Wellbeing

www.bullyingnoway.gov.au

At Cranbourne East Secondary School, we aim to create a safe and supportive school community for everyone that builds and promotes a sense of belonging and resilience for all students.

Our school is committed to building a secure learning environment where all students feel culturally, emotionally and physically safe, reflecting the school values of Respect, Growth, Achievement and Responsibility. We achieve this through our enthusiastic student and staff participation in celebrating and raising awareness of health and wellbeing events such as Harmony Day and National Action Day Against Bullying and Violence.

You are an important part of our work to prevent bullying and to respond effectively if it happens! Stopping bullying involves everyone.

Here are some tips on what to do if your child talks to you about bullying. Parents know their children best and know the best way to tailor communication to their needs. Adapt these tips to what works for you and your child.

If your child talks to you about bullying:

Listen calmly and get the full story. Your calm response is important to allow your child to tell you all about the situation. After they have told you their story, ask questions to get more details if you need, who, what, where, when. Although you may feel some strong emotions about your child’s experience, try to keep calm to avoid more distress to your child.
Reassure your child they are not to blame. Many children blame themselves and this may make them feel even worse. You could say things like, ‘That sounds really hard to deal with. No one should have to put up with that.’ or ‘I’m so glad you told me. You should be able to feel safe at school; that’s not fair at all’.
Ask your child what they want to do and what they want you to do. A critical part of your response is to avoid jumping in to solve the problem. While it is natural to want to protect your child, helping them to find their own solution is a better option. It helps them feel they have some power in the situation.
Visit www.bullyingnoway.gov.au to find some strategies. The website has tips and ideas for different bullying situations. One idea is to practise strategies at home to help your child feel more confident.
Contact the school. Your child may be reluctant for you to do this, so discuss the idea and reassure them that the school would want to know and is able to help. Make an appointment to meet with your child’s teacher and, if you need to, ask to talk with the principal. Contact the school immediately if you have a concern about your child’s safety.
Check in regularly with your child. Keep the conversation ongoing. It can take time to resolve issues, so check in regularly with your child about their experiences and their feelings. Your ongoing support is important.

You may like to access further school information on bullying prevention by navigating to the following school link on Bullying Prevention Policy

https://cesc.vic.edu.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Bullying-Prevention-Policy-2019-2020.pdf

Thank you for your support to make Cranbourne East Secondary School a great school for everyone.

Cranbourne East Secondary College Wellbeing Team