International Conference “National Strategies on Violence against Children” Vienna, May 2010 School Bullying & Cyber-bullying By Ms Dominique Versini ENOC Chair, Ombudsperson for children, France 1

ENOC: 37members/20countries EUROPEAN NETWORK OF OMBUDSPERSONS FOR CHILDREN 2

SCHOOL BULLYING: Data → A survey carried out in 2008 Northern Ireland revealed that: 22% had been physically bullied at school in the last 2 months 39% had been bullied in other ways in the last 2 months 10% had previously experienced bullying by mobile phone or through the internet 9% did not know if their school had rules on bullying; 4% said they did not. (ARK 2008) → 25 % of the pupils in the 6 th grade (12-14 years of age) have experienced bullying during the last few months. Danish National Council for Children 3

SCHOOL BULLYING: Words « I felt weak and powerless. I had the impression of being a looser. » (A child) “I try to support my daughter victim of bullying her but I feel that the school could do more but they won’t. They would rather ignore the problem. Resulting in my daughter suffering from low self esteem she has reverted into herself and will not go out over the door and has difficultly making new friends”.(A parent) “Exposure to any bullying behaviour can have serious consequences for children and their mental and physical health can be adversely affected on a long term basis” (Livesey et al, 2007) 4

SCHOOL BULLYING: The Victims Most frequent victims → a child who is “different” (appearance, dresses, disability, difficulty to learn or on the contrary easiness to learn, gender, homophobia etc.) → a child who has a certain fragility (non confident in himself and his social, scholar skills, etc.). Victims’ characteristics → Loneliness, trouble making social and emotional adaptation, difficulty to make friends and rare relationship with their classmates. → Refuse to go to school, develop inability to learn, to think, but also anxious and depression troubles and obsessive-compulsive disorders. They feel shame, humiliation, fear, anguish, etc. 5

SCHOOL BULLYING: : often invisible ! Children underline that adults often do not even know these situations or don’t intercede considering them uncontrollable part of growing up. Adults themselves have difficulty to detect these acts in particular these indirect acts with invisible effects. School staff can be even reticent to admit them. → the phenomenon of violence in school appears to be not well identified and tackled by the public authorities. 6

ESTABLISH A DEFINITION & CARRY OUT NATIONAL INVESTIGATIONS → to address all forms of violence and identify/distinguish bullying from others violent behaviors, → to raise the issue in countries for which the problem is not well recognized and tackled, → to develop national strategies and share best practices on every level and above all on local level, → to raise in the public opinion, especially among children a better understanding of the phenomena and their effects. The Finnish ombudsman for children collected children’s views through a study entitled “It concerns adults!”. Over 600 children participated. One of the main concerns about school related to bullying. 7

DEVELOP TRAINING FOR PROFESSIONALS → to draw and carry out preventive actions to reduce these behaviors → to identify, to detect and to handle such behaviors → to listen to and to support children who are victims or witnesses A brochure called ‘What do I do – when bullying and violence occur in class rooms?’ including suggestions and support to educators and ‘tool’ for identifying and reducing bullying and violence in schools. issued by the Ombudsperson for children of Upper Austria Province 8

DEVELOP PREVENTIVE ACTIONS During a national consultation called Children have a say, the French ombudsperson for children listened to children’s opinions on 10 topics. Samples of Children’s recommendations concerning Violence and Internet :  Facilitate the communication between children and the adults working in school. Special time schedule could be dedicated to discuss, exchange and resolve problems;  Develop mutual aid and solidarity among children;  Develop awareness raising strategies.  Expert interventions  Young volunteer trained to inform children on specific issues  Provide parents specific training related to the use of new technologies. 9

A pocket book about violence in school including bullying issued by the Parliamentary Commissioner for Civil Rights for Hungary and disseminated among children. Internet website “Stay Safe” in Ireland Behaviour codes in Northern Ireland 10

DEVELOP CHILDREN PARTICIPATION → to make children more responsible and informed on these behaviors and their effects, → to draw up efficient and complete anti-bullying strategies A guidance on bullying that includes 10 guidelines on how children and young people should be involved in producing, reviewing and monitoring school bullying policies issued by the Northern Ireland Commissioner for children and young people 11

ENYA ENOC NETWORK OF YOUNG ADVISORS 12

Thank you! FOR MORE INFORMATION : & m 13