Ms Ann O'Dwyer:

On behalf of ETBI, and the 16 education and training boards, ETBs, that we represent, I am pleased to make this statement to the committee on the topic of school bullying and the impact on mental health.

ETBs are statutory authorities that have responsibility for education and training, youth work and a range of other statutory functions. ETBs manage and operate community national schools, second level schools, further education colleges and a range of adult and further education centres in communities throughout Ireland. Our initial written submission highlights the views and experiences of the sector in more detail, while this statement outlines some of the more significant observations.

The parallel matters of bullying and mental health have never been more to the fore, particularly in recent months. Research informs us of the significant impact of bullying on mental health in "normal" circumstances and this has no doubt been compounded in different ways as we tackle our Covid-19 response. In addition, the relationship between bullying and mental health is further challenged by the reality that some young people are bullied because of their mental health issues and some develop mental health issues because of being bullied.

The policies and practices of anti-bullying procedures in schools under the patronage of ETBs at both primary and post-primary level are directed in the first instance by Department of Education procedures, guidelines and circulars. Additional materials and resources are accessed through the support agencies, such as the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment, the professional development service for teachers and the National Educational Psychological Service, NEPS.

As mentioned in our longer written submission, ETBI also wishes to acknowledge and reaffirm the significance of school culture as an important influence on tackling bullying at local level. The ETB core values of excellence in education, care, respect, equality and community lay the foundation for a responsive and restorative approach at individual, collective and community level for tackling both bullying and any aligned mental health impacts. ETB schools are unique in that they are Ireland's state school model and, as state schools, we provide for all children equally in a multi-denominational context. In consultation with our schools, ETBs have developed a clear ethos and we can confidently describe ETB schools as state, pro-education and multi-denominational, underpinned by the core values of excellence in education, care, equality, community and respect.

The ethos permeates all aspects of life in our schools, including our approaches to behaviour and anti-bullying measures. Research indicates that children and young people experience bullying as a result of various aspects of their identity. Our ethos, which informs the explicit and informal curriculum, teaches children and young people to recognise and value diversity in all areas of life.

In addition to incorporating Department of Education policy and its requirements, schools in the ETB sector also endeavour to engage in whole sector approaches that demonstrate and adopt diversity of engagement. These models of practice originate both within and outside of the formal education sector and aim to embed a preventative approach where possible. These engagements include the Goodness Me, Goodness You programme, which underpins the community national school policy to respect and recognise diversity, the instructional leadership programme that supports schools to facilitate the voice of the learner and ETB schools’ engagement in the BeLongTo – Safe and Supportive Schools programme, embracing a whole-school community model designed to create schools that are fully inclusive of LGBTI+ young people.

As acknowledgement and recognition of local and cultural context, many individual ETBs supplement specific elements of existing programmes with transition year, leaving certificate applied, and as part of individual subject specifications across the formal curriculum. In the informal and non-formal school community, student support and the impact of "one good adult" can be witnessed through the work of student support teams, the well-being programme, extracurricular, cross-curricular and community links, as well as the contribution to and from parents and guardians. Structured local programmes are also utilised where appropriate, such as the empathy education programme and the restorative justice approach.

The ETB sector endeavours to be responsive and pre-emptive in its approach to bullying and any mental health impacts but it will also continue to advocate for additional beneficial supports aligned to these matters. Our current recommendations include school-based resources related to online harassment and harmful communications, as well as initiatives which support the resilience and positive mental health of our staff, including principals, deputy principals, teachers and support staff.

In conclusion, it can be difficult to identify when students in our care are involved in bullying, whether as the person being bullied, the perpetrator, or both, and there are many ways that a young person can be affected both within and outside the school setting.