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Contents

1. Introduction/Definitions 
2. Guidance for Residential Staff 
3. Guidance for Foster Carers 

1. Introduction/Definitions

1.1 Guidance for Children

Social workers should ensure that all children in care are provided with guidance on how to deal with and report bullying.

1.2 What is Bullying?

Bullying is aggressive and threatening behaviour that is designed to intimidate or persecute other people.  Bullying occurs when a person or group of people behave in ways which are designed to cause distress or to hurt another person or group of people. 

Bullying can be overt and plain for all to see.  It can be subtle and insidious.

Bullying can become part of the culture, recognised or believed by all or a significant number of people as ‘acceptable’; it can even be encouraged and rewarded.

Bullying can include:

1. Name calling, being sarcastic and spreading hurtful rumours;
2. Assault or physical violence - punching, kicking, pushing are common;
3. Threats, insults and intimidation;
4. Spitting;
5. Incitement of others to harass and intimidate;
6. Destruction or taking property without permission;
7. Extortion or undue pressure;
8. Emotional aggression like tormenting and excluding people;
9. Racial harassment, taunts, graffiti and gestures;
10. Sexual aggression or harassment, unwanted physical contact or comments;
11. Use of technology to spread gossip, intimidate or threaten, such as text or mobile messages and internet messages boards;
12. Comments, threats or actions relating to peoples disability;
13. Comments, threats or actions relating to peoples sexual orientation.
14. Comments, threats or actions relating to a child’s Looked After status.

Staff and children are capable of bullying, and of being bullied. 

Any child may be bullied, but bullying often occurs if a child has been identified in some ways as vulnerable, different or inclined to spend more time on his or her own.  This can apply to many vulnerable young people who are in care.

Some minor teasing and name-calling can be common methods of interaction for children and adults alike, but when such behaviour becomes persistent and threatening, it can become a major problem.

The seriousness of any bullying will depend on a number of factors:

• How long has the bullying been going on?
• How is it personally affecting the bullied child?
• The number of children involved.
• The degree of planning and provocation.

1.3  Why do children bully?

There are a variety of reasons why children bully – it may occur because they are unhappy, jealous or lacking in confidence - for some it can be a feeling of power and control; for others it is a way of making themselves feel better, less troubled or more confident; or it may be a reflection of how low they feel themselves, or how they were once bullied. 

Bullies may not be easy to spot – they are not always unpopular and may bully in a subtle way.

Bullying can bring young people perceived or actual “rewards”, including:

• The demonstration of superior power
• A closer group identity
• Gaining attention or material gains
• Venting anger, frustration
• Compensating for lack of success
• Excitement from the fear of others

These “rewards” are the “encouragement” required to continue the behaviour and may lead to its development into a sophisticated mechanism for control, which is both difficult to detect and challenge if it becomes the “culture” of the home, school or organisation.

1.4  What are the effects of bullying?

Bullying can have an effect on a young person's confidence and self esteem.  It can cause anxiety and worry, panic and unhappiness.  Young people may become withdrawn, uncommunicative or avoidant.  They may not fully participate in school or home life.  Some young people can be affected later in life from their experience of bullying as a child.  In extreme cases, young people have taken their own life rather than continue to be bullied.

The bully too may have difficulties, they may fear their behaviour, or believe that they are inherently ‘bad’, worthy only of punishment.  For some young people being a bully can continue into adult life.  Sorting out bullying early reduces the chances of bullies getting into trouble later in life. 

Bullying starts with apparently trivial events such as teasing and name calling which never the less rely on an abuse of power.  Such abuses of power, if left unchallenged, can lead to more serious forms of abuse, such as domestic violence, racial attacks and sexual harassment.

2. Guidance for Residential Staff

2.1  Introduction

It is particularly important that policies and strategies are developed and implemented to deal with bullying within residential homes. It is also important that the policy on countering bullying is reviewed frequently with staff and children and includes information on bullying by staff.

Many of the children placed in residential care have already experienced emotional abuse which has led to them being in care.  Many also have psychological, emotional or behavioural problems related to the circumstances surrounding their admission to the home.

