Prejudice-driven bullies targeted

Schools are getting more powers to tackle bullying

A drive to tackle prejudice-based bullying in schools is being launched by the government.

Research and guidance on bullying because of faiths, homophobia or special needs is to be produced.

It comes as schools get more powers to tackle bullying, as set out in the education act, which received Royal Assent earlier this month.

Meanwhile, the Education and Skills Select Committee is to begin its inquiry into bullying.

The government has commissioned the charity Beatbullying to assess the prevalence of faith-based bullying in schools while Stonewall will produce guidance on tackling homophobic bullying.

'Nip it in the bud'

Tailored guidance will also be developed on tackling children with special needs, since available evidence suggests that children with special needs are much more likely to experience bullying than their peers.

Schools minister Jim Knight said: "It is important that schools nip prejudice-based bullying in the bud. We want to ensure that schools have the information and support they need to prevent it happening in the first place and the powers they need to stamp on it when it does occur."

The National Autistic Society is among those giving evidence to the Education and Skills Committee.

It is also launching its 'B is for Bullied' report, as part of anti-bullying week.

The NAS claims that at least 40% of children with autism and 60% of children with Asperger syndrome report that they have been bullied at school.

Many parents said that bullying had led their child to self-harm or even become suicidal.

Tougher powers

It says children with autism are vulnerable to bullying because, while they look like any other child, they act differently.

Some children can appear to be locked in their own world, while others lack the social skills to fit in with their peer group.

The NAS wants social skills training to be more widely available for those with autism.

It also wants schools to change the way they view bullying on the grounds of disability.

It claims that many schools tackle other forms of bullying by targeting the bully - but for disability-based bullying the strategy usually involves helping the bullied pupil.

The tougher powers given to schools within the education act include giving teachers the unquestionable right to discipline and the right to use reasonable force.

Schools will also be able to ask the courts to impose £1,000 fines on parents - before this was the preserve of the local authority.