4.9 Countering Bullying

Contents

1. Definition of Bullying
2. General/Prevention
3. Risk Assessment and Planning
4. Countering Bullying Day-to-Day
5. Notifications and Management Review
6. Recording

1. Definition of Bullying

Bullying is defined as behaviour or actions of a person, group of people or a whole organisation designed to cause distress or to hurt a person or group of people. 

Bullying can be:

• Emotional - being unfriendly, excluding, tormenting (e.g. hiding possessions, threatening gestures)
• Physical - pushing, kicking, hitting, punching or any use of violence
• Racist -  racial taunts, graffiti, gestures
• Sexual - unwanted physical contact or sexually abusive comments
• Homophobic - because of, or focusing on the issue of sexuality
• Verbal - name-calling, sarcasm, spreading rumours, teasing
• Cyber bullying - e.g. using mobile phones or social networking sites to intimidate or bully others

Further detail of what may constitute bullying is contained in Countering Bullying Guidance - to follow.

2. General/Prevention

Staff must be alert to the risk of bullying and should take all reasonable steps to prevent such behaviour. This includes:

• Implementing a clear policy within the home/school that bullying is not acceptable
• Undertaking risk assessments at point of referral and at appropriate stages thereafter
• Providing information and guidance to children
• Providing clarity to children on acceptable behaviours
• Drafting Behaviour Management Plan (BMP)/contracts with relevant children
• Providing opportunities for children to explore issues of bullying e.g. writing stories or poems or drawing pictures about bullying
• Reading stories about bullying or having them read to them
• Making use of role-plays
• Having discussions about bullying and why it matters

We all have a responsibility to respond promptly and effectively to issues of bullying.

Everyone involved in looking after children shares responsibility for countering bullying and for creating a culture which positively encourages acceptable behaviour and reduces or prevents the likelihood of bullying.

As part of this ethos, everyone must understand what bullying means and what measures should be taken within the home and by individual staff to counter it. 

Everyone should also be clear what measures they should take if they suspect bullying or it is reported to them.

In this respect, everyone should be alert to the fact that bullying may constitute Significant Harm and, if so, must be reported under the Child Protection Referrals Procedure.

3. Risk Assessment and Planning

The risk assessment will include:

• Names
• Dates
• A record of the frequency and details of the event
• Places and circumstances, (including bullying amounting to abuse by the other children)
• Record of staff and/or child's name

Registered Managers should:

Take action to reduce or counteract the risk of bullying both in the home, education environment and in the community.

Identify a key member of staff to regularly undertake monitoring of the in house procedures. It is essential to follow up the policy and procedures with reminders in staff and children's meetings; a low profile policy can be easily forgotten.

Ensure that any admissions of children as well as new staff to the home are made aware of the policy and related in house procedures.

Ensure staff are aware of the link between bullying and child protection.

See Countering Bullying Guidance - to follow and Child Protection Referrals Procedure.

In the absence of such a plan/strategy, the following must apply:

4. Countering Bullying Day-to-Day

Also see:Countering Bullying Guidance - to follow.

If they have any concerns, they must discuss them with colleagues and the Registered Manager; who should take what actions are necessary to reduce or prevent it.

It may be appropriate to convene a meeting, preferably with the young person/people concerned, to discuss strategies to prevent or reduce the bullying. This may include the following:

1. The bully (bullies) may be asked to genuinely apologise
2. In serious cases (see next paragraph), some form of sanction or exclusion from the other young person will be considered
3. If possible, the young people will be reconciled
4. After the incident / incidents have been investigated and dealt with, each case will be continuously monitored to ensure repeated bullying does not take place

If the bullying is persistent or serious, the social worker should be consulted and it may be necessary to conduct an Initial Assessment or a Strategy Discussion in line with Child Protection Referral Procedures.

See: Child Protection Referrals Procedure.

If the Manager is unavailable, staff/carers may take what immediate actions are necessary to reduce or prevent bullying from occurring and then inform the Registered Manager as soon as practicable.

5. Notifications and Management Review

There are different notifications procedures depending on the persistence and seriousness of the bullying.

5.1 Minor or Non Persistent Bullying

Where bullying is not persistent or not serious it should be notified to the Registered Manager at the first opportunity; the manager will decide whether to inform the social worker and what further actions to take.

5.2 Persistent or Serious Bullying

If the bullying is persistent or serious, it is deemed to be an Incident which must be notified to the Manager and relevant Social Worker within 24 hours or as soon as practicable thereafter.

The social worker should decide whether to inform the child's parent(s) and, if so, who should do so.

The manager and social worker should consider whether the bullying may constitute Significant Harm; if this is likely, a referral should be made under the Child Protection Referrals Procedure.

Depending on the seriousness of the Incident, other people/agencies may have to be notified, see Notifiable Events Procedure.

The Registered Manager must conduct a Management Review, as described in Section 5 - Incidents Guidance.

6. Recording

A full written record should be recorded in the child's daily record, but if the bullying is serious, the Manager may require that an incident Report is completed.

The Child’s Placement Plan should be reviewed with a view to incorporating strategies to reduce or prevent future incidents.

The Home’s Manager is responsible for reviewing the incidence and nature of bullying in the home as part  of regular Quality Audits.

End