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07/11/2024
Alliance Calls For More To Be Done On School Bullying
The Alliance Party has called for more to be done to support schools and young people in dealing with bullying incidents.
Making the call ahead of Anti-Bullying Week, Lagan Valley MLA and Alliance Education Spokesperson, Michelle Guy, said: "Bullying can be an incredibly devastating experience to go through. It shatters self-confidence, stifles potential and causes serious, long-term effects on a young person's mental, physical and emotional wellbeing.
"While we have the Addressing Bullying in Schools Act (NI) 2016, which was a hugely welcome piece of legislation, we need to build on this.
"A recent report by the European Commission against Racism and Intolerance said that over two-fifths of ethnic minority students in Northern Ireland have reportedly been the victims of racist bullying and harassment. While the 2017 NI Young Life & Times survey highlighted that 42% of respondents said they had been bullied in school.
"The majority of schools approach bullying incidents with care and understanding, but we must ensure they receive the necessary support, starting with a clear understanding of trends.
"Anti-bullying week gives us an opportunity to talk about what more we can do as policymakers, and I believe the Department of Education needs to create a database of incidents and publish yearly reports.
"The 2016 Act requires schools to record incidents, but currently, there is no way to consolidate this data and publish it in a way that reveals trends that could inform policy and better target interventions. I understand the importance of privacy and the need to avoid identifying individuals, but I believe there are still ways to address these concerns and make this data available."
Making the call ahead of Anti-Bullying Week, Lagan Valley MLA and Alliance Education Spokesperson, Michelle Guy, said: "Bullying can be an incredibly devastating experience to go through. It shatters self-confidence, stifles potential and causes serious, long-term effects on a young person's mental, physical and emotional wellbeing.
"While we have the Addressing Bullying in Schools Act (NI) 2016, which was a hugely welcome piece of legislation, we need to build on this.
"The majority of schools approach bullying incidents with care and understanding, but we must ensure they receive the necessary support, starting with a clear understanding of trends.
"Anti-bullying week gives us an opportunity to talk about what more we can do as policymakers, and I believe the Department of Education needs to create a database of incidents and publish yearly reports.
"The 2016 Act requires schools to record incidents, but currently, there is no way to consolidate this data and publish it in a way that reveals trends that could inform policy and better target interventions. I understand the importance of privacy and the need to avoid identifying individuals, but I believe there are still ways to address these concerns and make this data available."
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Northern Ireland WeatherToday:It will be mainly dry and bright day with some sunshine, perhaps an isolated shower around the coast. Chilly with a frost at first and the odd fog patch. Cloud thickening in the west by dusk. Maximum temperature 7 °C.Tonight:Outbreaks of rain during this evening. Becoming mainly dry with clearing skies overnight with a frost possible along with icy patches. Minimum temperature 0 °C.
