Preventing and responding to bullying in schools

In a webinar, Dr Karyn Healy, an expert in bullying and conflict resolution, discusses the complexities of school bullying alongside evidence-based strategies for intervention and prevention.

Defining bullying and identifying signs

Dr Healy defines bullying with five essential criteria: it is aggressive, intentional, repeated over time, causes perceived harm, and involves a power imbalance where the victim feels unable to stop it. It is distinct from single instances of aggression or conflict between equals. Because children and young people often do not report bullying to adults, teachers are encouraged to look for subtle behavioural changes, such as a decline in academic performance, school avoidance, unexplained physical ailments, or negative peer reactions during class.

Effective intervention strategies

When responding to incidents, Dr Healy emphasises the importance of a clear school policy with consistently enforced consequences. She advises teachers to match the level of intervention to the context: public behavioural issues should be addressed openly to set a standard, while more private peer dynamics should be handled discreetly to avoid embarrassing the victim. Ongoing monitoring is crucial to determine if a behaviour is a pattern, as chronic bullying can lead to long-term psychological harm, including anxiety and depression.

Critiquing common practices

Some popular well-meaning strategies for combating bullying lack evidence or may be counterproductive. Dr Healy notes that well-intentioned policies like restorative no-blame approaches, formal bystander programmes, and friendship benches can inadvertently stigmatise victims by drawing public attention to their vulnerability. She cautions against advertising a child’s status as a victim, such as by having them speak about their experiences in front of the school, as this can reinforce their low social standing and encourage copycat behaviour.

The role of parents and the home environment

Dr Healy underscores that bullying prevention is a shared responsibility between schools and families. Patterns of interaction often begin at home; for instance, children who bully siblings or experience permissive parenting without boundaries may carry those behaviours into school. Dr Healy encourages teachers to maintain open, non-blaming dialogues with parents, approaching concerns with genuine curiosity to understand the full context of a child’s behaviour.

Proactive prevention and culture

To prevent bullying, schools should focus on fostering a kind, inclusive culture and implementing strong classroom management. Effective proactive measures include clear expectations, supervised transitions, and cooperative group work that encourages students to interact with a wide variety of peers. Dr Healy also highlighted the important role teachers can play to decrease the impact of bullying: the presence of even one caring adult can significantly bolster a child’s resilience against the negative effects of bullying.

Further reading

You can read more from Dr Healy on The Conversation.