Unit 025 Outcome 5

1. Explain different types of bullying and the potential effects on children and young people

Physical (Pushing, kicking, hitting, biting, poking, choking, slapping or pinching)

Physical bullying can happen to any age of person whether it is children, young adults, adults or elderly people. Physical bullying can be anything that has physical contact between one individual to another and any form of violence or threats.
The potential effects on children and young adults that are bullied could be:

- Poor academic achievement.
- Children/young people scared of walking to and from school.
- Attempt suicide.
- A child becomes withdrawn, lacks confidence and starts to stammer.
- The child becomes distressed, anxious or depressed.
- The child crying more (maybe at bed times or when alone) or suffers nightmares.
- Loss of appetite.
- The child suffers bruising, cuts, scratches etc.

Verbal (name-calling, insults, sarcasm, spreading rumours, persistent teasing)

This is usually done to somebody that is known to them or has contact with via friends or others. Verbal bullying is when somebody says something that is hurtful to another person to cause deliberate upset.
It is important to note that verbal bullying can be mistaken for teasing. Verbal bullying is not teasing. Teasing is only when two people find it funny and are having fun.
The potential effects on children and young adults that are bullied could be:

- They show aggressive tendencies
- They might turn their anger inward becoming self destructive
- Delayed development.
- Become depressed or anxious.
- Low self esteem
- Lacks confidence.
- A child becomes withdrawn and isolated.

Emotional (excluding, tormenting, ridicule, humiliation).

This is usually done by somebody that is known to you or you have contact with via friends or others. When they verbally tell you things that make you feel bad about yourself, this can be by putting you down or making you scared. This may be done on purpose or without realising that they are doing or saying.
The potential effects on children and young adults that are bullied could be:

- Blaming yourself
- Depression
- Self harming
- Feeling or being physically ill
- Developing phobias
- Induce fear/scared
- Lack confidence
- Mental health problems in children
- Over eating (comfort food)
- Not wanting to go to school (clingy to people that are close to them)
- A child becomes withdrawn and isolated

Cyber (the use of information and communication technology, particularly mobile phones and the internet, deliberately to upset someone).

When a person or a group of people that might be known or unknown to them communicates using ICT (e-mails, social networking sites, chat rooms etc) or mobile phones (text messages) and sets out deliberately to upset them by making threatening, nasty or untrue comments about the person that is being bullied.
The potential effects on children and young adults that are bullied could be:

- Depression.
- Unhappy (suicidal)
- Low self-esteem
- Self harming.
- Lack of confidence
- A child becomes withdrawn and isolated.
Physical, emotional, verbally and cyber bullying can have the same potential effects on children and young people.

2. Outline the policies and procedures that should be followed in response to concerns or evidence of bullying and explain the reasons why they are in place

Equal Opportunities

This is in place to ensure that children and staff recognise that discrimination on the foundation of colour, culture, origin, sex or ability is not acceptable and to ensure that all staff feel valued, supported and have the appropriate advice and encouragement for professional development. Children are to be seen as an individual and each child‘s education is to be developed in relation to their needs and abilities.

Safeguarding

To ensure that children and parents feel safe when they visit the setting and that they receive the appropriate support and protection.

Confidentiality

This is in place as it is important not to share children's information with other parents or visitors in the nursery. There are times it'll be breached if the child speaks up about the incident. All members of staff must follow this policy to keep all children and young people in their care safe.

Complaints

This is in place in case any parents have issues with the room their child is in or if members of staff has a problem with any other staff member. All complaints must go straight to the manager who will then take the issues to seniors of each other room and discuss what will happen next.

Behaviour

This is in place as it is important that all members of staff know the correct way to handle a child with unacceptable behaviour. Staff should never slap a child or use negative words, the child should be taken away from the situation and be told what they have done is wrong and they should apologise to the other child.

3. Explain how to support a child or young peopled and/or their family when bullying is suspected or alleged

When dealing with bullying it is vital to follow the policies and procedures in order to correctly support both child and families in cases of bullying. Children have the right to know that they are protected by law and that there is support out there for parents if their child is a victim of bullying.

If a child or young person approached me and disclosed any kind of bullying, firstly I would offer my support and take into consideration how hard it may have been for that child to have spoken to me in the first place. Some children may feel embarrassed and ashamed that it has happened to them so it is important to be sympathetic towards their feelings. I would praise the child for being brave enough to talk about this and remind them that they are not alone, remind them that it is the bully who has the problem and not them. For a small child in foundation stage it could be that someone had just said something silly or called them an ‘unkind name’ which can be dealt with easily. For older children, bullying could be a more serious problem which can then be tackled by the form teacher or head of year. In both incidents, all children concerned will be monitored and certain steps of supervision will be set in place by their peers.

Parents of a child or young person could feel very distressed and alone on hearing that their child is a victim of bullying so it is important that they are given the same amount of respect that the child has received. If the parent is worried or suspects bullying is occurring then they can approach the senior or key worker who may be able to deal with it in the setting (for younger children). In the case of older children parents should approach the ead of year to discuss matters on how this can be dealt with and stopped. The teacher will then monitor the situation. Parents can then request updates on how the situation is being dealt with. It is vital that everyone is working in partnership and communicating with one another in order to prevent bullying.

There are also many websites and help lines that can give parents extra support with the bullying, such as NSPCC.