Carol Markie-Dadds, Triple P International Country Director, revealed that, according to a recent Triple P survey of parents, bullying and online safety have become one of the top parental challenges in the last two years, tripling in prevalence.

“Childhood bullying is worsening. The ongoing news headlines and more than 1,600 submissions to the Australian Government’s Anti-Bullying Rapid Review are evidence of bullying’s pervasive and devastating long-term impacts on children, families, and communities,” she said.

“Bullying can seriously impact a child’s mental health and wellbeing throughout their school years and well into adulthood.” Ms Markie-Dadds says. “The mental health implications are significant, with rising concerns about children's emotional resilience and social development.”

“The solution lies in empowering parents and carers, who remain the most influential figures in a child's life, to confidently support their child if they’re experiencing bullying.”

“By building positive school-family partnerships and having access to free, proven to work parenting support like Triple P, families can learn to recognise and address bullying behaviours while helping children develop confidence and resilience,” she said.

Families can do these three things to stop bullying in its tracks

Build confidence and resilience to ‘be bold’: Building confidence starts with reinforcing self-esteem through hobbies and activities children enjoy. Resilience comes when kids face challenging situations and bounce back from setbacks. Remind them that they are loved and valued, no matter what.

‘Be kind’ to beat bullying: Parents and carers can demonstrate what empathy and social skills look like in everyday activities. Children develop empathy over time and at their own pace. Encouraging children to consider others' feelings, practice turn-taking, and include peers in activities helps create a kindness culture at home, school, and in virtual spaces.

Create a safe space to ‘speak up’: Regular check-ins with kids create a safe space for open communication. Ask open-ended questions like, 'What was the best part of your day?' and 'Was there anything that upset you or could have gone better?' to encourage honest communication with your child. Let kids know it's okay to feel scared or worried, and that they won't get in trouble for coming to you, even if they've broken some family rules. Reinforce that it’s always better to ask for help than to worry alone.

“The National Week of Action’s theme is ‘Be Bold. Be Kind. Speak Up’, which reminds us that stopping bullying isn't just about responding to incidents – it's about proactively building a culture as a community where kindness thrives and every child feels safe, valued, and empowered to speak out,” Ms Markie-Dadds said.

“For families who have bullying concerns, the available support networks include school staff, GPs, psychologists, and school counsellors as well as eSafety Commissioner (www.esafety.gov.au) and Kids Helpline (www.kidshelpline.com.au),” she said.

Delivery of the Triple P – Positive Parenting Program to parents and carers of children in Australia is supported by funding from the Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care under the Parenting Education and Support Program. Parents and carers can access free, online parenting support 24/7 at triplep-parenting.net.au