Prevention strategies for families
Parents and carers can play an important role in preventing children and young people from bullying others or being bullied. Families can influence lots of preventative factors, such as emotional support and involvement in their child’s life, family wellbeing, positive relationships and information and communication technology (ICT) use.
The most effective family strategies around ICT are developed collaboratively with children and young people through regular, open discussions.
Build and maintain positive relationships
Positive relationships help children and young people feel safe, connected, socially confident and resilient. This supports their overall wellbeing. These benefits can help prevent children and young people from being bullied and bullying others. Creating and maintaining positive relationships might look like:
- spending quality time together
- talking openly, kindly and regularly
- showing interest in children and young people's social and school lives
- setting firm boundaries
- actively listening
- showing appreciation
- offering emotional support and letting children and young people know they will be listened to if they want to talk or need help.
Help build positive relationships with others
Positive social connections act as a strong preventative factor against bullying. Supporting this might look like:
- helping children and young people build positive social connections by supporting them to catch up with friends out of school
- socialising with other children and young people of a similar age
- supporting children and young people to find clubs or activities they might enjoy
- doing something social as a group, such as volunteering for a local charity, community group or sports club.
Support
The Raising Children Network has helpful and practical advice for building and maintaining positive relationships with children and young people.
Strengthen wellbeing
Wellbeing relates to mood, attitude, relationships, resilience and health. Families working to build and maintain positive relationships are already helping to improve wellbeing. Other things families can do include:
- encouraging healthy habits like regular exercise, balanced nutrition and good sleep habits
- offering emotional support
- facing challenges together
- modelling positive behaviours, respectful relationships and healthy coping strategies.
Support
The Raising Children Network has helpful and practical wellbeing guides and resources for children, teenagers, parents and carers.
Explore more pages for families on supporting children and young people who are being bullied.
