DEVELOPING a FAMILY and PARENTING SUPPORT COMMISSIONING STRATEGY
WILTSHIRE CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE’S TRUST
‘RESPECTING DIFFERENCE’
ANTI-BULLYING COMMISSIONING STRATEGY
2012 to 2015
Respecting Difference Consultation Draft v5 Nov 2012
CONTENTS
1. SUMMARY
2. INTRODUCTION
2.1 Purpose and scope
2.2 Links with existing strategies
2.3 Developing the strategy
2.4 Bullying defined
3. NATIONAL CONTEXT
3.1 Coalition update
3.2 Legislative framework
4. LOCAL CONTEXT
4.1 Local vision and priorities
4.2 Needs assessment
4.3 Health Related Behaviour Survey
4.4 Wiltshire Safeguarding Children Board
5. INTERVENTIONS – What are we doing well and not so well?
5.1 Best practice and what’s working
5.2 The voice of children and young people
6. PRIORITIES – ‘Respecting Difference’
7. MAKING IT HAPPEN
7.1 Governance
7.2 Implementation
7.3 Reviewing & Monitoring
Appendix 1 - Equality Act 2010 - The nine protected characteristics
Appendix 2 - Types, methods forms of bullying behaviour
Appendix 3 - Ofsted ‘No Place for Bullying’ (report summary)
Appendix 4 – Wiltshire Children & Young People’s Trust Arrangements
Appendix 5 - Anti-bullying Steering Group Membership
Appendix 6 - Useful resources for guidance and further information
1. SUMMARY
It is the right of every child and young person to work, play and learn in an environment that is free from victimisation and bullying. Bullying affects most children and young people at some point, either as a victim, a bully or as a bystander. Nationally, anti-bullying remains an important priority with increased emphasis on protecting those who are most vulnerable and/or show one of the nine protected characteristics (refer appendix 1). Those with Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities, Looked After Children, Young Carers, and those from minority ethnic groups for example, are more likely to experience bullying more frequently, intensively and persistently.
In Wiltshire we have seen a reduction in the rate of bullying and since 2008 there has been a 7% increase in the proportion of pupils stating their schools take bullying seriously. Fear of bullying has reduced among secondary school pupils and remained the same among primary pupils. The fear of being bullied is higher amongst some local primary school children when compared nationally.[1]
An inspection of safeguarding and looked after children services in March 2012 identified that local children and young people who met with inspectors reported feeling safe at school and in their localities, describing Wiltshire as ‘a safe place to live’. Those interviewed reported that the rare incidences of bullying are dealt with effectively in their school where pastoral care staff, school nurses and peer mentors had provided reliable sources of support. Inspectors found that professionals who work in a range of settings are alert to cyber-bullying and appropriate steps are taken to minimise risk.[2] This Strategy seeks to build upon this good practice.
The effects of bullying both for the bully and the victim are well documented. Those who bully are more likely to experience low educational attainment, and are prone to commit crime[3] and use drugs[4] in adulthood. They are also more likely to adopt an aggressive and/or inconsistent parenting style. For victims, bullying can be a major cause of depression which affects learning, attendance, achievement and can have lasting effects into adulthood. For example, it can lead to self loathing and self harm and cause or contribute to eating disorders. The Home Office has reported that in the UK each year ten to fourteen suicides amongst young people can be directly attributed to bullying.
The advent of cyber bullying has changed the landscape within which bullying takes place. The reach and longevity of electronic-based bullying has a significant impact on those being bullied as young people are no longer free from bullying in what were previously safe places.
This strategy is an update to, and builds on, the previous Anti-bullying Strategy (2008-2011) and the work carried out under the direction of the multi-agency Anti-bullying Steering Group. It builds on current work being undertaken with our children and young people to promote resilience, celebrate difference, challenge all forms of discrimination and create safe environments where all forms and methods of bullying are not tolerated (including online). In summary, our key commissioning priorities are:
1. Promote resilience, celebrate difference and challenge discrimination.
2. Create safe environments where all forms and methods of bullying are not tolerated.
3. Support the training and development of all staff who work with children and young people to effectively prevent, identify and tackle bullying.
4. Ensure everyone recognises their responsibilities and the part they have to play in preventing and stopping bullying behaviours.
