This article was downloaded by: [University of Arizona] On: 11 June 2011 Access details: Access Details: [subscription number 933127480] Publisher Routledge Informa Ltd Registered in England and Wales Registered Number: 1072954 Registered office: Mortimer House, 37- 41 Mortimer Street, London W1T 3JH, UK Educational Psychology in Practice Publication details, including instructions for authors and subscription information: http://www.informaworld.com/smpp/title~content=t713417121 The Support Group Approach to Bullying in Schools Sue Young To cite this Article Young, Sue(1998) 'The Support Group Approach to Bullying in Schools', Educational Psychology in Practice, 14: 1, 32 — 39 To link to this Article: DOI: 10.1080/0266736980140106 URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/0266736980140106 PLEASE SCROLL DOWN FOR ARTICLE Full terms and conditions of use: http://www.informaworld.com/terms-and-conditions-of-access.pdf This article may be used for research, teaching and private study purposes. Any substantial or systematic reproduction, re-distribution, re-selling, loan or sub-licensing, systematic supply or distribution in any form to anyone is expressly forbidden. The publisher does not give any warranty express or implied or make any representation that the contents will be complete or accurate or up to date. The accuracy of any instructions, formulae and drug doses should be independently verified with primary sources. The publisher shall not be liable for any loss, actions, claims, proceedings, demand or costs or damages whatsoever or howsoever caused arising directly or indirectly in connection with or arising out of the use of this material. The Support Group Approach to Bullying in Schools Sue Young Summary review because it is similar to the Method of Shared The Kingston upon Hull Special Educational Needs Concern (Pikas, 1989) and because the training Support Service (SENSS) Anti-Bullying Project has materials are easily accessible to schools. The gen- developed the support group approach to bullying, eral conclusion was that this type of approach may building particularly on the work of Maines and be worth trying. Robinson (1991, 1992). This article reports on the Since the publication of the DfE pack, the No outcome of this type of intervention. It provides Blame Approach has been reviewed in more detail independent corroborative evidence of Maines and (Smith and Sharp, 1994). The results look promis- Robinson's findings and outlines the theoretical ing to say the least: 45 out of 47 interventions in framework that leads to an understanding of why secondary and 7 out of 7 interventions in primary this approach is so successful. schools having been successful. However, it was con- cluded that independent replication and further ra- tionale on how or why the approach is effective Introduction would be valuable. The anti-bullying pack Bullying — don't suffer in si- lence (DfE,1994), gave guidance to schools based on research and practice developed by the Department Background for Education (DfE) anti-bullying project in Sheffield. The Special Educational Needs Support Service in It promoted the message that bullying is to be found Kingston upon Hull has an established anti-bullying in all schools and that the.issue of bullying should project. One aspect of the work is to advise and be addressed by developing whole school policies. support schools over individual referrals for bullying One section, 'Working with pupils in bullying situa- situations. In the majority of cases there has been a tions', reviewed the effectiveness across a range of long-standing problem. Concern has been expressed, Downloaded By: [University of Arizona] At: 19:11 11 June 2011 schools of different intervention strategies, including and ultimately complaints have been made, to the the No Blame Approach. school, followed in some cases by the parent The No Blame Approach to bullying, developed contacting the local education authority. With the by Barbara Maines and George Robinson, was first head's approval, the referral may be passed to SENSS. outlined in Educational Psychology in Practice By the very nature of the referral process, the (1991) and published as a distance learning pack in complaints tend to be serious - indeed the police may 1992. The approach addresses bullying by forming have been involved, there may have been a medical a support group of 'bullies' and/or bystanders. With- referral, the problem may have been going on for years out apportioning blame, it uses a problem-solving and the child may be absent from school. approach, giving responsibility to the group to solve Over a period of 2 years the service dealt with over the problem and to report back at a subsequent re- 80 referrals that required active involvement beyond view meeting. The authors are confident on the train- advice over the phone. In some referrals the support ing video that this method is tried and tested and it group approach was not appropriate for a variety of works. reasons: for example, a pupil not returning to the The No Blame Approach had not been included same school, being on study leave, or actively not in the Sheffield Project but was mentioned in the wishing any intervention to take place. 32 Educational Psychology in Practice Vol 14, No 1, April 1998 Inevitably, each referral has its own individual 9. A disproportionate number of children referred characteristics. Although no referral is typical, some have special educational needs, such as learning features, while not occurring in every case, occur difficulties or speech problems (Whitney et al, frequently enough to be called typical. 1994). 10. Frequently parents report bed wetting as a problem at home, also nightmares, mood swings, The parents' perspective temper tantrums, uncharacteristic disobedience The parent(s) of the bullied child are often the first and aggression, withdrawn behaviour and people with whom the problem is discussed: complaints of illness before school such as tummy upsets and headaches. 1. They are very often worried, upset and frustrated because they feel powerless to defend their child, The parents may have wanted severe punishment frightened to intervene directly because this of the bully in the first instance but this is because might make things worse, or indeed having they know of no other approach that could be intervened, they have made things worse. They successful. Incidentally the term 'No Blame' is not often become distressed when talking about their used, since parents may take this to imply that the child being bullied and about their frustration bullying is condoned, which is not the case. The with not being able to act effectively. support group approach is outlined to the parents and the reasons why this approach may be 2. They often say that no-one at the school will appropriate in their case. listen to them, that they are not taken seriously, that they are told they are over-reacting or are Often the child may want to change schools, over-protective. although we indicate that it is possible that they 3. They are often considering changing schools, may find themselves being bullied again. A change perhaps not for the first time.The parents may of school, moreover, would not stop the bullying be asking for advice on transfer and can be quite round the home, whereas in our experience support adamant that their child is not returning to their groups operate outside school as well as in. We can present school. assure parents that this type of approach has a high 4. Occasionally they say the school has done all it success rate, and with immediate effectiveness, can, but the bullying continues and the bully although a change of school can still be an option ought to be expelled, since they cannot think of if necessary. any alternative solution. 5. Parents often report that non-physical bullying Teachers' perspective has preceded physical bullying. The fact that bullying seems to be taken less seriously if it is Although parents may have said that 'nothing has not physical, notwithstanding that verbal been done', this is rarely the case. Teachers have bullying can be extremely hurtful, may be one usually taken various steps along the line of punish- reason that more referrals involve boys, since ment, but very often have found difficulty in getting we know that boys are more likely to bully in to the bottom of incidents. School staff, however, Downloaded By: [University of Arizona] At: 19:11 11 June 2011 a physical way (Smith and Sharp, 1994, p 16). may not have told the parent what has been done, 6. Sometimes bullying has started to happen and if the bullying continues the parent assumes that outside school. nothing was done. Once teachers have tried various 7. Parents can also be quite defensive about their strategies such as counselling, punishment and, per- complaint. They think that they may be judged haps, contacting the parents of the 'bullies', and if the to be wanting in the way they have brought up bullying does not stop, there appears to be a shift in their child. They may be concerned that they sympathy away from the victim. Some victims and cannot afford to buy fashionable, expensive their families are seen as problems themselves in the clothes and shoes. school: 8. By way of corroboration, they often say that the 1. The victim or their siblings may be disruptive. school has lots of bullying and that various people 2. Their parents may indeed be overprotective or were concerned about it - it wasn't just their child even aggressive. being picked on. The fact that brothers or sisters 3. Signs of distress and anxiety may not be apparent do not have difficulties, or that other children in in the school and the child's expressed fears are the school do, is also cited in their defence.