Julia Gillard, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Education, has issued the following press release. Click here to download the complete report on the research (555Kb PDF file).

The Minister for Education, Julia Gillard, today released Australian research on the ‘Method of Shared Concern’ which seeks to resolve cases of bullying without the use of punishment. This approach seeks to empower students who have contributed to bullying or become aware of bullying to act.

The Government understands that there is not a one-size-fits-all solution to bullying in our schools but has been determined to provide teachers and school leaders with a range of tools to help them deal with bullying. The Rudd Government is committed to promoting safe and supportive schools and has funded a range of initiatives and research into the prevalence of bullying, the emergence of cyber bullying and importantly, how to stop the incidence of bullying.

All of the research has found that the prevalence of bullying in our schools is on the rise. The nature of bullying is changing though with the emergence of cyber-bullying. The Government is working with parents, teachers, experts and students themselves to stop bullying in our schools as well as beyond the school gate.

The Method of Shared Concern approach has been seen as an important component in anti-bullying programs in countries around the world including England, Spain and Finland.

The National Safe Schools Framework (NSSF) is a set of nationally-agreed principles for safe and supportive school environments. The Framework provides a guide for schools to help them address the serious issues of bullying, harassment and violence in their classrooms and playgrounds. The Framework is currently being reviewed to ensure it remains relevant in today’s context and to take account of the emergence of technology which has enabled new forms of bullying to occur. This research into the Method of Shared Concern will contribute to the review.

The Government is funding a $3 million pilot program in around 160 schools around the country to work out what methods are currently being used in schools and whatworks. The Government has also made a commitment of $125.8 million over four years to a Cyber-Safety Plan which is being delivered by the Department of Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy.

Applying the Method of Shared Concern in Australian Schools – an Evaluative Study, was commissioned under the previous Howard Government and undertaken by the University of South Australia.