The Anti-Bullying Alliance (ABA) is proud to launch its new guidance, Preventing and Responding to Racist Bullying: Practical guidance for schools and settings supporting children and young people.
Every child and young person has the right to feel safe, valued and included in their school or setting. Yet for too many children, racism continues to be a reality that impacts their wellbeing, sense of belonging and ability to thrive.
We regularly hear from children and young people who have experienced racist language, stereotypes, exclusion and discrimination. We also hear from school staff who want to do more but who often tell us they would welcome greater support and clearer guidance on how to prevent and respond to racist bullying effectively.
That is why we have developed this new guidance.
While schools have a vital role to play in promoting inclusion, challenging prejudice and responding to incidents when they occur, many staff are navigating increasingly complex issues with limited practical guidance available to support them. We wanted to create a resource that helps schools feel confident in preventing racist bullying, responding effectively when incidents occur and creating environments where every child feels they belong.
This guidance has been developed with input and support from organisations working across anti-racism, education, safeguarding and anti-bullying. We are grateful to colleagues from:
- The African Caribbean Education Network (ACEN)
- BulliesOut
- Child1st Safeguarding Consultancy Limited
- Childnet
- Coram Kidscape
- Coram SCARF
- Equilibria
- Everyday Racism
- NASUWT
- Not So Micro
- NSPCC
- Parent Zone
- Solutions Not Sides
- The Black Nursery Manager (Training & Consultancy) Ltd
Their expertise, challenge and support have helped strengthen this guidance and ensure it reflects the experiences and needs of schools, children and young people.
Why this guidance is needed
In recent years, we have seen growing concern about racism and racist bullying within schools and wider society. We know that racist bullying can have a profound impact on children's wellbeing, mental health, attendance, educational outcomes and sense of belonging.
Racist bullying can occur face to face or online and may include racist language, stereotyping, exclusion, discrimination and harassment. It can leave children feeling isolated, unsafe and unable to fully participate in school life.
At the same time, many education staff tell us they are worried about getting it wrong. They want practical advice, clear language and confidence when responding to incidents. They want support to create cultures where diversity is celebrated, prejudice is challenged and all pupils feel respected.
As Anti-Bullying Alliance Co-Chairs Jennifer Moses and Will Gardner OBE write in the foreword:
"Good intentions alone are not enough. Staff need the confidence, knowledge and practical tools to recognise, prevent and respond to racist bullying consistently and effectively."
This guidance aims to provide exactly that.
What the guidance covers
The guidance has been designed as a practical resource for teachers, support staff, pastoral teams, senior leaders and anyone working with children and young people in schools and settings.
It includes advice on:
- Understanding racism, racist incidents and racist bullying
- Recognising the links between racism and other forms of prejudice based bullying
- Creating a culture of belonging, inclusion and respect
- Promoting and celebrating diversity throughout school life
- Preventing racist bullying through a whole school approach
- Responding effectively to racist incidents and racist bullying
- Supporting pupils who have been targeted
- Working with pupils whose behaviour has caused harm
- Working constructively with parents and carers
- Recording, reporting and learning from incidents
- Building staff confidence through training, reflection and professional development
The guidance also emphasises the importance of prevention. Effective responses to racist bullying begin long before an incident occurs. Schools that actively promote inclusion, belonging and respect for diversity are better placed to prevent racist bullying, recognise concerns early and respond confidently when incidents arise.
A whole-school approach
There is no single action that will eradicate racist bullying. Addressing it requires leadership, education, reflection and a whole-school approach.
Schools need policies and procedures that are understood by staff, pupils and families. They need environments where diversity is reflected positively throughout the curriculum and wider school life. They need staff who feel confident discussing race and challenging prejudice. Most importantly, they need cultures where children and young people feel safe speaking up and know they will be listened to when concerns arise.
As highlighted in the foreword:
"There is no single action that will eradicate racist bullying. Addressing it requires commitment, leadership, education and ongoing reflection."
We hope this guidance helps schools and settings feel more confident in tackling racist bullying and supports them to create environments where every child feels safe, valued, respected and included.
We would like to thank the many organisations, professionals and young people who contributed their expertise, challenge and lived experience throughout the development of this guidance. Together, we hope this resource supports meaningful action and contributes to creating more inclusive schools for all children and young people.
📥 Download Preventing and Responding to Racist Bullying: Practical guidance for schools and settings supporting children and young people today.