Young disabled People and bullying at school

Lucy Mason of HEYA for Disability Equality in Education

www.diseed.org.uk

Young People’s Voices

Disabled Children and Bullying• Twice as likely as non-disabled children to be bullied-

Children’s Commissioner Dec 2006• 82% of children and young people with learning

difficulty in UK are bullied-this is 280,000 children. MENCAP-Don’t Stick It Stop It 2007

• Disabled Children are 9 times more likely to be excluded than non disabled children DfES 2004

• 62% of disabled pupils had been bullied, 19% daily or weekly and 38% at least once per month.

DEE in work for DCSF in July 2008

Duty to Promote Disability Equality

Eliminate unlawful discrimination

Promote equality of opportunity

Eliminate disability related harassment

Promote positive attitudes towards disabled persons

Encourage participation by disabled persons in public life

From Dec. 2006. When carrying out their functions public authorities must have due regard to the need to:

The use of positive discrimination if necessary

Guiding Principles Disability Equality Duty

1. Proportionality- balance other needs and factors

2. Effectiveness-it works3. Involvement- local disabled people, staff

and disabled pupils4. Transparency- process can and

expenditure be easily tracked 5. Social Model of Disability thinking to

ethos and all policies , practices and procedures…

Getting pupils views:Make a diary of the school day- Find out for each activity whether it is enjoyed-liked, disliked or unconcerned

From the Inclusion Assistant. Available from DEE £10

1.The School Building 2. Playtime3. School Dinners4. Assemblies5.School Trips6. PE and Games 7. Lessons8.Teachers9.Teaching Assistants 10.Other Children11. School Council12. School Clubs 13. Corridors

Getting the views of disabled pupils

Area of the school Excellent Good Not so Good Bad N=

The School Building 25% 40% 10% 25% 127

Playtime 33% 39% 16% 12% 120School

Dinners 17 % 24.% 15 % 44% 102Assemblies 17% 31% 15% 37% 126

School Trips 47% 21% 9% 23% 124

PE and Games 29% 43% 12% 16% 130Lessons 24% 36% 8 % 32% 104

Teachers 19% 46% 5 % 30 % 105

Teaching Ass. 40% 39% 7% 14% 134

Other Children 22% 28% 18% 32% 74

School Council 37% 5% 29% 29% 73School Clubs 25% 25% 26% 24% 91

Corridors 8% 15% 17% 60% 35

As a disabled person what do you think of....

•Have you ever experienced bullying •at school Yes 64.5% No 35.5%

If Yes, how often?•Every day 19.5%•More than once a week > 18%•More than once a month>•More than once a year > 18%•Hardly ever >

123 Disabled Pupils answered Individual Questionnaire in July 200810 Locations including pupils from 5 special schools 5 primary schools , 2 secondary academies and14 secondary comprehensive schools.

Variability over 10 locations RangeEvery Day 0% to 50%More than monthly 0% to 38% Less Frequently 0% to 50%

Teachers Sorted 27

No Answer 26

Nothing was done 11

Detention 4

Parents 3

Other Students 3

Moved School/House 2

Police 1

Hit him 1

For those in the study who were bullied what was done about bullying?

The Social Model of disablement focuses on the barriers

DISABLED PEOPLE AS ACTIVE FIGHTERS FOR EQUALITY WORKING IN PARTNERSHIP WITH ALLIES.

LACK OF USEFUL EDUCATION

INACCESSIBLE ENVIRONMENT

DE-VALUING

PREJUDICE

INACCESSIBLE INFORMATION

INACCESIBLE TRANSPORT

‘BELIEF’ IN THE MEDICAL MODEL

POVERTY

SEGREGATED SERVICES

DISCRIMINATION IN EMPLOYMENT

CHILD DEVELOPMENT TEAM SPECIALISTS

GPs

OCCUPATIONAL THERAPISTS

SPEECH THERAPISTS

BENEFITS AGENCY

DISABLED PEOPLE AS PASSIVE RECEIVERS OF SERVICES AIMED AT CURE OR MANAGEMENT

SHELTERED WORKSHOPS

DOCTORS

TRAINING CENTRES

SPECIAL SCHOOLS

EDUCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGISTS

SPECIAL TRANSPORT

SURGEONS

SOCIAL WORKERS

The dominant view is the Medical Model.

Attitudes. 12.6% of barriers were identified as attitudes towards disabled students. In several cases these overlapped with sexist and racist attitudes towards Muslim girls and more generally included many of the stereotypes such as over protectiveness and under estimating what disabled student can do.Bullying . 11.5% of barriers were identified with bullying from other students, but also identified teachers and support staff as colluding. If added to 4 this would be the largest category of barriers arising from negative attitudes to disabled people (24.1%).

Barrier Solution

Bullying once a fortnight. Teachers should be strict with bullies.Bullying and prejudice. Tell a teacher you trust or a friend to try to stop

bullying. Stop name calling. Go tell tutor about bullies.

Bullying-but teachers do not believe me Help the bullies to help someone else. Reform the Anti-Bullying meetings- they help us take a stand and fight for what is right.

Bullying Having friendsPeople being picked on Let the bullies explain why they are doing what

they are doing

Bullying solutions make up 8.6%, but are obviously strongly related to attitude, disability awareness and behaviour change making this affective area the largest with 40.9% of solutions.

Promoting Positive Attitudes to Disabled People

• Make sure disability is covered in a positive way in all parts of the curriculum. e.g. Art, History, Geography Science

• Gather examples from national press and media –use in displays

• Relate to TV –Pete on Big Brother-Tourettes• Alison Lapper Trafalgar Square• Help pupils critiques stereotypes English• Use a social model approach-identify barriers• Examine ethical issues from a human rights perspective • Ensure hidden curriculum is disability friendly• Challenge disabilism• Develop strong self esteem in disabled pupils

Two-Face Batman Forever

Dr. NO

See No Evil, Hear No Evil, 1989

Finale Hunchback Notre Dame

Hate Crimes against disabled people are more

common than you think!

Kevin Davies who had epilepsy was kept in a shed for four months until he died/Wigan

Craig Robbins had learning difficulty and was viciously attacked leading to brain damage by three people- Wales

Raymond Atherton a man with learning difficulties repeatedly attacked and eventually killed by 2 teenagers after months of torture . Warrington

Rikki Judkins with Learning Difficulties beated to death by two teenagers when visiting Lancaster

Bullying and Name Calling• Take Young People’s Views Seriously• Support the development of Friendships• Challenge Stereotypes• Explain the reasons why this is hurtful• Get young people to develop anti bullying

policy• Record incidents• Investigate and report back on causes• Deliver focussed intervention

What is to be done

• Make all children and young people aware of disabilist bullying

• Make positive attitudes to disabled people are promoted in your school

• Challenge Negative stereotypes in the media• Set up and train bully busters or playground

friends• Ensure views disabled pupils got and taken

into account