How to intervene

Find a quiet place where you won't be interrupted to speak to the pupil

• Tell the pupil that you are worried about them.
• Ask them to tell you about the bullying that they are experiencing.
• Tell them that many people are bullied, but that no one should have to experience that sort of behaviour.
• Let them know that if they are experiencing bullying it is their right to get help to stop it, and your school’s or group/club’s duty to provide that help.
• Be prepared to listen in a non-judgemental way. Rushing in, though well intentioned, can be frightening and off putting.
• Whilst you must acknowledge the victimisation of the child or young person, it is unhelpful in terms of encouraging their self-esteem to label them “a victim”.
• Encourage them to record and report any incident of bullying that they experience. This will help them feel less isolated and in more control.
• Remember to report the bullying to the member of staff in charge of the school’s anti-bullying policy or other nominated individual.
• Tell them never to endanger themselves by standing up to bullies in a situation where they maybe outnumbered for example. Reacting to bullying by fighting back is almost always an instinctive response, an emotional response. Bullies generally tend to pick on and abuse another on their terms, behind closed doors and out of sight of a member of staff or a supervising adult.
• Help them make a safety plan to minimise the risk of being physically assaulted by planning safe routes to and from school.

Young people who are experiencing bullying on their way to and from school may go out of their way to avoid other pupils at the beginning and end of the school day. For example, they may start arriving to take part in activities much earlier or later than other pupils, and leaving before or significantly after others, to avoid meeting the pupils who are bullying them.

A pupil who shows one or more of these indicators is not necessarily being bullied, but these signs are a good indication that something is causing that young person difficulty and distress. You and the school have a responsibility to find out what is bothering that pupil and support them in accessing help.