11/11/2022

Getting behind Anti-Bullying Week

The Anti-Bullying Alliance was was established by the NSPCC and the National Children's Bureau in 2002 and is hosted by the National Children's Bureau. 

Anti-Bullying Week is held annually in the 3rd week in November, it's aim is to raise awareness of bullying of children and young people and to highlight ways of preventing bullying.

Once again, this will kick off with Odd Socks Day on Monday 14th November with children and adults wearing odd socks to celebrate what makes us all unique.

Year after year, this week has garnered more support. With more of an understanding of and focus on the importance of mental health in young (and old) people, it's gained momentum over the years since it began.

In 2021 80% of schools in England and Wales marked the week, reaching over 7.5 million children and young people.

Reach Out

This years' theme is; Reach Out. This came about through a consultation with teachers and pupils by the Anti-Bullying Alliance.

They wanted at theme to empower them to do something positive to counter the harm caused by bullying. Something we can all get behind.

Anti-Bullying Week call to action

• The effects of Bullying lead people to feel hopeless and impacts millions of individuals. It doesn't have to be like this. If we challenge it, we can change it. It starts by reaching out.
• Whether it’s in school, at home, in the community or online, let’s reach out and show each other the support we need. Reach out to someone you trust if you need to talk. Reach out to someone you know is being bullied. Reach out and consider a new approach.
• It doesn’t stop with young people. From teachers to parents and influencers to politicians, we all have a responsibility to help each other reach out. Together, let’s be the change we want to see. Reflect on our own behaviour, set positive examples and create kinder communities.
• It takes courage, but it can change lives. So, this Anti-Bullying Week, let’s come together and reach out to stop bullying.

Take a look at Anti-Bullying Week Reach Out for more information.

Anti-Bullying Week tips for parents

It's great that, as parents, we have a greater awareness of the issues of bullying. It would be fantastic if it wasn't a concern, but we have to be realistic that children can be bullied and suffer significantly as a result.

There are things we can to help our children, though. We have a key role to play in guiding and supporting them through the school years and keeping them safe from bullying.

Kidscape worked with Anti-Bullying Week to offer the following tips:

• Be kind and respectful to others: you have a vital role to play in modelling positive relationships. Your child is always watching you and learning from you. It’s important to talk kindly about other people and support your child to be kind and respectful to others, challenge behaviour that is hurtful or offensive and show your child that you reach out to others who may be seen as ‘different’, lonely or isolated.
• Recognise and stand up to injustice: help your child to understand that throughout history people have not always been treated with kindness and respect. Support your child (in an age appropriate way) to understand prejudice and inequality. There are many good books and resources available on these issues.
• Make these discussions part of your everyday life. Talk about how they would respond if they were targeted in this way or witnessed behaviour or language that targeted difference and what actions they could take. Be clear that it is never okay for a child to experience prejudice.
• Understand true friendship: you can teach your child the qualities of a true friendship such as kindness, respect, boundaries, laughter, forgiveness, and trust. This will help your child recognise if others are being unkind or manipulative towards them. Encourage your child to be open to friendship rather than insisting on one best friend. Experience shows you can be vulnerable if they decide not to be your friend anymore!
• Grow in confidence: we all have times when we feel shy and self-conscious. Some children are naturally more confident than others, others are quieter, and are happy with their own company or the company of a small group of friends. If your child is unhappy and wants help to grow in confidence then talk to the school to see what support they can give (e.g. a buddy or peer mentor system) and consider activities and groups outside of school that might help your child grow in confidence (e.g. sports, Scouts and Girl Guides, arts and drama, martial arts, volunteering).
• Role play together how to handle difficult situations: it is likely that your child will experience name calling, will get into arguments and may even be involved in physical fights. Role play together the different options you have in these situations, what you could say or do, and who; else could help.
• Establish physical boundaries: help your child to understand that their body belongs to them, and that everyone has their own physical boundaries. This means it is not okay to be rough with other people, or to touch, hug or grab them without their consent. It is never okay for someone to physically hurt someone else and children need our help and guidance to learn to give people personal space.
• Make sure your child knows who else can help: there may be times, particularly as your child grows older, where they do not always tell you what is on their mind. This could be because they are worried about how you might react, or they do not want to upset or worry you. Help them think about other people in their lives who they can talk to. This could be a friend, a family member, a teacher at school or another adult they know and trust. 

Questions to ask younger children

• What does bullying mean to you?
• What does it mean to be a good friend?
• What do you look for in a friend?
• What are some of the ways you can be kind to other people?
• What can you do if other people are being unkind to someone?
• What are all the ways that people can be different?
• Why is it important to accept people for who they are?
• How can you help someone who is sad or lonely?
• Who can help you if you are worried about bullying or something someone has said or done?

Questions to ask older children

• What does bullying mean to you?
• Have you seen people bullying others?
• What are the different roles people have in a bullying situation?
• What would you do if you saw or heard someone being bullied?
• What would you do if someone said or did something hurtful to you?
• What does it mean to be a good friend?
• How do you know when you have crossed a line and hurt someone?
• What can you do if you have hurt someone?
• In what ways are face to face and cyberbullying the same/different?
• How can children protect themselves from bullying online?
• How can children support others who are being bullied online?
• When might bullying behaviour be a crime? (e.g. if someone is threatened with harm or encouraged to harm themselves, is physically hurt, is targeted for their race, faith, disability or sexuality, is harassed sexually)
• What advice would you give to younger children who are being bullied?

Access more tools in the Anti-Bullying Week parent pack.

See previous Anti-Bullying Week themes.

Barracudas supports Anti-Bullying

We take bullying very seriously at Barracudas. We always take action at the earliest possible stage if any level of bullying behaviour seems to be developing during our camp sessions. We communicate our codes of conduct clearly with children at camp and always encourage inclusivity and kindness.

We fully support the ‘Reach Out’ campaign and actively promote these themes at our camps.

We'll be wearing our odd socks, supporting anti-bullying week and celebrating our uniqueness on Monday 14th November!

Take a look at Anti-Bullying Week: One Kind Word and Anti-Bullying Week: Change Starts With Us.