Action plan targets bullying in and out of schools

The education community has broadly welcomed the first Department of Education guidelines for 20 years on bullying in schools.

While Education Minister Ruairi Quinn’s action plan also looks at what happens at home and in children’s free time, most of the direct actions relate to schools.

National anti-bullying procedures will be set for the country’s 4,000 schools by the autumn. They will be given a template to help draw up their own policies and record all bullying incidents.

Under the plan, all schools should:

*Specify all grounds of harassment under equality law in their anti-bullying policies;

*Ensure consistent recor-ding of reported bullying;

*Tackle use of discriminatory and derogatory language, including homophobic and racist language, or language that belittles children with a disability;

*Encourage and reward good behaviour;

*Involve parents in awareness campaigns around social media;

*Ensure adequate supervision in playgrounds and schoolyards;

*Get students to help identify when and where bullying happens most.

Áine Lynch, the chief executive of the National Parents’ Council-Primary, said the report should help schools be happier places for children. She welcom-ed a proposed review of teacher training supports on the issue, and co-ordinated training and resources for school boards and parents.

Groups representing primary and second-level principals said schools have little control over cyberbullying or what happens outside school but policies in the plan and supports for management and parents will help them deal with wider issues.

The National Association of Principals and Deputy Principals has sent advice to second-level schools on how to better understand cyberbullying and urging a prompt response when it arises.

The Association of Secondary Teachers Ireland welcomed the supports for schools but said the loss of year head posts and reduced availability of guidance counsellors are having a devastating impact on their ability to support vulnerable young people.

The plan comes ahead of tomorrow’s launch of guidelines for second-level schools on mental health promotion and suicide prevention, from the Department of Education’s National Educational Psychological Service and the HSE’s Office of Suicide Prevention.