2. INTRODUCTION
2.1 Purpose and scope
The Anti-bullying Strategy aims to support all partners of the Wiltshire Children and Young People’s Trust to prevent and reduce the prevalence of bullying both in and out of school. The Strategy seeks to identify, tackle and overcome the causes of bullying through:
§ Rigorous data collection and analysis;
§ Good engagement and support from all stakeholders, including children, young people and their parents/carers;
§ Prevention and early intervention approaches;
§ Timely and effective action where bullying has occurred in order to mitigate its effects on the child or young person.
The Strategy endeavours to achieve the above by setting out a number of broad commissioning priorities which will inform the development of a comprehensive multi-agency implementation plan. These priorities seek to eliminate bullying on the grounds of race, disability or additional need, sexual orientation, gender, age, religion or belief, pregnancy or any other actual or perceived difference. From a positive perspective the Strategy is based on developing a local culture of ‘Respecting Difference’.
The Strategy covers all children and young people in Wiltshire.
2.2 Links with existing strategies
The Anti-bullying strategy is focused on improving outcome for young people. It is important to stress that the commissioning strategy will make links with existing strategies and plans.
Relevant existing strategies and plans:
§ 11-19 Commissioning Strategy
§ 16-25 Special Educational Needs and/or Disability (SEND) Support Commissioning Strategy
§ Children in Care Commissioning Strategy
§ Early Intervention Strategy
§ Equalities & Diversity Policies
§ Emotional Wellbeing and Mental Health Commissioning Strategy
§ Family and Parenting Support Commissioning Strategy
§ Hidden Harm Strategy 2011-14
§ Relevant Improvement Plans in relation to Safeguarding and Looked After Children (Police Safeguarding Improvement Plan; NHS Wiltshire Safeguarding Improvement Plan; LAC Health Improvement Plan – Wiltshire Public Health; Safeguarding Improvement Plan; Adoption Improvement Plan).
§ Schools Branch Strategic Plan.
§ The Wiltshire Children and Young People’s Plan 2012-2015
§ Wiltshire Assembly of Youth – Zero-tolerance approach and Charter for Mental Health
§ Wiltshire Safeguarding Children Board Policies & Plans (i.e. E-Safety, Sexual Exploitation)
§ Wiltshire Self-harm and Suicide Prevention Strategy 2012-14
§ Young Carers Joint Commissioning Strategy
The Strategy will also be supported by and make links with the following key stakeholders:
§ Children and Families Voluntary Sector Forum
§ Children and Young People’s Trust
§ Community Safety Partnership
§ Police
§ Post-16 learning providers
§ Schools
§ Wiltshire Council
§ Commissioning Team
§ Early Years & Childcare
§ Education Transport Services
§ Equalities & Diversity
§ Ethnic Minority Achievement Service (EMAS)
§ Integrated Youth Service
§ Personal Development Education Advisors (Wiltshire Healthy Schools Programme)
§ Public Protection
§ Social Care
§ Voice and Influence Team
§ Wiltshire Safeguarding Children Board
2.3 Developing the strategy
The Strategy has been coordinated and developed by the Anti-bullying Steering Group on behalf of the Children and Young People’s Trust Commissioning Executive under the multi-agency Emotional Wellbeing & Mental Health (EWMH) Commissioning Sub Group. The Strategy has been informed by the views of a range of stakeholders, including children, young people and professionals through focus groups, individual meetings, surveys and consultation via the Wiltshire Pathways website.
2.4 Bullying defined
Wiltshire’s Anti-bullying Steering Group has adopted the following definition of bullying set out in the Department for Education Guidance ‘Preventing and Tackling Bullying – Advice for School Leaders, staff and Governing Bodies (July 2011)’:
‘Bullying is behaviour by an individual or group, repeated over time, that intentionally hurts another individual or group either physically or emotionally. Bullying can take many forms (for instance, cyber-bullying via text messages or the internet), and is often motivated by prejudice against particular groups, for example on grounds of race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, or because a child is adopted or has caring responsibilities. It might be motivated by actual differences between children, or perceived differences.’
A useful summary of the various types, methods and forms of bullying behaviour has been developed by The Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea and is included as Appendix 2.
