ippn Annual Conference
Anti-Bullying Campaign
The Problem
Findings in a 2012 survey of 4,500 Irish 10-year-olds show that
12% (about three per class) say they were bullied “about weekly”
International Association for Evaluation of Educational Achievement, led in Ireland by Dr Emer Eivers,
Educational Research Centre, St Patrick’s College, Drumcondra - (Irish Examiner, 27/12/2012)
When this problem is not dealt with effectively at primary level
it becomes even worse at second level where:
About 30% of pupils are bullied in any half-term period.
(Anti-Bullying Centre, Trinity College, Dublin, 2008).
55% of young people claim to have been bullied
(UNICEF Report: Changing the Future, 2012)
To fulfil our “Duty of Care” towards our pupils
a solution must be found to the problem of bullying
before those involved leave primary school.
ippn Annual Conference
Anti-Bullying Campaign
What is bullying? It is any behaviour that is
(a) deliberate, (b) hurtful and (c) repeated over time, e.g.
• Unwelcome glances, sniggering, name calling, making fun of . . .
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Slagging/teasing about characteristics, background, family . . .
Spreading rumours or lies about someone
Abusive telephone calls or text messages
Putting unwelcome messages/pictures on Internet sites
Isolation/exclusion from group activity
Intimidation, verbal or through body language
Forcing someone to do things they do not want to do
Physical aggression - pushing, tripping, hitting, punching . . .
Hiding, interfering with, taking or damaging property
Extortion of money or property
If any combination of these happens repeatedly to a pupil,
whatever else you might call it, s/he is being bullied.
ippn Annual Conference
Anti-Bullying Campaign
Impact of Bullying:
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Feelings of insecurity, nervousness
Damage to self-confidence, withdrawal
Lowering of self-esteem, unhappiness with self
Unexplained mood changes, mood swings
Behaviour changes, uncharacteristic aggression
Stress/distress, inability to cope, coming late to school, mitching
Extreme anxiety/panic attacks, leaving the school, mitching
Nervous breakdown, inability to function
Depression requiring psychiatric intervention
Self-Harm by various means including cutting
Death by Suicide
Bullied pupils feel hurt, humiliated and isolated
and do not understand what is really happening to them or why.
ippn Annual Conference
Anti-Bullying Campaign
Finding a Solution
To bring a bullying situation to an end two things are needed:
(a) Teachers need to know about the specific bullying situation
(and about the nature and impact of bullying in general)
(b) Teachers need to know what to do about the specific situation
(to change the behaviour of the bullying child so the bullying stops)
Implementing a new anti-bullying policy that is in line with the
Anti-Bullying Procedures for Primary and Post Primary Schools” 2013,
(which must be developed this year and will be mandatory from next year)
can empower you, your staff and your school fulfil both these needs!
ippn Annual Conference
Anti-Bullying Campaign
What do the new DES Procedures
require of schools to deal with this problem?
That all schools implement a policy that encapsulates the following principles:
• A school culture that welcomes difference and diversity, is inclusive,
encourages reporting of bullying behaviour and promotes respect
• Effective leadership (from all in leadership roles including parents and pupils)
• School-wide approach – (Roles for Board, principal, all staff, parents, pupils)
• A shared understanding of what bullying is and its impact
• Implementation of education and prevention strategies (including awarenessraising measures) that
- build empathy, respect and resilience in pupils and
- explicitly address the issues of cyber-bullying and identity-based bullying
including in particular, racism, [homophobic and transphobic bullying].
• Effective supervision and monitoring of pupils(knowing for what to watch)
• Supports for staff (so they know about bullying and can deal with it)
• Consistent recording, investigation and follow up of bullying behaviour and
• On-going evaluation of the effectiveness of the anti-bullying policy
The Anti-Bullying Campaign programme empowers schools
to implement these new DES Procedures and to do so very efficiently.
ippn Annual Conference
Anti-Bullying Campaign
“Anti-Bullying Procedures for Primary and Post Primary Schools”
2013, under the heading “Key Principles of Best Practice,” states:
5.2.2
The main aims of an anti-bullying policy are as follows:
(iii) To raise awareness amongst the entire school community
(including school management, teachers, pupils, parents,
volunteers etc.) that bullying is unacceptable behaviour;
6.5.1
Every school must document in its anti-bullying policy the specific
education and prevention strategies that the school will
implement.
6.5.2. Effective practice includes prevention and awareness raising
measures across all aspects of bullying . . . In particular, such
strategies need to build empathy, respect and resilience in
pupils.
The Anti-Bullying Campaign gives effect to this key principle,
enabling schools to fully satisfy their “Duty of Care”
in relation to awareness-raising about bullying among pupils.
ippn Annual Conference
Anti-Bullying Campaign
“Anti-Bullying Procedures for Primary and Post Primary Schools”
2013, under the heading “Key Principles of Best Practice,” states:
6.8.1
A consistent and clear approach to dealing with bullying when it
occurs is essential to effective practice . . . [using] established
intervention strategies and ensuring consistent recording,
investigation and follow up of bullying behaviour.
