Bullying
What is bullying?
Bullying is a complex social behaviour and is difficult to define in a precise way. In Staffordshire we have adopted the Anti-bullying Alliance definition:
Bullying is a subjective experience and can take many forms, making it extremely difficult to define. Children, young people and adults can instigate bullying. The nature of bullying is changing and evolving as technology develops.
Bullying can take many forms including cyber-bullying, racist bullying and homophobic bullying.
Bullying usually fits into one of two categories either emotionally or physically harmful behaviour. This can include name calling, taunting, mocking, making offensive comments, kicking, hitting, pushing, taking belongings, text messaging, emailing, gossiping, excluding people from groups and spreading hurtful and untruthful rumours.
Bullying can take place in many settings e.g. on the way to and from or in school, in youth clubs, leisure facilities, in the street, in the park and at home.
Children in care or children with disabilities can be particularly vulnerable to bullying.
What can carers do?
You need to respond quickly and appropriately to any incident of bullying or where you suspect that a child in your care is being bullied. Children who are bullied may be unable to tell you but changes in behaviour e.g. reluctance to go to school or participate in regular activities may be an indication of this. Some children may become withdrawn or aggressive. There are many reasons for changes in behaviour however it is important that you consider bullying as a possibility.
You must inform the child’s Social Worker if you suspect bullying so that action can be taken to address it.
When an incident of bullying has taken place, you must inform the child’s Social Worker and complete an Incident Notification Form and forward it to your Fostering Social Worker.
As Foster Carers you have a responsibility to challenge bullying and it is important for the safety and well being of all children that you have a clear expectation in your home that bullying will not be tolerated. Bullying will be addressed within both your Safer Caring Plan and the child’s individual safe care plan, and you will develop strategies for dealing with this.
Further Information
KIDSCAPE produces very useful information and can be accessed through their website: www.kidscape.org.uk/
You can download our bullying information leaflet below