With only a few weeks remaining of Term 1, thousands of Queensland school children cannot wait for the term to end. They are the children who face daily bullying at school, on public transport or online, and at least one in five will not tell their parents what is going on.

Triple P International’s Head of Training, Dr Alan Ralph, said that as we mark the National Day of Action against Bullying and Violence today, we must encourage all parents to push past a child’s “I’m okay” response and stand together with your child building their resilience.

 “Bullying should never be ignored, and no child should be left to handle the situation on their own,” Dr Ralph said.

“Calmly listen to your child, encouraging them to describe exactly what has happened.

“Ask your child’s opinion on how to deal with the problem and think of options together. This enables your child to choose the options that seem reasonable and likely to work.

“Act out the solution with your child before they try it out, and check in with them to see if the chosen solution is successful.

“Often the best strategy for parents involves teaching your child to cope, which builds their resilience. They can then make changes in the situation where the bullying occurs,” Dr Ralph said.

Some bullying can stop as soon as the school and other parents become aware of the problem.

“Once a school becomes aware of bullying, the child’s behaviour can be watched more closely and they are helped to find other ways to solve problems,” Dr Ralph said.

“It is also important for parents to be mindful of their own behaviour, and how they personally treat and speak about others.

“It is not helpful to teach or tell your child to fight back, as this can often lead to more bullying,” Dr Ralph said.

Triple P parenting support is free for families in Queensland through a State Government initiative.

“Parents who complete a Triple P program learn practical skills for building their child’s resilience and emotional wellbeing,” Dr Ralph said.

To register for free Raising Resilient Children online seminars with a focus on cyberbullying, visit www.triplep-parenting.net/cyberbullying

MEDIA CONTACT: Bernadette Smon, Triple P PR Manager, 0478 495 457