6.8.9
School authorities must ensure that the school has clear
procedures for investigating and dealing with bullying . . .
. . . must be consistent with the following approach:
(i) The primary aim for the relevant teacher in investigating and
dealing with bullying is to resolve any issues and to restore, as
far as is practicable, the relationships of the parties involved
(rather than to apportion blame).
Our Anti-Bullying Campaign gives effect to this key principle,
enabling schools to fully satisfy their “Duty of Care”
in relation to dealing with bullying situations among pupils.
Anti-Bullying Campaign - Overall Summary
Bullying is repeated targeted hurtful behaviour
reflecting a power imbalance between those involved
In class bullying is secretive
When teachers on yard duty
change every day they
cannot see the Repetition
that indicates “Bullying”
Pupils see all this behaviour
so we need them to report it
BUT
They don’t Recognise it
they don’t Understand it
so they don’t Report it
BUT
Punishment is an Obstacle
so they still don’t Report it
SO
Anti-Bullying Campaign - Strand 1
Raising Awareness /Understanding
Pupils Now Recognise Bullying
Pupils Now Reject Bullying
SO
Anti-Bullying Campaign - Strand 2
A “Reform, not Blame” Approach
Pupils see this as Fair and Just
Pupils Now Report the Bullying
AND
There is No Resolution
AND
AND
The bullying continues, leading
to misery, low self-esteem, depression,
self harm . . .
Our “Reform, Not Blame” Response
offers “win-win” resolution
for everyone involved
Solution to Problem 3
6 Steps to “Reform, not Blame”
In most
cases this
promise is
faithfully
honoured
If it is broken
a similar
promise is
countersigned
by parents
A second promise is almost never broken - a “win-win-win” outcome
Anti-Bullying Campaign
Strand 2: Dealing with Incidents - Summary
The Anti-Bullying Campaign response offers
a “win-win” resolution in almost all cases
In a tiny number of cases
second promise is broken Return to Ladder of Referral
Phase 2: In return for honesty
and keeping 2nd promise
pupil gets
no confidentiality
but no blame or sanction
Expulsion?
Almost all keep first or
second promise and so
avoid blame or sanction
through ladder of referral
Suspension
Meeting(s)
with parents
Contact parents
If Promise is broken
parents/staff told but still
no return to ladder of referral
Phase 1: In return for honesty
and keeping 1st promise
pupil gets
confidentiality
and no blame or sanction
Code of Behaviour
Ladder of Referral
Principal?
Deputy Principal?
Most keep first promise so
by agreement parents &
Principal do not need to
know or act
Awareness Raising Strand Ongoing Throughout School
Minor
Sanctions(s)
Warning(s)
Correction
ippn Annual Conference
Anti-Bullying Campaign
Strand 1: Sample Awareness Raising exercises:
In addition to SPHE - events like the following spread throughout the year:
Exercise 2:
Worksheet -“Types of Bullying”
Exercise 4:
Worksheet - “Snakes and Ladders”
Exercise 9:
“Words Hurt - Don’t Be a Part of it” a video clip that cleverly shows
words really can hurt - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BzwPb2w59GY
Exercise 19: “The Price of Silence” - a short video clip on the role of bystanders in
bullying situations - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wY7Gvq0P4hc
Exercise 6:
Anti-Bullying Slogan Competition with a lot of intercom publicity before,
during and after, using bordered sheets suitable for lamination
ippn Annual Conference
Anti-Bullying Campaign
All these exercises empower pupils to Recognise, Reject and Report
bullying. This is crucial if the bullying is to be effectively dealt with.
Anti-Bullying Campaign - Costs
What does it cost to implement this programme?
“Awareness Raising” Strand:
Exercises are self-explanatory for pupils - so teachers need no training to
take them into class and ask pupils to do them - no cost
Teachers can do these exercises with their own class groups or do them
on a class-swap basis so no time is added to their working week - no cost
Resources are free. Photocopying can be done by secretarial staff at
request of Coordinator overseeing the programme - photocopying cost
“Dealing with Incidents” Strand:
The school needs an Anti-Bullying Coordinator who
• Organises regular pupil surveys (quick & easy) - small time-cost
• Interviews a few alleged perpetrators of bullying behaviour per week
(30 min standardised interviews) - this could be a big time-cost . . . but
• this is offset by time savings for Teachers, Deputy Principal and Principal
whose involvement in dealing with bullying is reduced accordingly
Co-ordinator could be a Pastoral Care Post-Holder - covering any time-costs
Implementing This Whole Programme is Virtually Cost Free!