MHiPS- Proudly supporting Bullying No Way: National week of action (17-21 August)

This year Boneo Primary School will be participating in the Bullying No Way: National week of action, 17th to 21st August 2026. (Commencing on the 18th due to the professional practice day on the 17th). On Friday the 21st students are encouraged to ‘wear a POP of purple’ with their school uniform to support the cause.
Bullying No Way Week is a commitment being made by thousands of schools and supporters across the country. It provides an opportunity to demonstrate our commitment to bullying prevention. It gives us an opportunity to connect with students, staff and school communities to implement workable solutions to prevent bullying.

The theme for this year’s campaign is Small Acts, Big Impact. Students will be participating in a range of class activities that explore bullying prevention as well as what bullying is, ways to spot signs of bullying, how to respond to bullying behaviour and to promote help seeking strategies.
We encourage families to support their child’s social and emotional learning by expanding on these themes by having conversations at home.

What is Bullying?
Bullying is when someone repeatedly and intentionally uses their power or status to harm, upset or intimidate someone else. It can cause physical, social or psychological harm. Bullying can happen anywhere – at home, online, at work or at school. It can involve individuals or groups, and it can happen to anyone.

Bullying can include:
• verbal (e.g. name-calling, teasing, threats).
• physical (e.g. hitting, pushing, damaging property).
• social (e.g. excluding others, spreading rumours).
• online (e.g. hurtful messages, posting private images).

Signs of Bullying
A child or young person who is being bullied might not tell an adult about it. It can be hard to ask for help, and sometimes children might feel fear or shame about telling someone. There are physical, social and emotional signs that can indicate bullying. Being aware of these potential signs can help those who bully or are bullied get support as early as possible.

• Changes in school engagement (e.g. not wanting to go to school, becoming upset or anxious before or after school, showing a drop in grades).
• Unexpected changes to friendship groups (e.g. changing friendships or breakups, being excluded).
• Physical and behavioural changes (e.g. changing sleep or eating patterns, feeling sick, mood swings, acting aggressively, not wanting to discuss what’s wrong, withdrawing, negative self-talk).
• Physical signs (e.g. unexplained bruises or cuts, missing or damaged clothes or belongings, arriving home hungry).
• Changes in daily routines (e.g. change in routine or travel to school, spending more time in their room or alone, withdrawing from previously enjoyed activities).
• Changes in digital technology use (e.g. appearing upset or nervous after using technology, nervousness when receiving notifications, messages or calls, hesitancy about going online, spending long hours online, secretive about online activity, suspicious package delivery).

If your child is being bullied
Telling someone about bullying is not easy. If your child tells you they’re being bullied, this is a great first step to getting the help they need. There are several ways to help. The most important thing is to listen without judgement. Let your child or young person tell you what’s happened and wait to ask any questions you may have until they have finished.

Ways to strengthen family connections
• Spend one-on-one time – even 10 minutes of child-led time a day strengthens trust.
• Eat meals together – regular shared meals are linked to better behaviour and communication.
• Listen without judging – ask open questions and let your child express themselves fully.
• Be a role model – show kindness and respect in your own relationships, online and offline.
• Be consistent – clear routines and boundaries help children feel secure and respected.

How to respond:
Your child may be less likely to raise concerns when they are uncertain what will happen after they speak up, so it’s important to respond with consideration and understanding.
• Listen – find a quiet space, give them your full attention, and let them share their experience without interruptions.
• Calmly ask questions – wait until they have finished talking and gently try to get a full picture of the situation.
• Acknowledge their experiences and the impacts – ‘I can see this is very upsetting and I can understand why you’re worried about going to school …’
• Help them to feel safe – let them know you will work with them to try to make things better.
• Involve them in the response plan – being bullied can feel like a huge loss of control and can impact self-esteem and confidence. Help them regain control by including them in decisions about how to address the issue.
• Support them to recover – this includes offering emotional support, focusing on their wellbeing and supporting them to develop positive coping strategies.

If your child may be bullying others
Hearing that your child may be bullying others can be challenging but remember that children are still learning and growing. Bullying is a behaviour that can be changed with guidance and support.
If your child is bullying others, it may indicate they need help building social and emotional skills, such as managing emotions, empathy and forming positive relationships. Bullying can stem from a desire to belong or be accepted, and without guidance, these behaviours may impact their wellbeing and future. Supporting them to treat others respectfully is key to their development.

How to respond:
• Stay curious, not angry – “Can you help me understand what’s been going on?”
• Talk about empathy – “What do you think the other person felt?”
• Set clear expectations – “In our family, we treat others with fairness and respect.”
• Guide them to repair harm – talk about apologies, making amends, or writing a note.
• Work with the school/community group – ask about positive behaviour support or mentoring programs.

Getting help
Families supporting children and young people who are experiencing bullying in any form do not need to deal with it alone. There are support organisations available to help and support.

• If it happens at school or in the community – talk to your child’s teacher, principal, coach or other person in charge. Ask about their anti-bullying plan.
• If it’s online – save messages, block the person, report the content and visit esafety.gov.au.
• If someone is in danger – call 000 straight away.

Information and support for families

Service	What they offer	Contact
Kids Helpline	Free 24/7 counselling for children and young people aged 5–25	1800 55 1800 kidshelpline.com.au
Headspace	Mental health support for 12–25-year-olds	headspace.org.au
Parentline	Confidential support for parents and carers	Parentline in your state or territory
Raising Children Network	Trusted parenting advice, videos and tools	raisingchildren.net.au
Bullying No Way	National resource on bullying prevention in schools	bullyingnoway.gov.au
eSafety Commissioner	Cyberbullying info and reporting platform	esafety.gov.au
Student Wellbeing Hub	Australian Government initiative to support physical, mental and emotional wellbeing in schools.	studentwellbeinghub.edu.au
Emerging minds	Useful information and advice for families caring for a child or young person affected by bullying	emergingminds.com.au

For families who would like to engage with The Resilience Project – TRP in Practice session, here is a link to a recording of the session led by Hugh.

Please note that the recording link will expire on 13 September 2026.

We are excited to celebrate Book Week 2026, taking place from Monday 24th to Friday 28th August, with our very own Boneo Book Fair!

Come along and discover a wonderful selection of books to enjoy at home, share with your family, or give as a special gift. It’s a fantastic opportunity to celebrate our love of reading and encourage our children to discover the joy of books.

Location: Intervention Room
Entrance: Please enter via the corridor and exit through the courtyard.

Please note: For safety and space reasons, no school bags are permitted inside the Book Fair.

Every dollar spent at our Book Fair helps support resources for our school, meaning your purchases directly contribute to enriching learning opportunities for our students.

So, bring along your love of reading and help us make Book Week 2026 a wonderful celebration of books, reading and our school community!