Support for Children and Young People

If you are experiencing bullying behaviour, or are worried about someone that may be, it is important that you tell an adult you trust about it. This might be a parent or carer or another member of your family. It might be teacher, youth worker or another adult that works with you. It doesn’t matter who you tell, just tell someone.
If you would like to talk to someone about your concerns or worries about bullying you can talk to:

ChildLine – 0800 1111
Lifeline – 0808 808 8000

Support for Parents, Carers and Other Adults

If a child or young person tells you they are experiencing bullying behaviour it can be very distressing and worrying.

NIABF has developed a toolkit to support parents and carers responding to bullying. Click the link below to view:

NIABF Parent Carer Toolkit

If you would like to talk to someone about your concerns or worries you can contact:

Parents Helpline – 0808 8010 722

NSPCC Helpline – 0808 800 5000

Children’s Law Centre –  0808 800 5678

Member Signposting

Barnardo’s NI

Barnardo’s NI works with children, young people and families across Northern Ireland to promote better outcomes and build better futures. Online resources include:

See Hear Respond Support Hub This is an interactive central space for parents, carers and young people to access a range of materials, resources and much more to help deal with some of the challenges the pandemic has presented in terms of emotion and mental health, anxiety related to schools and relationships.  https://www.barnardos.org.uk/see-hear-respond-northern-ireland with free helpline (0800 157 7015)

Boloh Helpline Boloh helpline number for children from Black, Asian and other minority ethnic backgrounds is 0800 151 2605 or visit https://helpline.barnardos.org.uk

The Get up and Go Care and Share activity pack (5 – 8 years old) http://www.bbni.co.uk/getupandgo/barnardos-careandshare-anchors.pdf

Real Love Rocks Healthy Relationships and Exploitation Education Available for Primary, Secondary and SEN pupils https://www.barnardosrealloverocks.org.uk/

Community Relations in Schools (CRIS)

CRIS offers a range of programme interventions in primary and post primary schools, including programmes relating to anti-bullying.

Contact details: 

Stranmillis University College

Stranmillis offers a Master’s level module and online CPD courses focusing on addressing bullying in schools. They also undertake research activity in the area of bullying in schools.  For more information on courses, contact Dr Noel Purdy, Director of Research and Scholarship, Stranmillis University College, Belfast.  Email: n.purdy@stran.ac.uk

NSPCC

Policy Makers – NSPCC works nationally across the UK using evidence from the Helpline, Childline and other services to identify issues and concerns that need addressed. NSPCC recommends changes in policy and practice.

https://learning.nspcc.org.uk/research-resources/2016/what-children-telling-childline-about-bullying/

Professionals –

NSPCC Learning website brings together information about bullying and how to respond: https://learning.nspcc.org.uk/child-abuse-and-neglect/bullying/

The NSPCC website also provides practical resources that can be used in schools and by other professionals: https://learning.nspcc.org.uk/research-resources/schools/anti-bullying-resources/

Speak Out. Stay Safe.

The Speak Out. Stay Safe programme is for children aged 5-11 years. The programme includes child friendly, interactive assemblies and workshops delivered by specially trained staff and volunteers who help children:

  • understand abuse in all its forms and recognise the signs of abuse
  • understand that abuse is never a child’s fault, and they have the right to be safe
  • know how to get help, and the sources of help available to them, including the Childline service.

To request a visit for your school, please visit nspcc.org.uk/speakout

Versions of the Speak Out. Stay Safe assembly have been adapted for children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities.

Keeping Safe

Keeping Safe is a whole school prevention education programme developed by NSPCC working in partnership with the Department of Education in Northern Ireland. The programme builds the capacity of the whole school staff to deliver and reinforce messages to children about keeping safe from all forms of abuse and bullying. A suite of classroom and whole school resources are made available to schools facilitating them to deliver a structured and developmentally appropriate programme to children from aged 4-11. A range of resources are provided to schools, so that they can engage and involve their parents in reinforcing messages at home. Keeping safe is currently being delivered in 66 schools (5 special schools) across NI where over 15,000 pupils have received the programme to date.  An RCT has been used to evaluate the programme and will report positive impact for children, teachers and parents.

CPSU Child Protection in Sports Unit

Dedicated website with information about safeguarding issues in sport including bullying.

https://thecpsu.org.uk/help-advice/topics/anti-bullying/

One dedicated worker in NI developing strategies and influencing policy development around safeguarding in sport. Supports sports bodies to develop anti-bullying policies, procedures and practice (e.g. through highlighting anti bullying week, mental health awareness, key role of parents in supporting their children). Provides advice to designated welfare or safeguarding officers dealing with complex incidents and concerns. Provides practical resources e.g. sample policies, incident recording formats etc. and activities to engage children.

Public –

Helpline – The NSPCC helpline is staffed by trained child protection specialists and responds to enquiries and concerns from adult-professionals or concerned members of the public who have safeguarding concerns (including bullying). Call the NSPCC on 0808 800 5000, email NSPCC, or submit an online form. NSPCC also has advice about spotting the signs of abuse. You can call Monday to Friday 8am – 10pm or 9am – 6pm at the weekends. It’s free and you don’t have to say who you are.

Childline – Childline is the UK’s free 24-hour helpline and online service for anyone under 19. Children and young people can contact Childline about any worry, whether it’s big or small – from abuse and bullying to exam stress and relationships. They can get in touch with a trained counsellor over the phone, by email or through 1-2-1 online chat.

Young people can also access the Childline website, which provides advice on a huge range of topics, plus a space for peer support on the message boards. There’s also a section designed for children under 12, where they can receive age-appropriate advice, play games, visit the calm zone and create art.

Due to coronavirus, Childline has made some changes to how it works. For now, you can only speak to a Childline counsellor online or on the phone from 7:30am–midnight from Monday to Friday, or from 9am–midnight at weekends. 

On the Childline website specific content on Bullying and Cyberbullying can be found at: https://www.childline.org.uk/info-advice/bullying-abuse-safety/types-bullying/bullying-cyberbullying/

Seeking Solutions

One-to-one support for children and young people aged 7 -19 (living in the Belfast area) to help and support them to deal with problems affecting their life, happiness or wellbeing.

Parenting NI

Parenting NI offers top tips for parents/carers on how to deal with bullying.  You can listen to their podcast on Dealing with Bullying here:  https://parentingni.podbean.com/e/ep-11-dealing-with-bullying/

They also have tips for those parents/carers who realise that their child is bullying others.

Support line – Parent support worker can support parents with any issues related to bullying through phone-call or webchat.  The support line is open Monday – Thursday: 9:30 am – 3:30 pm; Friday: 9:30 am – 12:30 pm

0808 8010 722

Parenting courses/workshops www.parentingni.org