Tackling bullying made top priority by council

The county council has several initiatives in place and some new schemes in the pipeline to try to make it easier for children and parents to get to the bottom of bullying.

To help tackle the more serious cases the council are taking on case workers who will be assigned to individual cases on a referral basis from schools in the county. This will be in place from October.

Community safety manager for community and young people at the county council, Paul Rigglesford, said: "Bullying in West Sussex is no better or worse than anywhere else. It is an issue we take very seriously.

"Dealing with bullying has been made a priority target."

The council is also set to launch a new helpline next month for parents who need advice on bullying.

This is in tandem with the national anti-bullying week which takes place in November and a new anti- bullying policy which the council has not had before.

Mr Rigglesford added: "If we ask young people what they are concerned about it is high up on their list, if not the top.

"The first bit of advice for a child is to talk to somebody, whether it be your parents or teacher, find somebody you are comfortable talking to.

"Clearly, parents need to speak to the schools and express their concerns. If they do not feel they are getting their problems resolved it is a case of taking it higher, to the headteacher, or indeed beyond that '“ it is about taking it as far as you need to.

"I think we have moved on from the times when bullying was seen as character building and part of growing up."

What do you think? Click here to send a letter or leave a comment below.

Click here to go back to Chichester news

Click here to go back to Bognor Regis news

Click here to go back to Midhurst and Petworth news

To tell us where in the world you are reading this story click on the link below to add yourself to our readers' map.

MAP