1. Centre for Evidence Based Early Intervention
A multicentre cluster randomised controlled trial to evaluate the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of KiVa to reduce bullying in primary schools: The UK KiVa trial
2nd April 2019 Bangor
Suzy Clarkson and Prof. Judy Hutchings
Centre for Evidence Based Early Intervention
Bangor University

2. Contents KiVa KiVa in the UK Project Background Sites Team
Design and Aims
Timeframe

3. KiVa in Finland
In Finland having an anti-bullying policy was a requirement on schools but monitored over 10 years it produced no change
In 2006
The Ministry of Education and Culture funded the development of a bullying prevention programme to be implemented widely in Finnish schools

4. KiVa: Universal and Indicated Actions
Pupil lessons and materials involved
Parent materials
Visible vests for persons supervising recess time
Online anti-bullying games 
Online surveys with feedback of progress
Monitoring implementation and long-term effects
KiVa team
Clear guidelines for tackling bullying

5. The Current Situation in the UK
Since 2006, schools in the UK must have an anti-bullying policy, however, there is no set standard
There is no specific advice or guidance on recommended evidence based strategies that could make the policies work
Rates of bullying and victimisation have remained stable

6. Welsh Pilot Study
A small-scale pilot study involving 17 schools 14 in Wales and 3 in Cheshire (2012/2013)
Welsh schools used the Welsh Government school improvement grant
Unit 2 curriculum for 9-11 year olds
Termly support meetings
Data collected
- Pre-post online pupil self-report survey
- Teacher mid- and end-point survey

7. Pilot Pupil Self-report Results
Victimisation: t(12) =2.15, p =.027
Bullying: t(12) =2.79, p =.008
Final: Pupil sample n=472 School sample n=13

8. Pilot Teacher Feedback
Teachers: enthusiastic and positive about the lesson content and structure
Teachers: reported that % of pupils were engaged and enthusiastic about the lessons
The majority of teachers reported that KiVa had a positive impact on: child well-being, behaviour, pro-social behaviour, and class and playground atmosphere

9. Results from Early Implementer Schools

10. KiVa UK - Present Situation
Children’s Early Intervention Trust (CEIT) licensed as UK Hub for KiVa
CEIT funded training for two staff in Finland
CEIT accredited to train schools and trainers
Funded an administrative assistant to support the development of KiVa
Developing a network of UK trainers coordinated from the Centre through CEIT 10

11. Project Background Bullying is a public mental health problem
Population studies suggest 25-40% mental health problems including depression, anxiety, and self-harm in young adults attributable to childhood bullying
Problems can last into adulthood, increasing use of primary care, mental health services, social services, and criminal justice system

12. Project Background
Systematic reviews consistently report that universal interventions are most effective in reducing bullying
UK school approaches vary greatly and are rarely evidence based
Need to scale identify and scale up effective approaches

13. NIHR PHR Funded Project £1,846,544 Sites and Trials Unit

14. Project Team
Chief Investigator and Bangor lead: Professor Judy Hutchings Co-Chief Investigator and Oxford lead: Professor Lucy Bowes Warwick lead: Professor Richard Hastings Exeter lead: Professor Tamsin Ford Cardiff Trials Unit: Dr Julia Townson Bangor Centre for Health Economics and Medicines Evaluation lead: Professor Rhiannon Tudor Edwards Process Evaluation lead: Dr Jeremy Segrott Patient and Patient Involvement lead: Dr Richard Watkins Other team members: Dr Joanna Charles, Dr Rachel Hayes, Dr Elinor Coulman, Dr Rebecca Canning-John, Dr Fiona Lugg-Widger, Dr Paul Patterson, and Suzy Clarkson.

15. Project Design and Aims
Randomised controlled trial of KiVa:
2 arm pragmatic multicenter cluster trial
116 mainstream primary schools (58 each arm)
Approximately 13,000 pupils aged 7-11 years
Aim to evaluate:
Is KiVa more effective than Usual Practice in reducing bullying and victimisation?
Is KiVa more effective than UP in improving pupil mental health, wellbeing, quality of life, school well-being/connectedness, school attendance, academic attainment, reducing school exclusions, and improving staff confidence/stress levels?

16. Project Design and Aims
Economic evaluation:
Is KiVa more cost-effective than UP in reducing bullying and victimisation?
Process evaluation:
To what extent is KiVa implemented with fidelity, and what are the key influences on implementation across school contexts?

17. Timeframe
Schools will be recruited in July 2019/Feb 2020 across the four sites
Measures taken April/May 2020
Randomisation End of May 2020 (Intervention/UP)
Randomly selected schools trained by CEIT registered trainers June 2020
Delivery of KiVa in September 2020
Process evaluation, cost data, and PPI will be ongoing, prior and during implementation
Measures retaken May/June 2021
Control schools can opt to be trained June 2021

18. References
Axford, N., Hutchings, J., Bjornstad, G., Clarkson, S. & Hunt, A. (2014). KiVa: Helping schools and parents beat bullying. Better: Evidence-based Education, 6(2),
Hutchings, J. (2014). New ways to tackle bullying. Society Central.
Clarkson, S. (2015) Together against bullying. The Psychologist 28 (2),
Hutchings, J. & Clarkson, S. (2015). Introducing and piloting the KiVa bullying prevention programme in the UK. Educational and Child Psychology, 32, (1),
Axford, N., Farrington, D.P., Clarkson, S., Bjornstad, G., Wrigley, Z. & Hutchings, J. (2015) Involving parents in school-based programmes to prevent and reduce bullying: Does it work? Journal of Children’s Services, 10(3).
Hutchings, J. & Clarkson, S. (2015). Rolling out evidence-based programmes in schools. Better: Evidence-based Education, 7(2)  
Clarkson et al. (2015). Effectiveness and micro-costing of the KiVa-bullying-prevention programme in Wales: Study protocol for a pilot randomised controlled trial. BMC Health. Doi: /s

19. Thank you for listening!
For more information:
Suzy Clarkson, Judy Hutchings
or Natalie Williams
Centre for Evidence Based Early Intervention,
School of Psychology,
Bangor University,
Wales 19