Children can be very cruel to each other at school. This can develop into bullying. Children get bullied and harassed for all sorts of reasons. A commonly reported reason is because you are, allegedly, overweight or too fat. Society has a prejudice against fat people. If children are overweight, then the bullying they receive can be physical, verbal, mental and emotional. Obesity can also cause untold mental anguish, for children. Sadly, it is a fact of life that obesity and bullying go hand in hand – for children at least and often for adults as well. Unfortunately, it is true that many people cannot see past what a person looks like and will judge them on their weight.
Sport can be a key time when overweight children suffer and because they may not naturally be good at sport providing an opportunity for being picked on.
The Government has made tackling bullying in schools a key priority and the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) has made clear that no form of bullying should be tolerated. It is compulsory for schools to have measures in place to encourage good behaviour and respect for others on the part of pupils, and to prevent all forms of bullying.
You may be unsure if your child is being bullied. If you suspect that he or she is then look out for signs of bullying. They may include the following:
bruises
broken or missing possessions
your child is withdrawn
changes in eating habits
sleeping badly
complaints of headaches or stomach aches
bedwetting
worrying about going to school
If you think your child is being bullied what should you do? Some children think it is their fault they are being bullied and do not want to talk about it. Try and discuss the problem with your child and encourage your child to talk to a teacher at school about it. Your child will have a form or class tutor they can talk to or may prefer to talk to a teacher they have a good relationship with. All schools should be in a position and have policies in place to deal with bullying. If your child does not want to talk to you or the school will not acknowledge the problem then you must make an appointment with the form/class tutor in the first instance to discuss your worries. It would be a good idea to take a partner or friend with you to take notes of what is said. The teacher should be able to take the matter further. Ask the teacher how you can support your child and the school. However, if the teacher refuses to acknowledge the bullying then you must contact the head of the school for an appointment. Ask the head for the school bullying policy and ask the head what measures they are going to take to help your child. During this time, if your child is willing, ask them to keep a diary of all the incidents that occur in and out of school. If the school is still unwilling to help or the bullying takes the form of violence or damage, then the police will need to be contacted. Ask to speak to the community police officer who is the liaising officer to the school.
Being bullied because of appearance does not mean that a person should try and lose weight for the benefit of others. However, being overweight or obese does mean that the person’s health is at risk and it is these reasons that a person should be encouraged to change their lifestyle and weight.
The following links are very informative in regard to bullying:
Child Line
Parent Line
BBC
NSPCC
Recent Comments