Professor Mona O’Moore

Anti-bullying National Research and Resource CentreDublin City University

Ireland

Sonet-Bull EU project, Liege, 27th May,2015

Preventing and Tackling School Bullying in Ireland

Traditional Bullying

Definition

Bullying has 3 main criteria:

intention to cause harm to the victim;

repetition of the abusive behaviour over a period of time;

imbalance of power between the victim and bully/bullies.

However, one particularly severe incident, which creates an ongoing sense of intimidation can also be considered bullying.

Cyber-Bullying : A Definition

“Cyber-bullying is an aggressive willful act carried out by an individual or group using

electronic forms of communication”

Mona O’Moore, 2012

Background to Current Situation• UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC)

• Equal Status Acts – apply to all schools and prohibit harassment on 9 grounds including race and sexual orientation

• Safety, health and Welfare in Work Act 2005 – Boards of Management are required to provide a safe place of work for employees and that students and visitors are not exposed to risks to their health and safety.

• Education (Welfare) Act 2000 - All schools must have a Code of Behaviour which should be drawn up in accordance with the 2008 guidelines of the National Educational Welfare Board.

Background continued

• Guidelines on Countering Bullying Behaviour in Primary and Post-Primary Schools 1993

• Consultations with teachers, parents and schools

• 2006 – template anti-bullying policy

– Guidelines on violence in Schools 1999

• Child Protection Procedures 2011 – all primary schools are required to implement the Child Abuse Prevention Programme, Stay Safe, which aims to reduce vulnerability to child abuse and bullying.

Anti-Bullying Forum• Programme for Government commitment March 2011

• (“to encourage schools to develop anti-bullying policies and, in particular strategies to combat homophobic bullying to support students” )

• Anti-Bullying Forum May 2012

• Over 100 stakeholders comprising representatives of student, parent and school management groups, teachers’ unions, support groups for victims of bullying, rights activists, and bullying activists

• Announced a Working Group on Bullying in Schools - sought submissions

Action Plan on Bullying

• Action Plan launched in January 2013 by the Minister for Education and Skills and the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs

• 12 Actions

• 13 Recommendations

• The actions and recommendations centre around three key themes:supports for schoolsawareness raising further research

Actions • The 12 actions include:

• The development of new national anti-bullying procedures• A review of Teacher Education Support Service to identify training

needs• Coordinated training and resource development for boards of

management and parents• Establishment of a new anti-bullying website• The Department to support the BeLonG To Stand Up Awareness Week

Against Homophobic Bullying• 2 pieces of research around social media and children with special

needs

RecommendationsThe recommendations include:

• Reference to bullying in the Criteria and Guidelines for Programme Providers for programmes of Initial Teacher Education

• Development of a new National Framework for Anti-Bullying which would set out the Government’s commitment to preventing and tackling bullying for children and young people from early childhood to adulthood

• Further research

Implementation

New national procedures on Anti-Bullying launched September 2013

All Schools Required to implement an anti-bullying policy

Highlight the importance of a school-wide approach.

Include cyber-bullying and identity-based bullying

Implementation• Anti-bullying training for parents

• 105 sessions (3,279 participants) in 2013• 199 sessions (4,300 participants) in 2014

• Continuing professional development (CPD) for teachers• Training for Boards of Management• Support for anti-bullying initiatives (e.g. Stand Up!

Against Homophobic and Transphobic bullying campaign and Safer Internet Day)

• Support in the production of guidelines for schools in relation to homophobic bullying

What is a Whole School Community Approach to Bullying?

A whole school approach to bullying takes responsibility for both bullying prevention and intervention by the entire school community including:• Board of Management• Staff, teaching and non-teaching• Students• Parents• Bus Drivers• Traffic Wardens• Local Shop Keepers

Whole School Community Approach

Aims:1. Implement policy and practice to consistently

and effectively address bullying2. Enhance understanding and competences among

staff, students and parents and wider community3. Form collaborative partnerships between school,

family and wider community4. Build a supportive school culture

School Wide Approach is underpinned by:

Attention needs to be given to identity-based bullying such as homophobic bullying, racist

bullying and bullying of those with disabilities or special educational needs.

Examples of Best Practice Utilised in Ireland

• The Donegal Project – ABC Whole School Approach• Whole School Anti Bullying Policy• The Cool School Programme • Peer Mediation• Buddying / Cybermentoring • No Blame Approach• Circle Time & Sociometric Testing• Cybertraining 4 Parents – online • Anti Bias Workshops – Part of the SPHE/RSE Programs

• Relationships & Sexuality Education Module

Go Raibh Mile Maith Agat

Thank You