Specially trained teachers ‘could reduce bullying’

SCHOOL bullying could be significantly reduced if the Government trained teachers better in how to deal with the problem, an expert psychiatrist said yesterday.

Up to one-fifth of second-level students surveyed by a North Eastern Health Board (NEHB) anti-bullying programme said they had been bullied. Many of them felt depressed and one-in-five said they felt suicidal as a result.

Dr Maria Lawlor, a NEHB consultant child psychiatrist and director of the Cool Schools

Programme, said its efforts to train teachers how to deal with bullying have led to greater reporting by victims. The Department of Education published guidelines on countering bullying for schools in 1993, but Dr Lawlor said there is no support structure in schools or teacher training to help them implement these.

“We have given them training in our region and helped schools introduce anti-bullying strategies. This has meant children know that the problem can be dealt with and they are now more likely to tell school staff they have been bullied,” she said.

“The Government needs to address the issue of bullying but it needs resources such as teacher training and ongoing support for schools,” said Dr Lawlor.

A book produced by the Cool Schools Programme and being launched by Children Minister Brian Lenihan today aims to help parents recognise if their child is being bullied and how to tell schools about it.

Dr Lawlor said victims of psychological bullying, often carried out more by girls than boys, are more likely to be distressed, although many people perceive bullying as being predominantly physical.

Fine Gael education spokesperson Olwyn Enright called on Education Minister Noel Dempsey to introduce an anti-bullying strategy for all schools.

“We need to tackle the sense of defeatism that is sometimes associated with this problem. We can challenge this destructive behaviour, and pilot programmes have shown just how effective anti-bullying strategies can be.

She referred to projects, including one run by Trinity College Dublin’s in 42 Donegal primary schools, which helped reduced bullying by more than 20%. “It’s a shame that the minister does not share their commitment to tackling this problem,” said Ms Enright.

The Department of Education said it has moved to tackle bullying on a number of fronts and anti-bullying education is a central part of the Social, Personal and Health Education curriculum at primary and post-primary level.

“School management authorities are responsible for implementing effective policies to counter bullying in schools.

"The purpose of the 1993 guidelines was to assist schools devise measures to prevent and deal with bullying and increase awareness of the problem among school authorities, staff, pupils and parents,” a spokesperson said.

She said schools were reminded in 1994 that behaviour and discipline codes should include measures to counter bullying behaviour.