Issue - meetings

As requested at the previous Children’s Select Committee meeting, a report is attached to inform councillors about the ongoing support that the council provides for schools and young people during the year, with reference to the national anti-bullying campaign delivered by the Anti-Bullying Alliance (ABA) annually.

Members are asked to consider the work reported regarding anti-bullying and are invited to join the Big Conversation should they wish to.

The committee received a report by Judy Edwards and Dexter Chipeni, Level 2 Apprentice – Joint Commissioning, informing councillors about the ongoing support that the council provides for schools and young people during the year, with reference to the national anti-bullying campaign delivered by the Anti-Bullying Alliance (ABA) annually.

The role of the council with regards to bullying is to signpost and highlight

resources for schools and partners that supports their anti-bullying practices. In particular, this takes place through the Healthy Schools framework and through training for schools on personal, social, health and economic education.

The National Anti-Bullying week 2017, from 13^th to 17^th November, has the theme ‘All Different, All Equal’. Mental health and LGBT will be big topics during this. Wiltshire Council will also hold its third ‘Big Conversation’ with young people from representative groups within Wiltshire: the Wiltshire Assembly of Youth; Children in Care Council; Youth Safeguarding Board; and Healthwatch Wiltshire Young Listeners.

Data on bullying in Wiltshire was still raw and being analysed by Public Health. It was noted that schools receive their own data back so they can track their own trends and act accordingly.

Members asked if questions regarding proportions of schools with growing trends, and raised the growing concern of social media as a platform for bullying across all ages.

It was requested that a briefing on what is available to schools regarding tackling bullying be created and sent to members for them to share with their local schools and encourage their participation.

Resolved

To note the update on Anti-Bullying.

To request that a briefing highlighting the opportunity to become an “All Together School” be created for all members to share with their local schools.