The local authority is responsible for making their life, while in residential care, as happy, stimulating and fulfilling as possible.

Bullying must be effectively addressed in order to achieve this aim; therefore the policy should be available and known to staff and children, and should be implemented, monitored and revised where necessary.

2.2  Underlying Principles

The staff team as a whole should model appropriate ways of interacting with children and each other.  Relationships between staff should reflect tolerance, acceptance and equality.

Staff should help children develop mediation, problem solving and social skills and model these to the children in their interactions.

The home should take an open stance, acknowledging that bullying exists and that it will be challenged.  Awareness of the whole group should be raised as to the prevalence and impact of bullying.

The links between bullying and disruption in the home need to be acknowledged, and reducing bullying will help reduce such problems.

Tracking bullying involves looking at how people treat each other and so will improve the atmosphere of the home.

Staff must be very clear of their role in supporting young people to report incidents, which clearly constitute an assault.

A sense of community will be achieved only if homes take seriously behaviour which upsets young people as well as staff. Children should participate actively in developing strategies to combat bullying and their views should be sought in relation to the shaping and review of policy and procedure.

Support should be offered to children for whom English is not their first language to communicate needs and concerns.

Children should be able to approach any member of staff with personal concerns not just their keyworker.

2.3  Dealing With Allegations/suspicions

In order to maintain an effective strategy for dealing with bullying, the staff must challenge the traditional ideas about bullying e.g.

• It's only a bit of harmless fun.
• It's all part of growing up
• Children just have to put up with it.
• Adults getting involved make it worse.

Clear messages must be given that bullying is not acceptable.

Young people must be reassured that significant adults involved in their lives are dealing with bullying seriously.

A climate of openness should be established in which young people are not afraid to address issues and incidents of bullying.

Residential staff must not use children to control other children.

All complaints should be taken seriously and recorded in the complaints book. Children should be aware of the options available to them if they feel the matter is not being dealt with satisfactorily.

Respond appropriately. 

Staff should be vigilant when supervising the group, and pay attention to the detail of the group interactions – noting issues such as who is isolated, who is controlling, who is the leader, who is withdrawn or uncommunicative.  Such details can provide clues to the relationship dynamics in the group.

If bullying is witnessed, it should be openly challenged.  The nature of the bullying should be ascertained and the child’s safety considered at all times. 

Staff should consider the layout of the building, identify the areas where bullying could occur undetected and ensure that young people are supervised when in these areas. 

It is also important for appropriate supervision and boundaries to be in place around the use of computers – see also Safe and Proper Use of Internet and Computers for Children in Care Guidance.

Those who display bullying behaviour and the response should be identified to the staff team as a whole, so as to establish a consistent response across shifts, and to ensure the appropriate support is in place for both the victim and the bully.

The bully should be encouraged to recognise the impact his or her behaviour has had on the individual and the group – staff will need to consider the best way to follow up persistent bullying behaviour to ensure that the bully is supported in changing his or her behaviour, rather than becoming more covert in their bullying.

If the bullying is that of a physical assault, consideration should be given to seeking medical attention and the need to involve the police, for example where there are child protection issues to consider.  Staff should consult their manager. 

Give reassurances to the victim. Let the child know you are pleased they have been brave enough to tell, say you believe them and you are sorry it has happened, stressing that it's not their fault.

Offer counselling/support to the bullied and the bullying child.

Anticipate an emotional reaction from the child such as guilt, shame or anger.

Find a quiet place and set aside enough time to talk, approaching the issue as a problem to be solved and as a learning experience.

Staff should always give due consideration and be aware of any underlying issues in relation to race, gender and sexuality.  This should be addressed and challenged accordingly. 

The child’s social workers should be informed of incidents of severe or prolonged bullying.  In all cases of physical assault, the social worker/team manager should be informed, and child protection procedures followed as necessary.

Where appropriate, parents should be informed and updated on a regular basis.  They should be involved, whenever possible, in supporting programmes devised to challenge bullying behaviour.

All incidents should be recorded clearly and concisely on the child’s daily record sheet, and specific incident reports kept within the child’s file. In addition, any injuries should be recorded and cross-referenced in the Accident Book and Accident Recording Forms.

