Bullying: A Parents Guide

Issue- bullying

Author- Jennifer Thomson

Age Range- 5-16+

Key words- bullying and information sharing

This a guide for parents/carers of young people of school age who are being bullied. It is also a useful book for parents/carers who just want to know more about bullying and what to do if it happens. It is written by an author and journalist who has experienced bullying herself and has written books for children and adults on various topics. She does not claim to have any qualifications in childcare.

The book has chapters covering; how to tell if a child is being bullied, how to go about talking to them about it and also how to try to prevent it happening to your child. It also covers negotiating with the school, other sources of support and some thoughts about bullying behaviour and why it occurs.

The language and format make it very easy to read and this book could be picked up in spare moments. It has handy bullet points and summaries and contains some really sensible and practical advice. Whilst the language suggests that there are "bullies" and "victims" rather than bullying behaviour and its effects, it does advocate a peaceful approach to tackling bullying behaviour rather than blaming and punishing "the bullies". Unfortunaltey it is written in a way that might suggest that negotiating with the school is likely to be difficult. Obviously all schools differ in their approach to bullying and some will be more helpful than others. The list of resources and other sources of support within the book seems excellent.