NSW Overhauls School Bullying Policies, Shifts Focus to Counselling Over Punishment
The New South Wales government is set to overhaul its approach to school bullying, scrapping zero-tolerance policies and suspensions in favour of a new framework that prioritises counselling over punishment. Education Minister and Deputy Premier Prue Car has announced plans to roll out these anti-bullying guidelines across the state, following a successful trial at a school in Hurstville in Sydney’s south.
New Framework Emphasises Prevention and Support
Under the new framework, current policies involving suspension and expulsion will be axed. Instead, schools will focus on well-being counselling for students who bully, while providing bullied students with personalised safety plans. Car explained that this approach is not about prioritising one group over another, but rather about preventing bullying from occurring in the first place.
"This new framework that’s been used at Hurstville and that we’re rolling around the state will include punishment if it’s at the very end and everything has been tried," Car told Sunrise on Monday. "But really, it focuses on prevention; it focuses on making sure that we’re explicitly teaching our young people how to emotionally regulate."
Mandatory Action Within Two Days
As part of the overhaul, every school will be required to action bullying complaints within two days under a triage system to maintain registration with the NSW Education Standards Authority. Car emphasised that this requirement ensures timely responses and support for all students involved.
"Every school, in order to keep its registration... will have to work in this framework. Every child that complains of being bullied, that complaint will have to be actioned in two days... in addition, we will make sure the rest of the school is supported to feel like they belong, to help them emotionally regulate, so that we prevent getting to the cases of bullying to start with," she said.
Targeted Interventions and Community Focus
Car highlighted that international evidence shows bullying peaks around the age of 10, prompting targeted classroom interventions at that age group. The framework will include specific programs to teach emotional regulation and foster a sense of belonging among students.
"A lot of the work in the classroom will be done around that age to ensure that we’re making sure that kids know how to deal with emotions and that we can encourage a sense of belonging as well at that age group, so we can prevent getting to the bullying instead," she said.
Additionally, the framework will focus on building a sense of belonging across entire school communities to prevent bullying before it starts, aiming to create a safer and more inclusive environment for all students.
