Student Tech

If you think your child is being bullied or harassed it is important to follow the appropriate steps which include:-

• listen calmly to your child
• let the child tell their story
• let your child know that reporting the bullying and harassment was the right thing to do
• find the facts (what happened, when and where, who was involved and who may have witnessed it)
• communicate this information with the school and Police if necessary

• we all have the right to be treated with respect at all times
• we all have the right to feel safe and happy at school
• bullying and harassment interferes with teaching and learning
• bullying and harassment is wrong and against the law. It should not be tolerated in any form or at any time

Bullying & harassment occurs when someone (or some people) target you to make you feel bad, uncomfortable, scared, embarrassed or unsafe.  It can be physical, verbal, sexual, racial, cyber or emotional and can occur between any school members (students, staff, community members).

There are a lot of choices about how best to respond.  They include:-

• tell them they are harassing you, that it needs to stop and if it does, nothing further needs to happen
• seek help/advice from other students you are comfortable with
• if you witness harassment you can step in and help the person being harassed and/or tell the harassers to stop it or go for help
• report it to any member of the school staff (Student Counsellor, home group teacher, SSO) or a family member

The National Safe Schools Framework is based on the following 11 principles.

The vision is that all Australian schools are safe and supportive environments.

The guiding principles for the provision of a safe and supportive environment are as follows.

1. Affirm the right of all school community members to feel safe at school.
2. Promote care, respect and co-operation, and value diversity.
3. Implement policies, programmes and processes to nurture a safe and supportive school environment.
4. Recognise that quality leadership is an essential element that underpins the creation of a safe and supportive school environment.
5. Develop and implement policies and programmes through processes that engage the whole school community.
6. Ensure that roles and responsibilities of all members of the school community in promoting a safe and supportive environment are explicit, clearly understood and disseminated.
7. Recognise the critical importance of
   pre-service and ongoing professional development in creating a safe and supportive school environment.
8. Have a responsibility to provide opportunities for students to learn through the formal curriculum the knowledge, skills and dispositions needed for positive relationships.
9. Focus on policies that are proactive and oriented towards prevention and intervention.
10. Regularly monitor and evaluate their policies and programmes so that evidence-based practice supports decisions and improvements.
11. Take action to protect children from all forms of abuse and neglect.

• They will listen and the Harassment will be recorded and taken seriously.
• You will be given ideas about the steps you can take to help yourself.
• The person responsible for the harassment will be spoken to and reminded about our Bullying & Harassment policy. The incident will be recorded in the HARASSMENT REGISTER (see Harassment Records section) and if required dealt with via the Behaviour Management Policy.
• Any victimisation against the person lodging the complaint would result in further disciplinary action.

• Reducing bullying, harassment and violence.
• Supporting student well-being.
• Valuing diversity.
• Recognising that social attitudes and values impact upon student behaviour, teaching and learning.
• Maintaining a safe and supportive environment.