| Bullying is when someone, or a group of people, | | | | the Method of Shared Concern. |
| upset or create a risk to another person's health | | | | What Happens in Shared Concern? |
| and safety - either psychologically or physically - | | | | - Individual meetings are held with each of the |
| or their property, reputation or social acceptance | | | | students involved in the bullying incident: the |
| on more than one occasion (Department of | | | | students or students bullying, the person being |
| Education and Early Child Development, Victoria). | | | | bullied and any bystanders who may have seen |
| How Should Schools Manage Bullying | | | | what was happening. |
| One method being suggested to manage incidents | | | | - Each student is asked about the problem and to |
| of bullying in schools is to use the approach of | | | | suggest ways he or she personally could help to |
| 'shared concern'. The process of 'shared concern' | | | | improve the situation. |
| will be discussed below: | | | | - The student being bullied is also given the |
| Bullying and National Safe Schools Framework | | | | opportunity to discuss what happened and |
| The Method of Shared Concern is recommended | | | | encouraged to think of ways to improve the |
| by the National Safe Schools Framework. The | | | | situation. |
| key to stopping bullying is getting those involved | | | | - There are follow-up meetings, discussions and |
| to talk about what is happening and decide on | | | | planning that give students the opportunity to |
| some ways to overcome the problem. The | | | | change and improve attitudes and behaviours and |
| Friendly Schools and Families Program | | | | to put these into practice in a supportive |
| recommends school use the Method of Shared | | | | environment. |
| Concern to encourage children to talk about | | | | As a parent it is important to keep open |
| bullying incidents. Parents can also use this | | | | communication with the school and your child's |
| strategy at home. The Method of Shared | | | | teacher if you have concerns around the issue of |
| Concern aims to change the behaviour of | | | | bullying. Encourage your children to share what |
| students who are bullying and to improve the | | | | actually happens to them and reward them for |
| situation for the student being bullied. This method | | | | their honesty. If there is a problem with your |
| helps students to develop empathy and concern | | | | children at school, try to work together with the |
| for others and give them strategies to help them | | | | teachers to overcome the problem. This shows a |
| get along better with others in the school and at | | | | committed partnership between parents and the |
| home. Staff in schools should be trained to use | | | | school to work towards positive solutions. |