Investigating school bullying
After receiving and responding to a bullying report from parents, carers or students, the next step is to work through the investigation and planning cycle to address the behaviour. While this is ongoing, it is important to ensure the safety of all students involved.
Any behaviour that may be harmful to students needs to be addressed.
Schools don’t need to categorically decide whether behaviour is bullying before doing something to address the issue. Acting quickly can prevent behaviour escalation and disrupt the bullying pathway for all students involved.1
Keeping the student safe
While you investigate what has been happening, work with the student or students to create a plan to help them stay safe while the situation is being dealt with. Ensure they know what to do if they feel unsafe or upset. The situation should be carefully monitored until the issues have been resolved. As part of this, all relevant class teachers and supervising staff should be made aware of the situation.
Investigation and planning cycle
Reports of bullying must be investigated as a priority. When investigating, cycle through the following steps:
- Privately speak with all students involved, including bystanders.
- Observe peer interactions and look for patterns. This could be observing playground behaviour, either by walking around, or screened from students (for example, watching from inside or from an unobserved position). Body language and physical behaviour can give an indication of aggression, hostility or exclusion, or of students feeling upset or unsafe. Keep an eye on peer interactions in the classroom, observing body language and verbal interactions.
- Collect any relevant examples of online behaviour, if applicable, as per your school’s procedure.
- Be aware of your legal responsibilities regarding evidence and reporting if the incident might be considered a crime.
- Be aware of your school policy or procedure to guide you through the investigation and planning cycle.
- Ensure you have information that answers who, what, where, when, how and why.
- Keep records as per your school’s procedure.
Use the information you’ve gathered to determine what is happening.
- Develop a strategy to address the situation in line with your school’s bullying policy and procedures, making sure that the student who reported the bullying feels safe and supported.
- Discuss a plan of action with the students involved.
- If appropriate, involve the parents and carers in developing the plan of action.
- Let the students involved know that their parents/carers may be informed, as per your school’s reporting procedure.
- Provide as much information as you can without violating the privacy of other students or parents and carers.
- Let everyone know when you will follow up with them after implementing the plan.
- Explain that you will look at immediate and short-term responses as well as long-term preventative measures or efforts to promote a positive school climate.
- Implement the plan and evaluate its effectiveness by working through the investigation and planning cycle again. Adjust the plan as needed.
- Regularly check in with the student and other involved parties.
- Set dates for follow-up reviews with the student and other involved parties to assess if the plan is working and to ensure the school’s efforts have not caused new problems or shifted the problem elsewhere.
- Report and document all behaviours of concern, all actions taken and progress through the plan.
While the investigation is ongoing, it is important to ensure the safety of all students involved
What should a plan include?
A plan to address bullying behaviour should:
- adhere to your school’s bullying policies and procedures
- involve all relevant parties
- address any inappropriate behaviour
- support the student who has been bullied
- focus on behavioural change for those doing the bullying, seeking to improve relationships and providing opportunities to build empathy
- include follow-up and monitoring – it is essential to be alert to ongoing bullying, particularly the possibility that the bullying could ‘reappear’ in another form at some point
Remember to be holistic and promote a positive school culture
Bullying is not just about the individuals involved but happens in a particular social context; to address the behaviour successfully, the context must be addressed, too, by prioritising respect, kindness and inclusivity throughout the school community.
Communicating with families
Tell students' families that the school is taking action to ensure students are safe and the school is addressing the situation as a matter of priority. Make sure there is transparency, collaboration and accountability throughout the investigation and planning cycle, by communicating regularly with parents and carers to:
- keep them informed of the school’s efforts
- monitor any ongoing concerns
- plan how to address any ongoing problems
- seek parental help in further addressing the issue.
It’s also important that families understand that specific information about other students cannot be shared with them due to privacy requirements.
Self-care
Don’t neglect self-care when supporting others. Bullying impacts everyone involved and it’s important to ensure that you seek support too. Look to your school’s leadership team for help. Ensure you take time out to reconnect with activities and people that help you relax and feel good. Seek support as needed. This might be from a trusted friend, family member, a counsellor, GP, psychologist or a support service such as Beyond Blue.
- Rettew, D.C., & Pawlowski, S. (2022). Bullying: an update. Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Clinics, 31(1), 1–9. doi.org/10.1016/j.chc.2021.09.001