Countering Bullying

Everyone involved in looking after children shares responsibility for countering bullying and for creating a culture which positively encourages acceptable behaviour and reduces or prevents the likelihood of bullying.

All children and young people have a right to feel confident that this is a safe and healthy environment.

We want to ensure that all children and young people remain safe from bullying behaviour and have the opportunity to thrive and prosper, emotionally and socially.

When bullying is encountered, the Agency will ensure that the procedures are in place to allow:

• Reporting and recording of the incident;
• Having concerns or incidents of bullying properly monitored;
• Ensuring appropriate action is taken in response to incidents of bullying and that these are followed up.

This will ensure that people feel listened to and understand that their concerns have been and will be taken seriously.

The Agency will provide guidance and training that encourages an understanding and appreciation of what bullying is and how it impacts on self and others.

Bullying is defined as behaviour or actions of a person, group of people or a whole organisation designed to cause distress or to hurt a person or group of people.

Bullying can take place in a variety of settings including face-to-face, via other people, on the phone or the internet including social networking sites.

Bullying can be:

• Emotional - being unfriendly, excluding, tormenting (e.g. hiding possessions, threatening gestures);
• Physical - pushing, kicking, hitting, punching or any use of violence;
• Racist - racial taunts, graffiti, gestures;
• Sexual - unwanted physical contact or sexually abusive comments and harassment;
• Homophobic or remarks about gender identity - because of, or focusing on, the issue of sexuality;
• Verbal - name-calling, sarcasm, spreading rumours, teasing;
• Online/cyberbullying - e.g. using mobile phones or social networking sites to intimidate or bully others.

An Ofsted thematic review (Review of Sexual Abuse in Schools and Colleges (Ofsted)) identified substantial levels of sexual harassment for both girls (90%) and boys (nearly 50%) and that in a number of schools this went unreported as a result of the school's 'culture' – a part of which appeared to be that staff were not aware; did not countenance that this could happen, and because once it was discussed (the children) feared the process would be out of their control.

Sexual harassment and sexual violence exist on a continuum and may overlap. Where the latter occurs, there could be a criminal offence committed.

This would also include actions such as creating or sharing explicit images of a child which is illegal, even if the person doing it is a child. A young person is breaking the law if they:

• Take an explicit photo or video of themselves or a friend;
• Share an explicit image or video of a child, even if it's shared between children of the same age;
• Possess, download or store an explicit image or video of a child, even if the child gave their permission for it to be created.

However, if a young person is found creating or sharing images, the police can choose to record that a crime has been committed but that taking formal action is not in the public interest.

With effect from 29 June 2021, section 69 Domestic Abuse Act 2021 expanded so-called 'revenge porn' to include threats to disclose private sexual photographs and films with intent to cause distress.

Where the Agency or foster carer is concerned that a child they have care of is being bullied, or is bullying, they should consider whether a criminal offence has or is being committed, and discuss it further with the child's social worker (see also Section 4, Risk Assessment and Planning).

Bullying can have a detrimental effect on a child or young person's wellbeing and can lead to poor self-esteem, depression, self-harm and suicidal thoughts. Foster carers must take bullying seriously.

Everyone involved in looking after children shares responsibility for countering bullying and for creating a culture which positively encourages acceptable behaviour and reduces or prevents the likelihood of bullying.

The Agency's statement of purpose will include its strategy for dealing with and reporting bullying. The children's guide should also contain information and advice on countering bullying.

Foster carers must be alert to the risk of bullying and should take all reasonable steps to prevent such behaviour. In order to help achieve this, each foster home should have its own strategies for countering bullying, and this should be reflected in the foster carer's safer caring policy.

This will include:

• Implementing clear rules within the household that bullying is not acceptable and what measures will be taken if the foster carers suspect bullying or it is reported to them;
• Providing clarity to children on acceptable behaviours;
• Providing opportunities for children to explore issues of bullying e.g. writing stories or poems or drawing pictures about bullying;
• Encouraging children to read stories about bullying or reading such stories to them;
• Having discussions about bullying and why it matters;
• Being good role models as foster carers.

If foster carers have any concerns that incidents of bullying have occurred between children within the foster home or that a child in the foster placement may be a victim or perpetrator of bullying at school or elsewhere outside the foster home, they must discuss these with their supervising social worker, who should advise on what actions are necessary to reduce or prevent it.

When bullying occurs within the foster home, it may be appropriate to convene a meeting, preferably with the child or children concerned, to discuss strategies to prevent or reduce the bullying. The outcomes of the meeting may include the following:

• The bully (bullies) may be asked to genuinely apologise;
• In serious cases, some form of sanction will be considered;
• If possible, the children concerned will be reconciled;
• After the incident/incidents have been investigated and dealt with, there will be continuously monitoring to ensure repeated bullying does not take place.

If the bullying is persistent or serious, the social worker should be consulted and it may be necessary to conduct a placement planning meeting or a referral may be required under the Safeguarding Children and Young People and Referring Safeguarding Concerns Procedure and a strategy discussion/meeting convened.