Bullying

This is deliberate hurtful behaviour, usually repeated over a period of time. Bullying can be physical, verbal or emotional. Although bullying normally involves contemporaries it can also be inflicted by adults. The damage inflicted by bullying can frequently be underestimated. Bullying can cause considerable distress to children, to the extent that it affects their health and development or, at the extreme, causes them significant harm (including self-harm). Schools and all settings in which children are provided with services or are living away from home should have in place rigorously enforced anti-bullying strategies. Your Local Safeguarding Children Board (LSCB) should have child protection-based anti-bullying policies and expect all settings working with children to have robust procedures in place to tackle bullying.

More information, guidance and resources are available in the 'Tackling bullying' section of TeacherNet.

Last updated: 27 Jan 2009