The impact on children and young people
Bullying affects children and young people’s social and academic lives. It is a major cause of depression, which affects learning, attendance, achievement and has lasting effects throughout adulthood. It can lead to self loathing and self harm and cause or contribute to eating disorders.
The NSPCC reported that 31,599 children called ChildLine in 2011/12 with a primary concern of bullying (about 10% of all calls and an increase of 4% from 2010/11).[5] The Home Office has reported that each year ten to fourteen youth suicides can be directly attributed to bullying. A bullied child is also more than six times more likely to contemplate suicide than a non-bullied child. In addition, bullying can have severe consequences for perpetrators, who for example could be permanently excluded from school, therefore having a potentially adverse impact on their future life outcomes.
It’s important to recognise that incidents of bullying don’t only affect the individual who is being bullied or the person who is doing the bullying. Research (Olweus) has identified that there are a number of different roles which individuals play and that make up a bullying situation. In addition to the bully and victim, there are those who support the bullying, onlookers, and defenders or possible defenders of the child who is being bullied.[6] Consequently, prevention approaches need to consider bullying in this context, and to be successful will need to encourage more children and young people to take action where and when bullying takes place. This involves children taking on the role as defenders of the individual being bullied whenever possible.
Cyber bullying
The Department for Education Guidance also includes a specific reference to cyber-bullying:
‘The rapid development of, and widespread access to, technology has provided a new medium for ‘virtual’ bullying, which can occur in or outside school. Cyber-bullying is a different form of bullying and can happen at all times of the day, with a potentially bigger audience, and more accessories as people forward on content at a click.’
New information and communication technologies (e.g. SMS text messaging, online information sites, social media, public forums and discussion groups) combined with new internet service and mobile technologies (e.g. smart phones) mean bullying is constantly changing and has become more complex.
Cyber bullies may send e-mails or text messages containing insults or threats directly to children and young people or spread hateful comments through websites and online diaries (blogs) 24 hours a day. Information and communication technology may also be used by children to send inappropriate and sexual images of themselves to others (‘sexting’) – this can lead to potential issues where such images are then used by others to exploit and bully the sender. Cyber-bullying is particularly hurtful as victims often feel that the privacy of their home and/or private life has been invaded. Furthermore, the ownership and use of a smart phone for example, with a constant connection to the internet means that an individual can experience bullying anywhere and at anytime of the day.
The Law
Although bullying in itself is not a specific criminal offence in the UK, it’s important to bear in mind that some types of harassing or threatening behaviour – or communications – could constitute a criminal offence. For example, under the Malicious Communications Act 1988, it is an offence for a person to send an electronic communication to another person with the intent to cause distress or anxiety or to send an electronic communication which conveys a message which is indecent or grossly offensive, a threat, or information which is false and known or believed to be false by the sender. Criminal offences may also be committed when bullying behaviour takes on a physical or sexual form.
Where staff, parents/carers and/or children and young people themselves feel that an offence may have been committed they should seek assistance from the police. At the other end of the scale, it’s important however, to recognise what is not bullying behaviour:
‘Children and young people of a similar age and size finding themselves in conflict, disagreeing, having an argument or even fighting, without imbalance of power or use of intimidation. Examples include teasing and banter between friends without intention to hurt; falling out after a quarrel; and behaviour that all parties have consented to and enjoy – however, this needs to be monitored as coercion is subtle’.
3. NATIONAL CONTEXT
3.1 Coalition update
The coalition Government’s approach to bullying is outlined in new guidance published in 2011 by the Department for Education called ‘Preventing and tackling bullying – advice for head teachers, staff and governing bodies’. This replaces previous advice ‘Safe To Learn: embedding anti-bullying work in schools’ which was developed in 2007 by the Department for Children, Schools and Families.
The new guidance sets out legal obligations and the powers that schools have to tackle bullying, and the principles which underpin the most effective anti-bullying strategies in schools. It also lists further resources through which school staff can access specialist information on the specific issues they face. Although primarily for use by schools and colleges the guidance is a useful and informative resource for the local authority and its partners, the wider community and parents/carers.
The ‘Equality Strategy – Building a Fairer Britain’ published in December 2010 outlines the Government’s approach to equality and has its foundations in the Equality Act 2010. The Strategy includes work with organisations with a proven track record of tackling prejudice-based bullying to support schools in tackling all forms of bullying behaviour.