Every year, Anti-Bullying Week shines a spotlight on an issue that affects millions of children and young people. But the theme for Anti-Bullying Week is never chosen at random.
At the Anti-Bullying Alliance, we work closely with young people, schools, academics, charities and organisations across our membership network to understand the issues children and young people are facing right now. This year’s theme, Break the Silence, has been shaped by what we are hearing from young people themselves (over 200 young people gave us feedback) and backed by research and evidence from across the UK and around the world.
Because when it comes to bullying, the evidence is clear: silence can allow bullying to continue, and too many children and young people are still struggling alone.
So we’ve pulled together a short blog that references all the statements we make in our Anti-Bullying Week 2026: Break the Silence call to action.
“Bullying is still affecting millions of children and young people”
Bullying remains a significant issue for children and young people across the UK.
Research highlighted by the Anti-Bullying Alliance found that one in five pupils in Years 7 to 13 reported being bullied in the last year. Read more here.
International research from the OECD also found that around one in four 15-year-olds in the UK reported being bullied at least a few times a month. Read more here.
For some groups of children and young people, the rates are even higher. Research from the Anti-Bullying Alliance found that 36% of pupils with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities experience frequent bullying compared to 25% of pupils without SEND. Read more here.
Meanwhile, Childline delivered more than 6,600 counselling sessions last year where bullying was the main concern. Read more here.
These are not just numbers. They represent children and young people whose wellbeing, confidence, sense of belonging and education are being affected every day.
“Too many children and young people still stay silent”
One of the strongest reasons for choosing this year’s theme is the evidence showing that many children and young people still do not tell anyone when bullying happens.
Ditch the Label’s Anti-Bullying Survey found that 72% of young people who experienced bullying behaviour reported it, while 28% did not tell anybody about their experiences. The most common reasons for not reporting bullying were fears that it would get worse (38%), being labelled a “snitch” (38%), embarrassment (34%), and feeling that the bullying was not serious enough (32%). In addition, 24% said they had previously reported bullying and nothing happened, while 17% felt teachers did not care. Read more here.
Research has shown that some children experiencing online bullying never speak to anyone about it. Data from the Office for National Statistics found that 18% of children who experienced online bullying did not tell anyone. Read more here.
NSPCC and Childline regularly highlight that children may stay silent because they are worried they will not be believed, fear things getting worse, feel embarrassed, or think nothing will change. Read more here.
And silence is not only experienced by children who are being bullied.
Research into bullying behaviours and peer dynamics shows that many young people witness bullying without intervening because they feel unsure what to do, fear social consequences, or worry about becoming targets themselves. Some young people may also struggle to speak openly if they feel pressured into negative behaviours within friendship groups or online spaces.
You can read more about research into peer roles and bullying behaviours here.
This year’s theme recognises all of those experiences.
“Bullying is evolving in a changing world”
Bullying today can happen in increasingly complex ways.
While most bullying still happens face to face, research shows that online bullying continues to be a major issue for children and young people. Group chats, social media, anonymous messaging, image sharing and emerging technologies like AI capabilities are all creating new spaces where harmful behaviour can occur.
Research from the Anti-Bullying Alliance found that nearly one in three pupils who experienced bullying said that some of it happened online. Read more here.
Meanwhile, the Office for National Statistics found that 92.6% of children go online daily or almost daily, with 30.1% online almost all the time. Read more here.
Childline has also reported increasing concerns around:
- group chat bullying
- online harassment
- harmful posts and image sharing
- peer pressure online
You can read Childline's stats here.
At the same time, children and young people are growing up in a world that can sometimes feel more divided, less empathetic and more hostile online. Research from UNESCO and other international organisations continues to show the importance of school belonging, supportive relationships and positive school cultures in protecting children and young people from bullying and harm. Read more here.
UNESCO research has also found links between lower bullying levels, stronger feelings of school belonging and better learning outcomes. Read more here.
That is why this year’s campaign is not only about encouraging children to speak up. It is also about creating environments where young people feel safe to do so and where adults are ready to listen, support and act.
Why breaking the silence matters
Research consistently shows that positive relationships, trusted adults, peer support and whole-school approaches can help reduce bullying and improve wellbeing.
NSPCC guidance highlights the importance of children having trusted adults they can talk to and being listened to without judgement. Read more here.
Research from the Anti-Bullying Alliance has also explored the links between bullying, wellbeing and belonging. Read more here.
When bullying is talked about openly, when children feel heard, and when schools and communities work together, bullying loses its power.
That is what Anti-Bullying Week 2026 is all about.
This November, we are encouraging everyone to start the conversation:
- Talk about bullying
- Listen without judgement
- Support one another
- Speak up safely
- Create kinder environments where all children and young people feel they belong
Because every conversation matters. Every act of support matters. And every voice raised against bullying can make a difference.
Join us for Anti-Bullying Week 2026: Break the Silence
Anti-Bullying Week 2026 will take place from Monday 16th to Friday 20th November.
As always, we will be providing free resources for schools and settings, including lesson plans, assemblies, activities, films and campaign materials, alongside the return of Odd Socks Day.
Together, we can break the silence around bullying.
