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Bullying and its’ effects on Dundee Young Carers’
- 42% of girls who responded to the questionnaire said that bullying had affected them so badly that they did not wish to go out or to school.
- 8% found the experience no problem
- 25% of boys who responded to the questionnaire found the experience worrying
- 37½% of boys found the experience no problem
- 62½% of boys reported bullying
All the girls reported bullying to an adult.
Introduction and Method
This survey was conducted through the Young Carers’ Project, Dundee.
The Young Carers’ Project, was set up to identify hidden young carers’ in Dundee City. The project also undertakes to work with and to provide services for young carers identified. Through the Community Empowerment Development Worker, the Sip’n’Sit (the young carers’ forum) was taken forward to explore issues, which affect the young carers’. In February 2002, during the Sip’n’Sit, the Dundee Young Carers identified a strong need to be given training and more information on bullying and how to deal with it.
Consultation with other young carers’ centres and the Bullying Network confirmed that many of the young carers’ with whom they were in contact were being bullied. From this meeting it was decided that the best way forward would be to identify the main areas that should be covered in a training session. Using a questionnaire published by Kidscape the Young Carers were invited to put down their views and feelings of bullying and bullies.
In total, forty-five young carers were asked to complete the questionnaire.
The questionnaire consisted of nineteen multiply choice questions and one, where the young carers could express their own feelings. The questionnaire was anonymous, allowing the young carers’ to answer the questions as honestly as possible.
Each young carer has a different definition of bullying. For the purposes of the questionnaire bullying has been defined as: verbal, physical, racial, sexual, emotional (intentionally ignored/excluded from a group), threats, the taking of possessions and text messaging.
The results will be used to help the Young Carers’ Project improve support for young carers’ and to raise awareness of young carers and the problem of bullying with schools and local authorities. The report will also be used as a tool to help young carers’ workers to provide an awareness training session for young carers’.
Results
Young Carers’ are ordinary children and young people of both sexes, from all sorts of different families, background and ethnic origins who look after someone in their family – a mother father, brother, sister, granny or granddad. They do most of the caring or help out. Many do not see themselves as carers.
Our findings show that 89% of young carers have been bullied in comparison with the Kidscape survey (1984), which found that 68% of children had been bullied in the year preceding their research, and 71% of young carers’ who had been bullied in the research carried out by the Princess Royal Trust for Carers’ (1999).
Of the respondents, most young carers’ (40%) were between the age of 11 and 14 years when they were bullied; some were bullied at different ages. Fifty-six per cent of the young carers’ were female and 44% male. This gender split represents national figures that show slightly more female than males have a caring role. (Dearden & Becker, 1998)
The Carers’ who said that they were bullied, 50% advised that they were bullied several times a day. The following graph shows gender difference and how bullying has affected their lives. It is interesting to note that 25% of boys who responded felt that the bullying was so bad that they did not want to go out or to school in contrast to 42% of girls who felt the same.
Graph 1: The effects bullying has had.
Most boys (28½%), who were bullied suffered from physical violence, closely followed by threats (21½%) and verbal bullying (21½%). Of the girls who responded 21½% were emotionally bullied. 55% of girls said that a gang bullied them. 40% of boys stated that a gang or an individual boy bullied them.
Graph 2: Type of Bullying.
When reflecting upon their feelings towards the bullies, a large 50% of the young carers said that they hated the bullies, however a surprisingly high 35% of them said that they felt sorry for the bullies. The young carers’ were asked who they believed was responsible for the bullying; the following graph shows their feelings.
Graph 3: Who is responsible?
Of the young carers’ who responded 87½% advised that they did tell an adult that they were bullied, however, only 25% reported that the bullying stopped. Looking closer, 57% of boys and 55% of girls reported that bullying got worse.
Discussion/Conclusions
From the results obtained it was clear that due to the high incidence of bullying the young carers involved were very honest in their responses.
The results show an overwhelming 89% of young carers have been bullied at some point in their lives. There were slightly more girls than boys who responded to the questionnaire. The results also found that most bullying occurred between the ages of 11 and 14.
More than 60% of the young people who responded found the whole experience frightening or so bad that they did not want to go to school. The impact of the bullying on a young carer can often prove too much, alongside their added responsibilities at home. Through our experience we have found that this can have a damaging effect on the young carers’ educational experience, often leading to the young carer missing school. To combat this problem the Young Carers’ Partnership are working within secondary schools with pupils to raise their awareness of issues which face their peers who may have caring responsibilities.
Educating workers who may come into contact with young carers’ is another way forward. The YCP have commenced with a training programme offered to both voluntary and statutory agencies to provide information and raise awareness of young carers’ issues. If a worker comes into contact with a young carer they will be sympathetic to their needs, and can access the required supports for the young carer.
It is essential for parents to be involved and to be aware of the problems that their child is faced with. Working with parents is a key part of the action required. Equipping young carers with the correct knowledge of how to deal with their emotions, and how to react when bullying occurs must be addressed.
Bullying is a major issue for all children, however, young carers are often already isolated and feel alone due to their caring role. Bullying of a child who is seen as different is an easy target. It is all our responsibility to include all children in all activities regardless of their background. I feel that we are a long way off from stamping out bullying, but we can all take more time to listen to the children and young people around us. If we are to move forward, it is crucial for all agencies that are involved with young carers to work together for the benefit of the young carer.
Case Studies
Ben is 14, he cares for a parent with a disability. Ben has been severely bullied throughout his secondary school career. He has had several bruises and bloody noses. He has also suffered a broken arm, and kicked to the ground until he was unconscious. Ben’s family were not aware of the true extent of his bullying until the incident of the broken arm and unconscious state. Since then Ben has started to take matters into his own hands and standing up to the bullies. Ben was suspended from school. No charges were ever brought against the bullies who caused the severe injury, as their friends lied for them. Ben’s bullying was a direct consequence of his parent disability.
Cara is 13, she cares for a parent with mental ill health. Cara was bullied when she commenced secondary school. She began to make up excuses so she did not need to attend school. Eventually she stopped going to school. Her family then moved to different area and Cara started school with a positive attitude. No problems have been reported since.
Lauren is 12 ,she helps to care for a brother who has behaviour difficulties. Lauren was bullied at school and in the local community to the extent that her mother took her out of school. The family felt that the school did not do anything to help. The family managed to get Lauren’s school changed. Since starting at the new school no problems have been reported.
Comments from the Young Carers’:
What should be done about the problem of bullying?
The bullies obviously have problems and are taking them out on others. If the bullies’ problems were sorted out maybe they would stop bullying.
I think that the bullies should be punished. I feel that I was made to suffer more and it got so bad that I could not face school and my education suffered then I had to move school.
Teachers should notice more. Bullies should be out of school for a week.
I think they should get punished because there is no need for it.
To get my brother to a doctor to make him better. (Referring to how the young carers could stop bullying happening to them.)
I think the victims should go to the police and report the name of the bully(ies).
Schools should be aware of it happening. Talks should be given on the subject of bullying.
The bullies obviously have problems and are taking them out on others, so teachers should be helping them too.
It should be stopped. They should get into trouble for it. They should be punished. It should have been prevented. When they stop it should not happen again.
They should be given a dose of their own medicine.
Bullies should be made aware of the damage they could be inflicting.
If anyone is bullying someone the bully should be excluded from school or if it is a really bad problem you should get the police into it.
You should tell someone about it.
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