When your child comes to you and says they’re being bullied it can feel really upsetting. You might feel confused as to what you should do next, and some common questions might come up for you, such as, who should you speak to about it? How should you support your child? What do you need to do to make them feel safe so they can share their thoughts and feelings? Children and young people need to know that they are being heard, that their feelings matter, and that their issue will be investigated respectfully. Bullying should be taken seriously. The following 4 tips may be helpful to get you through the process.

Listen calmly and get the full story. Your calm response is important to allow your child to tell you all about the situation. After they've told you their story, ask questions to get more details if you need to: who, what, where, when. Your first response when a child tells you of a concern can make a difference to the outcome. Although you may feel some strong emotions about your child's experience, try to keep calm to avoid more distress to your child.
Reassure your child they are not to blame. Many children blame themselves and this may make them feel even worse. You could say things like, 'That sounds really hard to deal with. No one should have to put up with that.' or 'I'm so glad you told me. You should be able to feel safe at school; that's not fair at all'.
Ask your child what they want to do and what they want you to do. A critical part of your response is to avoid jumping in to solve the problem. While it is natural to want to protect your child, helping them to find their own solution is a better option. It helps them feel they have some power in the situation.
Check in regularly with your child. Keep the conversation going. It can take time to resolve issues, so check in regularly with your child about their experiences and their feelings. Your ongoing support is important.

If your child needs further support with bullying we’re here to help. To arrange an appointment with one of our team members give our admin team a call on 9882-8874.

This information in this blog is adapted from the Bullying No Way campaign website. https://bullyingnoway.gov.au/