This is a chance to reflect on what young people truly need to hear – not just about what bullying behaviour is, but how to respond to it, how to prevent it, and how to create environments where it is far less likely to happen in the first place. It also asks us to look honestly at the role adults play in setting expectations, modelling behaviour, and responding when concerns are raised.
The points below highlight the most important messages that can help shape safer, more supportive spaces for children and young people this year.
1. Bullying behaviour is a group behaviour, not just an individual problem.
Most bullying behaviour persists because bystanders stay silent or laugh along. The message for young people is simple: you don’t have to ‘confront’ it, but you do have a role – report it and support the person being picked on afterwards.
2. Online behaviour is real behaviour
What happens in group chats, gaming, and social media is not separate from school life. Screens don’t reduce responsibility. Young people need clarity that screenshots, forwarding content, exclusion from groups, and anonymous accounts all count as real harm.
3. Schools should be safe systems, not just safe spaces
It’s not enough to say, ‘we take bullying behaviour seriously.’ Students need to see consistent follow-through: fair investigations, clear consequences, and visible support for those affected. Trust is built through actions, not policies.
4. Silence protects the problem, not the person
Whether it’s peers, parents, or staff, not speaking up often allows harm to continue. The framing that works best is reporting is not ‘snitching’, it’s protecting someone’s wellbeing. Break The Silence.
5. Support for those impacted must be immediate and ongoing The message for families and schools: don’t stop at ‘it’s been dealt with’. Children and young people who’ve experienced bullying behaviour often need longer-term support to rebuild confidence, friendships, and a sense of safety.
6. Early action is the most effective intervention Bullying behaviour rarely disappears on its own. The earlier it is reported and addressed, the easier it is to stop patterns forming. Families and schools should push the message: ‘don’t wait until it gets worse before speaking up’. Break The Silence.
7. Young people need skills, not just warnings Telling children and young people ‘don’t bully’ isn’t enough. They need help with emotional regulation, conflict resolution, empathy, and how to step away from group pressure. A lot of harmful behaviour comes from poor social skills, not malice.
8. “It was a joke” Intent matters less than impact. A lot of bullying behaviour is normalised as banter, especially online or in friendship groups. Schools need to consistently reinforce that repeated harm – online, emotional, social, or physical – is still bullying behaviour, regardless of justification.
Anti-Bullying Week is not just a date in the calendar – it’s a reminder of the ongoing responsibility we all share to create safer, kinder environments for children and young people. The most effective change doesn’t come from a single campaign, but from consistent actions, conversations, and expectations carried through the rest of the year.
If we take these messages seriously in schools, families, and peer groups, we can move from simply responding to bullying behaviour to actively preventing it. That shift takes commitment, honesty, and a willingness to challenge behaviour early, rather than waiting for it to escalate. It also requires consistency – ensuring that the standards we set are followed through in practice, not just stated in policy.
It’s equally important that young people feel heard and supported when they speak up. Creating that trust means listening without judgement, taking concerns seriously, and making sure action is visible and meaningful. When children and young people see that reporting leads to real change, they are far more likely to speak up in the future.
Ultimately, every young person deserves to feel safe, included, and respected. Keeping that goal at the centre of what we do is what will make the biggest difference – not just during Anti-Bullying Week, but in every week that follows.
Break The Silence.
