Bully-Busters® has been developed by education specialists, Amelia Suckling and Carla Temple, to give schools a well-researched, easy-to-implement program to deal with the issue of bullying.

Bully-Busters® has been delivered to hundreds of schools (in Victoria). Believing that bullying is best dealt with as a 'whole school' issue, the program tackles the subject with a three-pronged approach:

Special skills for teachers to quickly identify and deal with bullying behaviour and to handle parents' concern when the subject of bullying is raised. Includes teacher resource material. The focus of this inservice is to provide teachers with:
•  relevant background and up-to date research on bullying •  practical intervention and prevention strategies at whole school level
•  procedures for dealing with a bullying incident •  creating a "Telling Culture" •  guidelines for developing, implementing and
maintaining an anti-bullying policy

Education of primary children about bullying, providing them with assertiveness strategies, and helping them to build resilience. Includes classroom materials. The outcome of the workshop is to:

•  provide students with a variety of assertive strategies

•  engage students in responsible reporting

•  activate bystanders to take safe and sensible action

•  build resilience in students (to help break the victim cycle)

Usually held in the evening, this session provides parents with information about bullying so that they can identify the possible signs of a bullied child and reinforce anti-bullying behaviour at home and feel confident that the school is taking an active role in the development of a strong, committed anti-bullying policy. Topics include:

•  relevant background information

•  assertive strategies to practice with their children

•  warning signs to look for

•  how to approach the school

The Developers and Presenters

The full program is personally presented by the authors, Amelia Suckling and Carla Temple (both primary teachers with further educational qualifications). Their lively presentations are fun, stimulating and never threatening. The program materials have been carefully designed to make the learning experience dynamic and non-competitive. Although the modules can be delivered separately, it is increasingly clear that for a really sound Best Practice approach, schools are wise to have this issue tackled on all three fronts.