Environment

28. Preventing Bullying in the Playground • Stagger the times children play if possible • Have playground rules – make sure they are alive!! • Make sure playground supervisors understand that they have a role in monitoring children’s behaviour/let children know you’re watching them • Deal with bullying and intimidation assertively and immediately (sorting it out is the responsibility of the playground supervisors) • Make sure the playground supervisors have clear procedures to follow • Shadow children and break up groups

29. How did this course support The National Picture • The Five Outcomes: • be healthy • stay safe • enjoy and achieve • make a positive contribution • achieve economic well-being. • Safeguarding Children • The National Anti-Bullying Charter

30. Headings for Action Plan • Name of school Date • Priorities for change • What might you want to experiment with in order to improve effectiveness? • Agreement about any common approaches you are ready to adopt • Agreements re: • commitments to any further explorations/piloting of change • identify any support you need • How will you track your progress and share experience? • Date of review

31. Questions & Further Help • Access Training: www.trainyourschool.co.uk • 229 Scraptoft Lane, Leicester LE5 2HT • 0116 241 5801 • Tear-off slip at bottom of evaluation form • Resources: Handouts- & ideas for further reading

32. Further Reading (Books ): • Solutions to Bullying, Sue Young, published 2002, NASEN (tel no 01827 311500), ISBN 1 901 485 358 • DfES: "Bullying - Don't Suffer in Silence", ISBN 0 11 270879X (tel 01902 267000 about £15) • Bullying – A Practical Guide to Coping for Schools – Elliott (Longman Pubs, ISBN 0582 08024X ) • Crying for Help – Robinson & Maines – Lucky Duck Publishing ISBN 1 873 942 869, tel. 0117 9732881 • Bully in Sight – Tim Field- ISBN 0952912104

33. Further Reading (Websites): • Teachernet has a large section on bullying, aimed at teachers and TA staff, but equally useful for all mid-day staff: http://www.teachernet.gov.uk/wholeschool/behaviour/tacklingbullying/ • Parentline Plus: Section on bullying: http://www.besomeonetotell.org.uk/index.php?id=94 • This site has several very useful “Be Someone to Tell” series of booklets free for downloading. These are posted on Rik’s trainer website • Bullying UK also has a huge range of resources, mostly free on internet. • Http://www.bullying.co.uk/ • Kidscape is an anti-bullying resource and helpline for parents • Ask delegates – Does the school have a list of resources to help parents of children who are bullied? • http://www.kidscape.org.uk/ • A useful link for parents of teenagers, with a significant section on bullying, is: • http://www.gotateenager.org.uk • Childnet International aims to keep children safe with modern technology • http://www.kidsmart.org.uk/ • Beat Bullying is a “trendy” anti-bullying website which might appeal most to older primary/secondary children • http://www.bbclic.com/

34. Conclusion • ACTION to improve our management of bullying incidents, and reduce their frequency • Evaluation Sheets • Certificates • Notes, Bibliography, Web Site • Action Plans

35. Bullying Awareness What we discussed today: • The national picture • What we can do as the Mid-Day Team • What is “bullying”? What effects it can have on children and adults? On Bully, and on Victim • The value of the “No Blame” and other approaches • How can we reduce/prevent /react to bullying • How might we react to single incidents • How bullying is a “whole school issue”