Anti-Bullying Statement
Carinity Education is committed to providing a safe and friendly environment in which each of our students can grow and develop. In keeping with the school guidelines we expect all members of the school community to be respectful, kind and caring toward one another. Carinity schools will not accept a culture of bullying or intimidation but will promote a culture where each individual has the right to feel safe and secure, the right to learn and the right to feel respected and supported by others within the community.
Bullying is behaviour which causes hurt and/or distress, is repeated and, involves the use of power in an unfair way. It can take many forms such as: humiliation, intimidation, victimisation. It can be verbal (eg name calling, teasing, abuse, threats) , physical (eg hitting, punching, kicking, tripping), social (eg excluding, ostracising, making inappropriate gestures) or psychological (eg spreading rumours, dirty looks, malicious SMS/email/Facebook messages, inappropriate use of camera phones) in nature. Bullying may be directed toward an individual or a group. Conflicts or fights between equals and single incidents are not defined as bullying.
Carinity Education is committed to the following preventative measures in relation to bullying:
- Annual professional development for staff
- Community awareness regarding bullying through regular mention in school newsletters and other means
- Provision of programs for students to encourage the development of resilience, life and social skills
- Training for students and staff in relation to conflict resolution, mediation and problem solving
Students are encouraged to inform any staff member should bullying occur, the report of which should then be passed on to the management team.
Intervention in relation to bullying incidents may include counselling, mediation, formal apologies, referral to anger management programs, timeout and in extreme cases termination of enrolment.