Bullying articles
What's the difference between bugging and bullying?
How can we help our children navigate social conflicts and understanding when normal disagreements cross the line into bullying? Matt Revill, primary headteacher, explains how schools and parents can work together to support children through these tricky moments.
Is pupil behaviour getting worse in UK primary schools?
Teachers in England say the behaviour of pupils in their classroom is getting worse. First News, the UK’s leading source of news for children, digs deeper to uncover this story in detail.
Child to parent abuse: ‘My daughter made threats to kill me’
One mum shares her experience of parenting an abusive and violent child.
Understanding child to parent abuse
A violent or abusive child can have a big impact on the whole family. But what might trigger child to parent abuse (CPA), and how can you find a way through it?
'Alternative provision has helped my daughter's social skills and confidence'
Being educated outside school in alternative provision can help children who struggle with mainstream schooling. One mum shares her story.
What is alternative provision?
Children who have difficulties with school may fare better in alternative provision. We take a look at what you might expect if your child is moved to an alternative education setting.
Teaching primary school children about racism
A worrying number of children have heard racist language at school. Here's how schools talk to children about racism, and how you can back them up with anti-racism discussions at home.
Learning about LGBT issues in primary schools
How might your primary school child learn about LGBT relationships at school? We take a look at what to expect and how to support their learning.
Safeguarding in primary schools explained
What do schools have to do to keep children safe from abuse and neglect? What should you do if you suspect a child is at risk? And what will happen if your child is referred to social services? We answer your questions about safeguarding primary school children.
The best mental health books for kids
Help your child improve their wellbeing with these brilliant books about difficult feelings and positive mental health.
Helping your daughter with girl friendships
Mean girls or BFFs? Clinical psychologist Dr Angharad Rudkin shares her advice on helping your daughter cope with the ups and downs of friendships.
Best literacy resources
Whether your child is just learning to read and print letters or looking for ways to put their creative writing skills to the test, we've rounded up some fantastic resources to help them practise phonics, grammar, story-writing and comic-creating at home. Plus there are loads of different ways to connect with authors and listen to stories.
The parents’ guide to safe gaming
How can you make sure your child plays safely online? Read our parents' guide to safe gaming for primary-school children for expert tips to help you manage the risks.
What to do if bullying doesn’t stop
What should you do if, despite raising the issue with school, your child is being persistently bullied? We take a look at the steps to follow.
Online safety rules every parent should follow
Do you worry that you're not doing enough to keep your child safe online? Are you overwhelmed by all the apps, games and websites they want to visit and despair of keeping on top of it all? Alicia Coad, founder of family messaging app ChatFOSS, offers her top online safety tips for busy parents.
How to cope with friendship bullying
What should you do if your child is being picked on by their friend? We asked the experts at Childline for advice about friendship bullying.
6 reasons children are excluded from school – and what you can do about it
Every year, thousands of pupils are excluded temporarily or permanently from primary schools. We look at the facts behind the figures.
Coping with school refusal
What do you do if your child develops a phobia of going to school? We look at strategies for handling school refusal.
Discipline in primary schools: restorative practices
More and more schools are adopting a behaviour model that encourages kids to take responsibility for their actions. So how do restorative practices work?
How to help a shy child
School can be a testing place for socially anxious children. We take a look at how to help boost your child's confidence.
How to help your child manage their anger
Is your child’s temper affecting their learning, friendship and family life? Anger management strategies could help them get their emotions under control.
What is CAMHS?
Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services provide help for young people suffering a range of difficulties. We take a look at how they could help your child.
Teaching children tolerance
With over a third of young people having witnessed hate speak online, how can we tackle intolerance by raising the next generation of open-minded and accepting kids?
'Home educating our bullied daughter has changed our lives'
Lisa Miley from Essex began home educating her daughter Leanne, nine, after she was bullied at school. She shares her story.
Settling your child into a new school
It’s natural for both you and your child to be nervous if they’re moving schools, so how can you make things go as smoothly as possible?
What is an Education Welfare Officer?
If there are concerns about your child’s school attendance, you might be referred to an Education Welfare Officer. We explain their role.
School social media policies explained
With cyber safety and online bullying becoming increasingly problematic, many schools are adopting social media policies. But what do these documents actually do?
Making friends and play for SEN kids: parents' tips
Making friends and learning how to play are an important part of growing up, but it can be hard for children with special educational needs to learn crucial social skills such as how to share and interact, how to take turns and how to negotiate with others. Help your child find kindred spirits with practical friendship tips from parents from the disability charity Scope’s online community.
10 ways to boost an able child's confidence
Being academically gifted can put a strain on your child’s emotional wellbeing, so how can you spot if they’re struggling and build their self-esteem?
How to keep children safe on social media
Once your children start using the Internet independently, how do you keep them safe while allowing them to make the most of and enjoy social media websites like Facebook, Instagram and Twitter? Sorin Mustaca, Avira’s IT security expert, shares some practical strategies.
7 common school life problems solved
Every parent wants their child to be happy at school, but what if there’s a problem? Here’s our step-by-step guide to tackling and resolving some of the common issues that might crop up in primary school.
How to keep your child safe online
With technology advancing faster and faster, parents are finding it more and more difficult to stay on top of how their children are using the internet. We spoke to mum and internet-safety guru Pamela Whitby about what you can do to protect your child online.
Boost your child's confidence with glasses
Making the transition to wearing glasses doesn’t have to be traumatic! We get tips from parents and experts on how to make the experience stress-free and confidence-building.
What is cyber-bullying?
Cyber-bullying is a fast growing phenomenon and can be an extension of bullying in school or can be carried out by complete strangers. We look into its various forms and how you can tackle it.
How to deal with cyber-bullying
Cyber-bullying can be particularly distressing because victims feel the bullies have access to them at all times. We offer some practical ways you can protect your child.
What to do if your child is bullied
Bullying can completely spoil a child's experience of school and learning – follow this advice to help your child through this difficult experience.
Is your child bullying?
Being told that your child is bullying is very difficult to come to terms with. We offer some expert advice and support on how to cope and help your child.
What to do when your child hates school
Frequent sick-days and a general reluctance to go in are signs that your child is not enjoying their school experience. Follow this expert advice on how to address and resolve these issues.