Bullying
All schools recognise the damage that bullying, racism and violent behaviour can cause and exercise their responsibilities to remain vigilant and ready to act when necessary. Bullying can take many forms-some very obvious like physical taunting and violence, and others that are far more subtle and difficult to detect.
Bullying and racism can never be overlooked. In very extreme cases, bullying has led to the suicide of young people who have sought the only way left to them to escape their bullies. Bullies as well as their victims need support and staffs in schools need to be fair and consistent in their approaches to the management of bullying.
In the school where there is effective practice to combat bullying, racism and violent behaviour you could expect to see the following procedures
- There is an established anti-bullying policy in practice throughout the school and all staff and pupils subscribe to its contents.
- The policy is understood by staff, pupils and parents/carers who contribute their views on its implementation and impact.
- The policy is regularly reviewed by and shared with all members of the shared with all members of the school community including teaching staff, support staffs, pupils, School Council, Governors, parents/carers and supply staff.
- There is a race-equality policy in place.
- Opportunities are sought to raise awareness of the cause and effects of bullying in lessons, assemblies, circle times and School Council Meetings.
- All members of the school community apply a consistent approach to the management of bullying and race-related incidents and to the application of appropriate sanctions and support and records are kept.
- In the case of race-related incidents,the school applies the Liverpool Chldren's Services guidelines on recording and reporting.
- Every pupil can name, with confidence, at least one staff member whom they would trust and inform if bullying or racism occurs either to themselves or involving another pupil.
- Every pupil is aware of the process that is triggered when an incident involving bullying or racism is reported. Pupils and their parents/carers understand the consequences when bullying or racism is proven to be the case following investigation.
- The whole school approach to bullying, racism and violent behaviour is explicitly one of 'zero tolerance'.
- All staff are aware of the damaging effects of bullying and racism and of the potential that bullying and racism have to limit a pupil's freedom to learn.
- Materials and resources used in the curriculum support a whole school ethos where bullying and racism is discouraged and where mutual respect is encouraged.
- Staff are aware of the procedure to follow if the bullying that is reported indicates a Child Protection concern.
Contacts within Liverpool City Council Children's Services
Education Welfare Service Lesley Sheriff lesley.sheriff@liverpool.gov.uk
Social Inclusion Team Geraldine Irish geraldine.irish@liverpool.gov.uk
EMTAS (Race -Related Incidents) John Cole john.cole@liverpool.gov.uk
Liverpool Anti Bullying Strategy 2007![(PDF [1.1Mb] opens in new window)](/images/PDF.gif)
Bully Busters
An important part of our support in this area has been the development, in partnership with Liverpool Echo, of a scheme known as Bully Busters.
Bully Busters is a confidential helpline service which victims of their families can use to discuss their problem in total confidence. The telephone number of the helpline is 0800 169 6928
All calls to the service are free and nothing shows up on the phone bill.
It is funded and run by the Bully Busters team - largely consisting of the six local education authorities, the Liverpool Echo and the Merseyside Trades Union Council.
A team of speciality trained staff from helpline experts, Local Solutions, take calls and log all the details through a carefully structured protocol.
If necessary they take decisive action and report the problem to the relevant education authority to take action under their respective anti-bullying policies.
Not all calls need to become referrals.
On many occasions the team are able to advise the caller on what action they can take themselves and make them feel more confident about taking that course of action.
Collette Rice, manager for the service, said: "The monitoring helps us examine whether anti-bullying policies are working and we are able to find hot spots that might need more attention.We are also able to find if these kids are reporting their problems to schools or to the police."
Bully Busters was set up after 18 months of planning and its progress continues to be monitored by monthly meetings of the Bully Busters team.
For further information you can visit the Childline or the DfES websites.