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STAGED SEVEN STEPS APPROACH
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Stage 1
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Step one – interview with the victim
When the teacher finds out that bullying has happened she starts by talking to the victim about his/her feelings. She/He does not question him/her about the incidents but she/he does need to know who was involved.
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Step two – convene a meeting with the people involved
The teacher arranges to meet with the group of pupils who have been involved. This will include some bystanders or colluders who joined in but did not initiate the bullying. We find that a group of six to eight young people works well.
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Step three – explain the problem
She/He tells them about the way the victim is feeling and might use a poem, piece of writing or a drawing to emphasise his distress. At no time does she/he discuss details of the incidents or allocate blame to the group.
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Step four – share responsibility
The teacher does not attribute blame but states that she/he knows that the group are responsible and can do something about it.
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Step five – ask the group for their ideas
Each member of the group is encouraged to suggest a way in which the victim could be helped to feel happier. The teacher gives some positive responses but she/he does not go on to extract a promise of improved behaviour.
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Step six – leave it up to them
The teacher ends the meeting by passing over the responsibility to the group to solve the problem. She/He arranges to meet with them again to see how things are going.
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Step seven – meet them again
About a week later the teacher discusses with each student, including the victim, how things have been going. This allows the teacher to monitor the bullying and keeps the young people involved in the process.
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Stage 2
Contact Parent(s)/Carer(s)
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Stage 3
Contact outside agencies e.g. Behaviour Support Team, Educational Psychologist, Police.
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Stage 4
Pastoral Support Programme – possible fixed term exclusion.
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