Safety and Respect

What is it

Feeling safe is central to your health and wellbeing. How safe you feel can influence your social habits and feelings of freedom. When we feel safe, we are able to relax more easily, recover from stress and focus on the work or study we need to do.

You are entitled to feel safe, but sometimes things happen that may make you feel worried or scared. If anyone says or does something that makes you or someone else feel uncomfortable, tell a trusted adult immediately. You should also tell an adult if someone makes you feel uncomfortable by their online behaviour; by posting inappropriate images, asking you to send images or by their online language. Please read this brochure along with the Child Safety Brochure to help keep everyone safe.

What is bullying

Bullying occurs when one or more people intentionally try to physically or emotionally hurt, control or upset another person. The behaviour usually happens more than once, but sometimes even one very serious act can be bullying, especially if it causes serious harm or if one person has more power than the other.

Typical examples of bullying behaviours include:

• physical harassment of any kind towards another

• verbal or visual harassment of someone through taunts, spreading of rumours, intimidatory looks, name‑calling, threats or humiliation

• tampering with the property or belongings of another person

• threatening another to get money or possessions from them

• exclusion – behaviour that leads to a feeling of being isolated from social groups.

These behaviours could be displayed in person, in writing or in an online environment.

What you can do

1 Report the behaviour as soon as possible to a staff member at school or a trusted adult. This is not dobbing; it is a way to solve a situation. Everyone should feel safe at school and online.

2 Remove yourself from the situation. Walk away, log off or block the person. If you feel bullied or victimised, it is important that you, or your friends, do not respond or retaliate in a negative way. People who bully want reactions from others.

3 Keep a record of the details of what happened, including people who witnessed the situation or screenshots of any online bullying behaviours. They might be able to help resolve the matter.