Bullying

I’m worried my child is being bullied

What are the signs that my child is being bullied?

Children and young people may display some of the following behaviour

Not wanting to go to school;
A change in usual school grades
Unexplained tummy upsets or headaches;
Bruising or marks and a reluctance to say how they happened
Showing signs of worry or anxiety particular on a Sunday night or when a new term is due to start;
Becoming either quiet or withdrawn,
Missing possessions;
Seeming upset after they have used their phone, tablets, computers etc
Asking for money or stealing money
Asking to go to school in the morning earlier than necessary or returning home late.
Changes in sleeping habits
Changes in eating habits

Different types of bullying +

There are lots of different types of bullying that your child might be experiencing. ChildLine helps explain each type.

Bully and Cyberbullying

Bullying on Social media

Discrimination, hate crime and equality

Homophobic and transphobic bullying

Faith and religious bullying

Racism and racial bullying

Being bullied because you are deaf

How can I support them? +

The NSPCC offers useful guidance on how to support your child when you suspect that they may be being bullied. This includes

Talk to them
Let them know who to ask for help
Help them relax and take a time out
Report bullying on social media and online gaming platforms
Report bullying media shared online
Report hate crime
Talk to your child’s school or club
Keep a log – Kidscape have created a log to help you record bullying kidscape-log-and-school-contact-record.pdf

There are lots of child friendly resources that you can talk through with your child. Go to the specific section on our website for children and young people Are you being bullied? (add link to child and young person page)

Websites and resources +

Bullybusters | Local Solutions

What to do if your child is being bullied | Family Lives

How can I help my child if they are being bullied? (anti-bullyingalliance.org.uk)

NSPCC