Bullying guidance for teachers, carers and coaches

The first six steps

• Make the conversation private and check for danger, injury, threats, sexual harm or self-harm.
• Listen without repeatedly questioning the young person.
• Explain who may need the information and why.
• Record the date, context, observations and exact words.
• Escalate through the organisation's bullying and child-safety procedures.
• Name immediate protections, the safe adult and the next update or review date.

Safeguarding is not the same as investigating bullying

Bullying may overlap with abuse, neglect, family violence, sexual harm, stalking or criminal conduct. Follow mandatory-reporting and child-safety duties for your role and location. A concern that does not meet a child-protection threshold still requires a documented safety and wellbeing response.

Avoid unsafe shortcuts

• Do not force an immediate face-to-face meeting or apology.
• Do not ask the young person to retell the account to multiple adults unnecessarily.
• Do not contact another family outside authorised procedures.
• Do not promise a disciplinary outcome you do not control.
• Do not close the matter without checking retaliation and whether safety improved.

Close the loop

Tell the young person what will happen next, when they will receive an update and who they can approach privately. Record the protective plan and review it with the young person, not only around them.