There are slight changes in the Bí Cineálta procedures document compared with its 2013 predecessor. The definition of bullying is changed, leaving out the words "hurtful" and "psychological." The "primary aim" for a teacher dealing with bullying has been reworded, replacing the word "resolve" with the word "stop."
The requirement, if bullying is confirmed to have happened, to inform parents "at an early stage" still stands. (This allows the teacher to give the bullying child one chance to make and keep a promise to stop bullying, supported by three incentives, before, (and only if necessary for breach of promise if that should ever happen), involving parents). It is not, therefore, necessary to notify parents/guardians immediately, the first time the issue of bullying arises. The impact of that on pupils would be massive. The traditional reluctance to report bullying would be likely to re-emerge as pupils do not want to get their peers "in trouble" with parents. The wording is clear. If the promise is broken and bullying happens again that is an appropriate "early stage" to inform parents. If in doubt, on P.44 we are told: "Given the complexity of bullying behaviour . . . Each school must therefore decide on an approach that is best suited to its own circumstances." So if you are operating the Anti-Bullying Campaign in your school, just keep doing what you have been doing.
A new "Draft Policy" which clarifies the above and accommodates other necessary changes is available in the Teachers section of this website at No. 06 (for primary schools) and No. 07 (for post-primary schools).
A very small bit of extra reporting is now required so we have amended our "Essential Step 1" document (in the "Resolving Bullying Situations" area of both primary and post-primary sections of this website) to make this as quick and simple for you as possible.
