Page 1197 - Week 05 - Wednesday, 30 May 2007
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use a range of approaches to address bullying. These approaches include restorative practices, something in which I know that Ms Porter has a particular interest, leading a committee inquiry into this issue at the moment; pro-social skills programs to address respectful relationships and appropriate behaviour; and peer mediation and countering bullying programs to address the issue of bystander behaviour and the development of resilience.
Schools generally adopt or tailor programs to fit their school communities. There is a range of established programs, such as Bounce Back, You Can Do It, and M and M Pathways. They are examples of some of the programs commonly in place in ACT schools. Schools also access the “Bullying. No way!” website for ideas and strategies.
The department is currently trialling two new social skills programs in one high school and three primary schools under the titles of PATHS—promoting alternative thinking strategies—and Second Step. These are whole school programs that were evaluated in the United States and have proven to reduce aggression and increase social competency in students. Restorative practices are used in the whole school approach to counter bullying. Restorative practices are seen as a way of promoting non-coercive and non-punitive approaches to challenging and antisocial behaviours in school communities.
This issue, I know, is very topical. Recently, the Prime Minister sought to enter the debate. His statement did not provide a great deal of specifics about how schools were expected to meet the standards that he has set. Nonetheless, as I have indicated in other answers today and previously in the Assembly, these issues are taken very seriously. There is no tolerance of bullying in ACT schools. There is a range of measures and programs in place that are aimed at addressing these issues.
It is impossible, though, with 59,000 students going to ACT schools every day, to assume that there will never, ever be an incidence of bullying in a school in the ACT. That is an unrealistic expectation, just as it is unrealistic for every workplace and every other part of our society. But we do have in place a range of programs and policies. If Mrs Burke is interested in having some more details on the wide array of programs that I have just listed, I would be very happy to provide her office with a briefing or some further reading material. I would certainly encourage Mrs Burke to look at the variety of programs and the particular websites that are available. In all of these programs we do not seek to discriminate between students with a disability and students without.
Mrs Burke: Oh!
MR BARR: Mrs Burke, these programs meet the needs of all students.
Mrs Burke: One size fits all.
MR BARR: These programs meet the needs of all students, Mrs Burke. I understand the point that you are seeking to raise here.
Mrs Burke: I don’t think you do.
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