What should I do?

If your child is being bullied at school there are several things you can do.

• Tell the school at once - it is important that the bullying is stopped. If your child begs you to say nothing, which they are likely to do, promise to ask their teacher not to say you have spoken to them
• Most teachers are skilled at getting rid of bullying. If you feel that the school is not doing enough then you can approach the Board of Governors, which includes parents among its members
• You should be loving and sympathetic towards your child. Let them know you understand what they are going through and that they can talk to you at any time
• It is not always advised to tell your child to 'hit them back'. The child may not be able to do this, they could also be hurt and they may be humiliated further by being defeated easily
• You should try to boost your child's confidence in other areas of their lives

Perhaps you could encourage your child to join a club or interest group outside of school, where they could meet different people and make new friends and where people won't think of them as a bully's victim. This might help raise their confidence and self-esteem.

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