---
title: "Anti-Bullying Week Starts on 16th November: What to Do When Your Child Tells You They Are Being Bullied"
description: Anti-Bullying Week runs 16th to 20th November. What to do when your child tells you they are being bullied, from the first talk to the school meeting.
author: Dr Marina Nani (Editor-in-Chief)
date: 2026-11-09T17:00:00.037Z
updated: 2026-11-12T13:24:33.320Z
canonical: https://richdadmagazine.com/article/what-to-do-when-your-child-is-being-bullied
image: https://cdn.nanimediahouse.com/pexels-8188748.webp
categories: Fatherhood, Family & Relationships
content_type: Guide
region: United Kingdom
publication: Rich Dad Magazine
schema_type: Article
---

Anti-Bullying Week runs from Monday 16th to Friday 20th November, and this year's theme is [Break the Silence](https://richdadmagazine.com/article/in-conversation-with-dame-neslyn-how-do-you-break-the-silence-on-bullying-at-work). More than 200 children and young people helped shape it, and many of them described the silence around bullying and how hard they find it to ask for help. According to the [National Children's Bureau](https://www.ncb.org.uk/about-us/media-centre/news-opinion/children-suffering-bullying-silence-anti-bullying-week-2026), more than one in five children report being bullied each year, and many still tell no one.

The week is built around getting children to speak up. This guide covers what comes next. When your child finally tells you, your reaction in the first few minutes and the steps you take over the following days shape whether they come to you again.

## Stay Calm in the First Conversation

Your first instinct as a father may be to fix the problem at once: phone the school, confront the other child's parents or march into the head teacher's office. Hold that instinct back for now. If your child sees you angry, they may feel the problem has grown bigger than they wanted and stop telling you.

Listen to the whole story before you ask questions. Thank your child for telling you, and tell them plainly that it is not their fault. Do not promise to keep it secret, as you may need to act. Promise instead that you will tell them before you take any step.

## Write Everything Down

Before the details fade, write down what happened, when, where, who was involved and who saw it. Add to the record each day. If the bullying happens online, take screenshots of the messages and posts, with usernames and dates, before anything is deleted. A dated record turns a worried phone call to the school into a clear report the staff can act on.

## Ask Your Child What They Want to Happen

Many children fear that telling an adult will make things worse. Ask your child what would help: a word with their teacher, a change of seat, a safe place to go at break time or a day or two to think. You will not always do what they ask, but asking keeps them part of the plan and shows them that speaking up gave them more control, not less.

## Contact the School

Every state school must have a behaviour policy that includes measures to prevent all forms of bullying, and parents must be told what that policy is. Ask for a copy, or find it on the school website, before you get in touch.

Then request a meeting with your child's form tutor or head of year. Bring your written record, stick to the facts and ask three things: what the school will do, who will do it and when you will hear back. Afterwards, send a short email confirming what was agreed, so you and the school share the same record.

## Know When Bullying Becomes a Crime

Some bullying is against the law. [GOV.UK](https://www.gov.uk/bullying-at-school) lists violence or assault, theft, repeated harassment or intimidation, such as threats and abusive calls, emails or messages, and hate crimes as matters you can report to the police. Call 999 if your child or anyone else is in immediate danger.

## Follow Up Until It Stops

A single meeting does not always end bullying. Check in with your child each evening without turning it into an interrogation. A drive, a walk or a game together often brings out more than a direct question across the kitchen table. If nothing changes within the time the school agreed, ask for a second meeting, and if that does not work, follow the school's complaints procedure.

## Wear Odd Socks to Open the Week

Anti-Bullying Week opens on Monday 16th November with Odd Socks Day, when children and adults wear mismatched socks to celebrate what makes each person different. Wear a pair yourself on the school run. It costs nothing and gives your child an easy way into a conversation about the week.

To spot a problem early, read our guide on how to [teach your child to choose healthy friendships and recognise the signs of bullying](https://richdadmagazine.com/article/how-to-teach-your-child-to-choose-healthy-friendships-and-recognise-the-signs-of-bullying).

## Bullying Questions From Parents

**Q: What should you do if your child is being bullied in the UK?**
Listen calmly, reassure your child that it is not their fault and write down what has happened, including dates and names. Then contact the school, which must have a behaviour policy with measures to prevent bullying, and agree what action will be taken and when. If the bullying involves violence, theft, threats, harassment or hate crime, you can report it to the police, and in an emergency you should call 999.

**Q: How do you know your child is being bullied?**
Children who are being bullied often do not say so directly. Not wanting to go to school, lost or damaged belongings, unexplained injuries, trouble sleeping, becoming withdrawn or anxious, or getting upset after using their phone can all be signs. If you notice changes like these, choose a relaxed moment to ask open questions and listen without judging.

**Q: What are a child's legal rights if they are bullied at school in the UK?**
In England, state schools must have a behaviour policy that includes measures to prevent all forms of bullying, and parents must be told what the policy is. Schools must also follow anti-discrimination law. Some bullying, such as assault, theft, repeated harassment and hate crime, is a criminal offence that can be reported to the police. If a school does not deal with bullying, parents can use the school's complaints procedure.

**Q: What should you do if your child is being bullied online?**
Save the evidence first by taking screenshots of messages, posts and profiles, including dates and usernames. Help your child block and report the accounts on the platform they use, and tell the school if other pupils are involved. Online threats, harassment and hate crime can be reported to the police.