Who Should I Tell?

If you are concerned your child is being bullied, harassed or physically hurt, talk to the school about your concerns. The best outcomes for your child will be achieved by you and the school working together.

Ask the school for a copy of your school's policies and any handouts or other information to help you to be involved. This information may also be on your school's website.

View this video for information on how to work with the school to achieve the best outcome for your child.

View the video with Peter Garrigan.

Download the transcript of the video (PDF, 44KB).

Schools are aware of the potential harmful effects of bullying, including cyberbullying, on young people and take reports of bullying seriously. While all Australian school communities are different and each student’s circumstances are different, there are some common actions schools take to address bullying.

Most schools have a policy about how they manage bullying. This might be part of larger policy, for example a behaviour policy, or it may be a specific anti-bullying policy.

The sooner the school receives information about a bullying issue, the quicker they can respond. School staff understand that it can be distressing to report that your child is being bullied. They will try to support you and your child as much as possible and include you in discussions about strategies that could be used.

Schools will consider your child’s circumstances and will develop the most appropriate strategies for them. These strategies could include:

• teaching and learning programs to develop students' communication, social, assertiveness and coping skills
• changes to the school environment such as removing bushes improve teacher supervision
• increasing supervision of students at particular times or places
• support from a guidance officer or school counsellor
• mediation for the students involved with a trained teacher or peer-mediator to resolve their problem
• changes to technology access at school
• timetable or class changes that may be temporary or permanent to decrease the contact the students have with each other
• disciplinary action against students who bully others.

An action plan may be developed for your child and any other children involved. Strategies you could use at home may also be included in a plan.

Schools must follow privacy laws and may not be able to tell you everything that has taken place, especially about any other children involved. These laws also keep you and your child’s information private too.

As availability to technology is rapidly increasing, bullying may extend beyond the school. If bullying happens online or via text messages outside school, report it to the school especially if other children from the school are involved.

Working together with the school is the best way to help your child resolve bullying issues.

This video is from the perspective of a principal about how Australian schools respond to bullying and some suggestions on how you can work with the school if your child has been bullied.

View the video with Norm Fuller.

Download the transcript of the video (PDF, 40KB).

Source: Video scripts by Norm Fuller and Peter Garrigan in addition to the Working Together Parent Toolkit

Sometimes, you or your child might want to talk to someone outside the school about what is happening. The following organisations can provide support.

Help for young people
Kids Helpline (ages 5 to 25 years)
www.kidshelp.com.au
1800 55 1800 (free call except from some mobile phones)
24 hours a day, 7 days a week

Parenting helplines
Parentline Queensland and Northern Territory
www.parentline.com.au
1300 30 1300 (cost of a local call)
8am to 10pm, seven days a week

Parentline Victoria
www.parentline.vic.gov.au
13 22 89 (cost of a local call)
Open 8am to midnight 7 days a week

Parent Helpline South Australia
www.parenting.sa.gov.au
1300 364 100 (cost of a local call)
24 hours a day, seven days a week

Parentline New South Wales
www.parentline.org.au
1300 1300 52 (cost of a local call)
24 hours a day, seven days a week

Parent Help Centre Western Australia
www.communities.wa.gov.au/parents/Pages/ParentingWALine.aspx
(08) 9272 1466 or 1800 654 432 (free for STD callers)
24 hours a day, 7 days a week

Parentline Australian Capital Territory
www.parentlineact.org.au
(02) 6287 3833 (cost of a local call)
9am to 9pm, Monday to Friday

Parentine Line Tasmania
1300 808 178 (cost of a local call)
24 hours a day, 7 days a week