Bullying of children - Protecting children is paramount

A survey of 4,500 Irish 10-year-olds found that 12% were bullied in school on about a weekly basis. What one child may see as a bit of fun may be considered bullying by the child who is the victim of such fun. Thus it is particularly important that people should recognise the different forms that bullying takes.

The survey highlighted six forms of bullying, such as being ridiculed, being excluded from games and activities by other students, having lies spread about them, having something stolen from them, being hurt by other students, or being compelled by other students to do something they did not wish to do. It is important that parents — as well as teachers — recognise that such activities amount to bullying.

About a quarter of the children in an average class experience at least three of those bullying forms on a monthly basis. Any bullying is unacceptable, but as bad as those figures are, they are significantly better than what corresponding studies have found in many other countries.