2.4 Resolving/Reducing Incidents of Bullying

Create an anti-bullying climate within the home that is conducive to equality of opportunity, co-operation, and mutual respect for differences.  This can be achieved by, for example:

• Low tolerance of minor bullying - “nipping in the bud” the incidents at the earliest sign.
• Never ignore victims of bullying, always show an interest/concern.
• Publicly acknowledge the bullied child’s distress.
• Organise quality groups/circles, which allow young people to work together to identify their own problems, causes and solutions with careful sensitive facilitators.
• Encourage interdependence and feelings of mutual respect, reciprocity, compassion and assertiveness

It is important when addressing bullying behaviour to avoid accusations, threats or any responses that will only lead to the child being uncooperative and silent. Focus on the bully behaviour rather than the child; explore and where possible deal with the reasons for the behaviour.

Staff should regularly carry out recorded risk assessments of the times, places and circumstances in which the risk of bullying is greatest and take action to reduce it. As part of this, staff should assess what the bully does and what he/she gets out of it.

Give a clear explanation of the extent of the upset the bullying has caused, encourage the bully to see the bullied child’s points of view, reward any good behaviour towards other children.

Closely monitor the children (bully and bullied) within the home.

If a culture of bullying continues to prevail and any child feels the issue remains unresolved then staff should ensure that the children are aware of the avenues open to them other than making another complaint through the homes complaints procedure, e.g. appointing an advocate or contacting a Children’s Right Organisation, for example, Childline.

2.5 Incidents of Bullying Outside the Home

Any incidents of bullying reported to staff, which may have occurred at school, should be acted on immediately. A full account should be gathered including, where possible, locations, times, names of children involved and the names of any teachers who may be aware of the incident.

This should be passed onto the school either to the Designated Teacher for Children in Care, the Head of Year, or Head Teacher.

The residential staff should obtain a copy of the school's anti-bullying procedure and should ascertain what will happen next in terms of ensuring the child’s personal safety and wellbeing within school.  The information should be passed onto the child.  Staff should also reassure the child, with the school's assurance of their safety on return.

A written report of the incident should be forwarded to the school and a written response requested.  This should then be placed on the child’s file.

3. Guidance for Foster Carers

3.1 Introduction

It is particularly important that any bullying within the foster home, at school and in the wider community is addressed.

Training should be provided to carers to raise their awareness about the issue of bullying and to facilitate the development of effective strategies to counter its effects.

Many children who come into care have already experienced emotional harm and they may also suffer psychological and behavioural difficulties that relate to the circumstances surrounding their admission to care. These issues will be compounded if they are already victims of bullying or if it begins as a result of their coming into care.

3.2  Principles

Bullying is a matter of concern for everyone. It can make the lives of children who experience it miserable and in extreme cases can lead them to self-harm and suicide.

In the past, bullying has been referred to as part of growing up; however, it has become a key issue in recent years as the available research evidence demonstrates the profound effect it has upon a child’s academic achievement and emotional well being.

For children in care who experience bullying, the effect may be more acute because of their particular needs and experiences.

Children should participate actively in developing strategies to combat bullying and their views should be sought in relation to the shaping and review of policy and procedure.

3.3  Dealing With Allegations/suspicions

Foster carers should challenge the traditional ideas about bullying such as:

• It's only a bit of harmless fun
• It's all part of growing up
• Children have to put up with it, it will pass
• Adults getting involved makes it worse

Carers should give clear messages to all children within the household that bullying is not acceptable. A climate of openness within the foster home should be established so that children are not afraid to raise issues of concern.

Clearly, different children have different coping strategies and have varying degrees of resilience to being “picked on” or teased by others. Carers should try to reassure the child that their concern, however trivial it may seem, is being taken seriously by themselves and the other significant people in their lives.

3.4  Incidents Outside the Home

Most commonly bullying occurs within the school environment, although this is not exclusively the case.

Any incidents/allegations of bullying reported to foster carers should be taken seriously and acted upon as soon as is practicable.

