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Key respectme anti-bullying resources are now available in Bengali, Cantonese, Polish and Urdu translations.
Parentline Scotland
Parentline Scotland is a free, confidential helpline for parents concerned with a wide range of issues, including bullying.ParentLine Scotland is open: Monday, Wednesday & Friday 9am - 5pm and Tuesday & Thursday9am - 9pm. Call 0808 800 22 22
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Bullying is never acceptable. It's not a normal part of growing up. Children and young people will fall out with each other; they will disagree about what's cool and what's not and they won't necessarily like or make friends with everyone they meet, for a variety of reasons. And that can be a normal part of growing up, but if left unchecked, it can lead to bullying behaviour. Every child has the right to feel safe, whether at school, the local youth club or at home. In order to make this happen, parents need to be aware of the signs that might indicate that bullying is taking place. What is bullying behaviour?
What signs might indicate that my child is being bullied?
This list is by no means exhaustive. As a parent, you will know better than anyone if there's a change in your child's behaviour. So, what should I do? Do not panic and try to keep an open mind. It can take a lot of courage to tell someone you are being bullied and, although this is an important step for any child or young person, it's not an easy one to take. Be mindful of this. If your child hasn't approached you but you have concerns that they might be experiencing bullying, make time to talk to them and discuss how they are feeling. If they don't feel confident talking to you about it, encourage them to talk to a teacher or another adult, or give them the details for the Childline Bullying Line, where they can talk to an adult in confidence. If your child does approach you and tells you they are being bullied, your response is vital. It's important that you listen. Try to find out more about what has happened; who was involved, what type of bullying they have experienced, and where and when it has taken place. This is less about establishing a set of facts, it's more about encouraging talking and listening. Ask them what they would like to happen and agree on a way forward together. Children and young people generally don't have the capacity to deal with bullying by themselves, so being told to ‘sort it out yourself' or ‘hit them back' really won't help. How can I stop it? Once you know more about the situation, there are a number of steps for you to consider when deciding on the best way forward for your child. Parents understandably get angry and upset if they hear that their child is being bullied, but acting on impulse rarely helps the situation so try to remain calm.
respectme works with all adults who have a role to play in the lives of children and young people to give them the skills and confidence to deal with bullying behaviour.
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