1You feel relieved to know that the situation has been resolved and you let your child know that it is over.
By approaching the school and inquiring about the situation you have conveyed to your child that you take bullying seriously and are willing to advocate to ensure it stops.
Your child seems very distressed and concerned that someone is in trouble. Affirming the empathy they are expressing and validating their feelings may help them feel heard and supported.
This situation presents an opportunity to engage your child in a problem solving process that may allow them to provide support to the child being bullied.
2Realizing how vulnerable your child felt in that situation, you work with them on various strategies for supporting the student being bullied.
Problem solving that facilitates the empowerment of young people is a powerful tool for preventing bullying and intervening when it occurs. By doing this we demonstrate our belief in our children’s capacity to come up with solutions and make positive changes in their lives and in the lives of others.
Recognizing and acknowledging that our children are affected by bullying situations that they witness role models empathy and compassion. Your child will be encouraged to speak to you about difficult situations they face in the future.
Your child’s school has not demonstrated that it supports young people who witness bullying. Working in partnership with the school to increase their capacity to do so would improve their bullying prevention plan.
3Realizing how vulnerable your child felt in that situation, you work with them on various strategies for supporting the student being bullied. You decide to speak to the principal about what to do to make sure that next time, any student who witnesses bullying receives support.
Problem solving that facilitates the empowerment of young people is a powerful tool for preventing bullying and intervening when it occurs. By doing this we demonstrate our belief in our children’s capacity to come up with solutions and make positive changes in their lives and in the lives of others.
Recognizing and acknowledging that our children are affected by bullying situations that they witness role models empathy and compassion. Your child will be encouraged to speak to you about difficult situations they face in the future.
Your child’s school has not demonstrated that it supports young people who witness bullying. Working in partnership with the school to increase their capacity may help them improve their bullying prevention plan.
✓Explanation of the recommended response.
Key Concept: To support and equip witnesses who wish to become allies; act both on an individual level and at the level of the whole school.
Recommended Response and Explanation: The second and third responses are those that are recommended. Both include important elements of an effective response in a bullying situation. The second response is a crucial first step. It is essential that we take the concerns of witnesses seriously and give them the support that they need. The third answer adds a crucial step to prevent bullying in the long term. Supporting the school in making changes to their approach to bullying prevention can result in other witnesses getting the support they need.
Note: For more information about working with the school on preventing and responding to bullying please see
Module 8.
Go to the About This Course page to learn what each of the faces represents. Please read the scenario below and click on the response that seems most appropriate. Note that there is no perfect answer provided, and each response offers feedback and a learning opportunity.
Please see COPA’s recommended response.