While every parent worries that their child could be bullied at school, this fear is well founded. The agony of being a victim of bullying can have lasting impacts into adulthood. It can increase absenteeism and leave a legacy of anxiety, mistrust and depression. Victims and perpetrators may have difficulties working in teams in a workplace or negotiating relationships. Victims are more likely to be frequent users of health services. Now, the largest randomised controlled trial to date, ‘Stand Together’ has looked at the effectiveness of an internationally used anti-bullying intervention here in UK schools.
Bullying in Schools in the UK
Anti-bullying programmes are not new in the UK and there is a lively landscape of approaches and programmes in our schools. By law schools are required to have a behaviour policy with measures to address bullying. Equalities legislation addresses discrimination – giving scope to work on prejudice and stereotypes, and Online Safety legislation broadens the range of bullying behaviours to address, while PSHE addresses wellbeing. This complex landscape has given rise to inventive and often successful strategies, but there may be inconsistencies or aspects of an intervention that lack structure in either prevention and response. Some are run in bursts of enthusiasm or funding and fade when other issues demand attention.
The Stand Together Research Trial
A trial of this kind was needed to study a consistent approach delivered in a large number of schools. The researchers, led by Professor Judy Hutchings of the Bangor University Centre for Evidence Based Early Intervention, worked with 118 primary schools. They compared one set of schools randomly assigned to the KiVa programme with remaining schools following their usual practice in England and Wales.
Nia Rees-Williams, Health and Wellbeing Officer for Conwy Education at the time of the trial, found that KiVa:
‘helps children become emotionally literate and it builds confidence… It meets all our directives in relation to supporting emotional and mental wellbeing and in supporting the development of healthy relationships. But you have to look at the whole recipe. KiVA is an ingredient… a key ingredient. But you can never be complacent.’
KiVa is used across Conwy schools in North Wales.
The current study looks at the effectiveness and costs of an anti-bullying programme (KiVa) in UK primary schools. It frames childhood bullying as a public health priority. Bullied children access more school health, primary care and specialist child mental health services than their counterparts and experience poor mental health into adulthood The positive outcomes support the efficacy of the KiVa programme in improving the overall social dynamics within schools.
The KiVa anti-bullying programme
The KiVa programme first developed in Finland and used in all Finnish schools, aims to change the ‘social architecture’ – emphasising the role of bystanders in prevention and helping children develop emotional understanding. It provides a clear and consistent structure to follow when bullying occurs. Set within a strong framework with training and lesson plans for teachers, it also gives parents clear information defining bullying and explaining the cornerstones of KiVa: Prevention, intervention, and monitoring. ‘It’s like KiVa wants to make a nice environment for schools’ said one primary school child who took part in the trial. Another offered: ‘It makes me feel positive and happy.’
About the Stand Together Trial – the findings.
Notes and further information.
Funding
The study was funded by the UK National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Public Health Research programme (17-92-11). Intervention costs were funded by the Rayne Foundation, GwE North Wales Regional School Improvement Service, Children’s Services, Devon County Council and HSBC Global Services (UK) Ltd.
The approach.
The ’social architecture’ model of bullying highlights the significant roles of bystanders in supporting or standing against bullying. The structured programme provides advice and resources for teachers, parents and children on prevention and response approaches. Developed and tested extensively in Finland, KiVa is used in all Finnish schools and in locations across Europe. This UK trial is the largest multi-centre randomised controlled trial of its type in the world to date.
Authors:
Bangor University (North Wales Centre)
- Prof Judy Hutchings: Co-chief investigator and trial lead for Bangor University
- Dr Suzy Clarkson: Research associate
- Prof Rhiannon Tudor Edwards
- Dr Joana Charles
- Dr Margiad Williams
- Dr Holly Whiteley
- Dr Richard Watkins: GwE
- Dr Anwen Jones
Oxford University (Oxfordshire Centre)
- Prof Lucy Bowes: Co-chief investigator and trial lead for Oxford
- Naomi Rose
University of Warwick (Birmingham Centre)
- Prof Richard Hastings: Trial lead for Birmingham
- Dr Julia Badger: Senior research associate
University of Exeter (Devonshire Centre)
- Dr Rachel Hayes: Senior research fellow
Cardiff University (Centre for Trials Research)
- Dr Julia Townson
- Dr Elinor Coulman
- Dr Rebecca Cannings-John
- Dr Jeremy Segrott
- Dr Fiona Lugg Widger
- Melanie Varley
- Helin Gosalia
- Mackenzie Fong
- Mia Sydenham
- Eleri Owen-Jones
- Malavika Babu
Institute for Mental Health, University of Birmingham
- Sadja Butt
- Chris Chiswell
- Matthew Broome
Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge
- Prof Tamsin Ford
Birmingham Women’s and Children’s NHS Foundation Trust
- Dr Paul Patterson
- Catlin Murray
- Bryony Longdon
- Hayley Gains
- Paul Patterson