Anti-Bullying Week - Avoiding bullying at school

Anti-Bullying Week

We start this year's Anti-Bullying Week with the theme of 'Stay Safe in Cyberspace', and being 'Bully Proof' with BBC Radio 1- a message and an aim to which we would all aspire. There will be assemblies, workshops, PSE lessons, trips out, as everyone in schools up and down the country will be celebrating anti-bullying week.

Except, that is, for the small but significant group of children who probably do not even know it is Anti-Bullying Week.This group of children, amounting to around 6,000 (at a conservative estimate), are refusing to attend school because of the very behaviour we are all fighting to eradicate at the chalk face, in the classrooms, on the internet, on mobile phones and in the corridors and playgrounds of our schools.

The children for whom Red Balloon Learner Centres provide have been so badly bullied - verbally, physically and through cyberspace - that they have voted with their feet and are staying at home, unable to access an appropriate education.

Nationally it is estimated that about 1 in 1000 children drop out of school for this reason.For some children the pain was unendurable and they have killed themselves. Half of the students referred to Red Balloon have seriously considered or attempted suicide. With a recovery rate of 95%, Red Balloon Learner Centres have a well-tried programme which helps children recover, and are best placed to ensure that young people referred to them have the professional support they need to get back on track.

While Anti-Bullying Week is concentrating on cyberbullying it is perhaps in danger of forgetting those who are driven to the brink of despair and for whom there is no support, education, socialisation or recovery programme.

Red Balloon Chief Executive Dr Carrie Herbert says: "Now, more than ever, we need action for these children and young people.Government and Local Authorities must recognise that there are significant numbers of young people who cannot go to school even though they want to learn. These children are in danger of being on the scrapheap of society, as without an education or a means whereby they can recover their self-esteem from the effects of bullying they face a bleak future or no future at all.

These are our future nurses, teachers, parents, economists, writers, actors, carers and bus drivers. Red Balloons help them take their rightful place in society and fulfill their potential.

-- Posted by Red Balloon - on 16th November 2009 --