National Anti-bullying week, the annual awareness raising campaign from the Anti-bullying Alliance, is taking place next week 14-18 November.

The week gives people an opportunity to spend some time looking at this issue in innovative ways to get the message out about how damaging bullying can be.

With the slogan ‘Stop and Think – words can hurt’ this year’s theme concentrates on tackling verbal bullying. This was an issue raised by young people who attended the Anti-bullying Alliance summit last year who were concerned about the use of racist, homophobic and anti-disability language which demean particular groups or individuals.

The Anti-bullying Alliance suggests schools and communities use the week to: 

• challenge the casual use of derogatory language in schools, colleges and communities
• raise awareness of the consequences of using demeaning and harassing language through technology
• create language charters that makes it clear what is and isn’t acceptable
• give children and young people the tools to challenge others when they use derogatory language, to find new ways of expressing how they feel if they are angry or upset, and to make a conscious effort to speak positively and to compliment others
• encourage adults to consider how they model the use of language with children and young people (this includes all practitioners working with children and young people but also celebrities and people in positions of power)

Warwickshire County Council supports the campaign and is encouraging schools to get pupils to look closely at the topic.

Warwickshire County Councillor Heather Timms, Portfolio Holder for Children, Young People and Families said: “Warwickshire schools and communities work together to beat bullying throughout the year but this week offers a chance to apply renewed vigour to stamping it out. We hope everyone will get on board and think about what they can do to make their friends and families safer.

“Our schools are already very involved in developing and delivering anti-bullying programmes and a close information sharing network has grown between schools, the local authority, and partners to ensure we can be effective in spreading anti-bullying messages.”

Warwickshire County Council’s Family Information Service (FIS) offers an anti-bullying service which gives information and advice to parents worried about bullying. They also publish a guidance leaflet available in hard copy or to download at www.warwickshire.gov.uk/bullying. Visit the website or call FIS on 0845 090 8044 for more information.

Schools can download resources to support lesson planning and run activities during anti-bullying week at www.anti-bullyingalliance.org.uk.