Bullying can make your child feel lonely and insignificant, anxious, frustrated and low in confidence. They may experience some or all of these feelings. What bullying looks like can be different for each person, for some it can be physical, whereas for others it might be verbal (either face to face or online). It can be a one-off event, or it can be ongoing, but in any form it is hurtful and unacceptable and can make an individual’s life difficult. It affects over one million young people every year and can happen to anyone.
If your child is feeling bullied there are a number of things you can do to support them. It is helpful to start by having a conversation and encouraging your child to open up about their experience. Your key role in supporting them can be listening, calming and reassuring. It is hard, but helpful, to not retaliate. You can reassure them that the bullying is not their fault and talk about who is around to support them, such as yourself as a parent/carer, School or friends.
If you want to learn more about how to support your child when they are feeling bullied, here are some websites that you might find helpful. Whilst these resources are useful, we know that the best way to beat bullying is to speak with your support system.