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How can I help my child if they are being bullied?

Once you have discovered that your child is being bullied, it can sometimes be hard to know how to help. You may feel you want to do something, but you don't want to come across as a parent who is overprotective. The young person may not want you involved as they may fear that the bullying will get worse if they tell someone, so the first step is to ensure your child that it will not get worse.

 

Here are some things you can do to help your child with bullying:

Find a quiet place where you can talk to your child without any interruptions or distractions.

Mention that you have some concerns / or are worried about them and why. (I's also good to mention that you want to help them as them being safe and happy is the most important thing to you)

 

Ask the question? Ask your child if they are being bullied and tell them that it's ok for them to tell you.

 

If they do open up to being bullied, it's important to know that it is a hard issue to talk about. It's not easy to admit that you are being bullied to a parent, so it is very important that you praise them for telling you. It is also a good idea to tell your child that people are bullied, but it is not alright.

 

Now you know the issue tell your child that they have done the right thing by telling you, as you are now able to help them get the right help and support. It is very important to tell your child that you will not do anything without telling them first, you shouldn't go behind their back as it may not help them. This is one of the biggest commitments you can make when your child is being bullied.

 

You need to be prepared to listen to you child, without judging them if they want to tell you something, whilst being sensitive to their needs. As previously mentioned your child may fear that the bullying will get worse now they have told you. It is important that you do not approach the people doing the bullying or their parents directly as this could make the situation worse for both you and your child.

 

It is important that you encourage your child to report the bullying to their school, they can talk to any member of staff about it. Sometimes your child may not want to tell the school themselves, it sometimes helps for a parent to do it for them or be with them when they do it. Even if the bullying is happening outside of school, with pupils from the same school or a different school, your child's school has a responsibility to deal with the issues first. You should insist that they deal with the issue by taking action to help stop and prevent the bullying in future. If you live in the East Riding and the bullying takes place on the school bus you can contact BUSWISE who will help deal with the issue. If you do not live in the East Riding you can contact your local council to find out if they have a similar service available.

 

If your child is outnumbered you must remind them not to endanger themselves by standing up to a group. If they get scared they should run away and go find help.