Jesuit Social Services welcomes the opportunity to make a submission to the Federal Government’s Anti-Bullying Rapid Review.
Our programs in and relating to schools involve working both with young people who have bullied others, and with young people who are bullied. Often, one person can move from one role to the other, or have both roles in different contexts.
Our work in restorative practices has grown in size and breadth over the years, and aligns with the core of our approach to all our programs, which is relational. We see restorative work as both prevention and response, and consider such an approach key to addressing harmful behaviours more broadly, being holistic and evidence based.
Drawing in particular on our insights from our work in Navigator working alongside children and young people who have become disengaged from school, and our work in restorative practice in schools, our submission emphasises a range of points focused on:
- Acknowledging that perpetrators have often been victims as well
- Punitive approaches exacerbate the problem, and
- Greater and earlier prevention and early intervention are needed.