Foster carers must ensure that they make a full written account of what the child has said which includes where possible:

• What has happened?
• The location and time of the incident
• The names of any children involved
• Whether there were any witnesses to the event, including any adults such as teachers, or passers by.
• Whether the child has suffered any physical injury or has had any possessions stolen

The child’s safety is the first and paramount consideration, so if there has been a physical assault, medical attention may be required and the child’s social worker should be informed so that consideration can be given to police involvement.  Child Protection Procedures may be initiated if necessary.

Foster carers must alert the child’s social worker and their supervising social worker to any incident of bullying, particularly if the incident(s) are severe or prolonged.

Where appropriate, the child’s social worker will inform their parents and keep them updated on a regular basis. They may also be involved in supporting their child through police interviews, medical's or meetings at school where this is required.

Foster carers and staff should always be alert to the possibility that the bullying is aggravated because of issues in relation to race, gender and sexuality. This should be addressed with the child and in any plan put in place to counteract the bullying.

If the bullying has taken place within the school environment, the Head Teacher or Designated Teacher for Children in Care should be advised immediately.  It is important to establish significant details as, for example, a child may be bullied in school because of his or her status as a child in care.

The child’s social worker should obtain a copy of the school's anti-bullying procedure and should ascertain what will happen next in terms of ensuring the child’s personal safety and wellbeing within school.

If the school is aware of the incident(s) they should initiate their anti-bullying procedures and inform the foster carer and child’s social worker accordingly.

 In any event the foster carer has a vital role to play in supporting and reassuring the child that they were right to let people know what was happening and that they are believed.

Counselling should be sought for the child if appropriate.

3.5  Incidents within the Foster Home

Any incidents/allegations of bullying within the foster home should be taken seriously and acted upon.

Within a foster placement it is possible for one child to bully another.  Carers must be alert to the dynamics between children placed with them, or indeed between foster children and their own children.

It is also important for appropriate supervision and boundaries to be in place around the use of computers – see also Safe and Proper Use of Internet and Computers for Children Looked After Guidance.

If an incident that may constitute bullying is reported to a foster carer, they may use their own judgement based on their knowledge of the child or children in question, and their skills as carers, to determine the seriousness of the matter and the consequent response.

There are always likely to be arguments and disagreements between children within the home environment but the carer must be aware that this could develop into systematic bullying if it is not checked.

If carers have any concerns or are unsure how to respond they must discuss them with the child’s social worker, or their own fostering social worker.

If any instances of bullying do occur within the foster home, the carer must ensure that they make a full written account of what the child has said which includes where possible:

• What has happened?
• The location and time of the incident
• Who was involved?
• Were there any witnesses?
• Has the child been injured or had any belongings taken?

The child’s safety is the first and paramount consideration, so if a child has been physically assaulted, medical attention may be required and the involvement of the police may be appropriate. This is so in all instances, including where the assault was by another child. It may also be necessary to initiate Child Protection Procedures.

The foster carer must notify the child’s social worker and their fostering social worker as soon as is practicable. There could be implications for the foster placement and consideration may have to be given as to whether the placement(s) remain viable.

3.6  Children who Bully

If an allegation of bullying is made against a child who is in care, a decision will need to be made on how to tackle the issue and foster carers will play an integral part in this process.

The child will be spoken to by an appropriate adult - e.g. a teacher, the foster carer, social worker or parent and a written agreement drawn up by the child’s social worker to outline the strategies to be employed to challenge and modify the behaviour.

The agreement should:

• Focus on the bullying behaviour; exploring and where possible dealing with the reasons for the behaviour
• Include information about what the child does and what they get out of it.
• Record times, places and circumstances in which the risk of bullying is greatest and what action will be taken to reduce it
• Give clear explanations about why the behaviour is unacceptable and encourage the child to see the victim's point of view - the agreement should record how this will be done and by whom
• Ensure that ways of rewarding positive attitudes towards other children are recorded and followed through
• Be signed by the child
• Include a provision for a review on a regular basis

In certain cases, if the child’s bullying behaviour has caused severe injury or distress to their victim, the police may be involved. If the child is over the age of criminal responsibility (10 years) there is the potential for a criminal prosecution.

End