Understanding Bullying and Managing Its Impact
As a parent or caregiver, it’s concerning to hear that your child or young person is either being bullied or is bullying others. About 47% of Canadian parents have reported that their child or youth has been the victim of bullying. In an average Ontario classroom of 35 students, we can expect that 4 to 6 of them are either being bullied or are bullying others. The effects of bullying on children and young people can be serious and long-lasting, including low self-esteem, anxiety, depression, self-harm, academic issues, and physical health problems. In this resource, we’ll help you understand what bullying is, why it happens, how it affects all children and young people, and what you can do to support your child and address the issue.
Part 1: What is bullying and why does it happen?
Bullying can happen at all ages and is when someone who has more power uses that power to physically, socially, or emotionally harm another person because they’re perceived as different in some way. This section introduces bullying and why it happens.
Part 2: What are the effects of bullying?
Bullying is rarely a one-time event. In most cases, bullying involves repeated incidents over time that can have lasting impacts on the person being bullied as well as the person engaging in bullying behaviour. This page discusses some of the serious, long-term effects of bullying and some signs to watch for.
Part 3: What should I do if my child is being bullied?
If you notice changes in your child or youth and it becomes clear that they are being bullied, it’s important that they hear some key messages from you. This section offers some concrete tips and next steps to support your child or youth.
Part 4: What should I do if my child is bullying someone?
If you suspect that the child or young person in your life is engaging in bullying behaviour, it can be concerning, uncomfortable, and disappointing. This section discusses some strategies you can use to address the bullying behaviour.
Part 5: Additional Resources
On this page, you will find additional resources to learn more about bullying.
You Don’t Have to Do This Alone.
If you are a parent/caregiver worried about your child, or a young person looking for help yourself – please reach out. Our network of child and youth mental health centres has 4,000 professionals ready to help children, youth and families with free counselling and treatment. We provide care in person, on the phone and virtually. No problem is too big or small.
Find your closest child and youth mental health centre.