Building Resilience in Kids
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READ MEMy child is being bullied
A guide for parents to help your child or teen stop the bullying.
My child is being bullied… how do I get support?
Fast, free and professional bullying support Parentline provides:
- Hear from other parents who have been through bullying. Find out what worked for them in My Circle for Parents (online, confidential peer support).
- Speak to a counsellor for free. Bullying is complex. It’s often hard to stop because you need a personalised response plan based on exactly what’s happening, the social dynamic, and your child’s strengths, etc. Parentline counsellors can support you to make a plan.
Signs that a child is being bullied
You might start to notice some changes in your child if they're being bullied. Each child responds differently to bullying. However here are some signs you can look out for as a parent:
Friendship breakups
‘Losing’ things at school
Withdrawing from others
Loss or increase in appetite
Cuts, bruises and/or marks on their skin
Ripped or stained school clothes
Avoiding school or social situations
Feeling stressed, anxious, depressed
Trouble sleeping, headaches and/or stomach aches
Lost interest in school work or grades suddenly drop
Why is my child being bullied?
No one deserves to be bullied or treated disrespectfully.
Here are some things to know about bullying behaviour:
- Bullying is a deliberate intention to harm somebody else
- Bullying creates a power imbalance between the ’bully’ or 'bullies' and the ‘bullied’
- Bullying happens through repeated acts and is not usually a single event
- People who bully may not have obvious ‘behavioural’ issues and they may have good social skills
- Typically boys engage in more physical types of bullying
- Typically girls engage in more verbal, emotional or social types of bullying
Talking about bullying with your child
If you’re worried that your child is being bullied you might want to try and fix the situation as soon as possible.
It’s a good idea to slow things down and try to understand their point of view by listening and letting them know you care before moving onto solutions.
Here are some tips to help:
- Talk regularly about school, their friendships and anything that might be troubling them
- Ask them directly if they're being bullied and let them know you want to work together to help stop it
- Discuss your own experiences of being bullied and how you got through it
- Talk about the importance of not bullying back as this can make the situation worse
- Build them up by focusing on their strengths and what makes them a good person
- Encourage them to call Kids Helpline and talk to a counsellor about their worries and to get ideas on what might help them cope
My child is being bullied – what can I do?
Your first instinct as a parent might be to step in and take action on your child’s behalf. But your child might disagree about what action to take or they might not want you to do anything at all.
Each child is different and so what works for one child might not work for another. Addressing bullying is an ongoing conversation between you and your child and an opportunity to deepen your relationship through connection and support.
Here are some suggestions you can offer your child if they are being bullied. It can help to try all of the strategies at once.
- Talk to an adult they trust eg. teacher, Principal, school counsellor
- Try and make friends with positive and supportive peers
- Get support from friends, family members or a counsellor
- Get involved in hobbies or sports so they can meet different peer groups
- Tell the person/people doing the bullying that what they are doing is not ok (if safe to do so) eg. "I don’t like that and I want you to stop"
- Try to diffuse the situation like making a joke
- Keep their distance from the people doing the bullying
- Don’t bully the person back as that can make things worse
The bullying keeps happening... what do I do next?
If you are still concerned that your child is being bullied it may be time to take further action.
Some options to consider might be:
- Keep a record of the incidents
- Report it to the school
- Join our online bullying support group
- Contact Parentline for targeted support
- Call Parentline for referral to the Department of Education QLD Parent Navigator
- Seek legal advice
- Contact the Police
- Report cyberbullying
My child is being bullied at school and the school won’t do anything…
It’s great you’ve told the school! If you’re not happy with their response, here are your next steps:
For state schools (QLD)
Call Parentline on 1300 30 1300 as ask to speak to the Parent Navigator.
They will work with you and the school to stop the bullying.
For private schools (QLD) and all NT schools
Ask to see their anti-bullying policy. All schools should have one, and it should detail exactly what the school will do, in what timeframe, to stop the bullying, and how to escalate/make a complaint if you’re unhappy with their response.
Bullying: hear from the experts!
In this webinar specially designed for parents, carers and teachers, our very own Kim Harper (Parentline Program Manager), and Hannah (Kids Helpline) share their expertise on how to support a child or young person who is being bullied.
Kids Helpline provides free counselling and support for children and young people for any reason (including bullying).
Help! We’ve tried everything and the bullying won’t stop!
Bullying happens to many kids at some point in their life. Knowing the best way to support your child isn’t always easy though!
Bullying can be a complex problem and there is sometimes no simple solution. Having a support system of your own can help you better support your child.
If you’ve tried lots of options and the bullying just keeps happening, you're overwhelmed or don't know what to do, our expert counsellors can help. Give us a call on 1300 30 1300 (QLD & NT).
Or you can call Parentline in your local state or territory and they can advise you on what the next steps might be.
This content was last reviewed 24/09/2025
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