AQW 10031/22-27

Ms Paula Bradshaw
Alliance Party
South Belfast

Tabled Date: 12/04/2024
Answered On Date: 19/04/2024
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister of Education what research his Department has commissioned on the impact of current intervention and prevention strategies for bullying in schools since 2016.

Answer:

The Department’s last research study on bullying type behaviour in our schools was completed in 2011.

I recognise that it would be beneficial to commission a new study in order to:

gather up-to-date data on the nature and prevalence of bullying type behaviour;

baseline the impact of the Addressing Bullying in Schools Act (NI) 2016;

gather evidence on the profile of pupils involved in bullying type behaviour;

quantify the impact, identify challenges and emerging issues in relation to bullying type behaviour; and

highlight best practice in addressing bullying type behaviour in schools.

I will consider the scope to commission this research within the context of the Department’s final budget allocation for this financial year.