Resources for Parents & Educators
A child should not have to handle bullying alone. Use these conversation starters and articles to help children talk with adults, find support at school, and show kindness to classmates. Everything on this page is available without a purchase, donation, or sign-up.
For Parents: Start by Listening
Choose a calm moment and ask about a specific part of the day: "Who did you sit with at lunch?" or "Was there a time you felt left out?" Give your child time to answer. If they describe being hurt or excluded, thank them for telling you and explain that it is not their fault.
Avoid promising to keep everything secret. Explain that you may need help from another adult to keep them safe. Ask which teacher or other trusted adult they feel comfortable talking to.
Plan a next step together
- Write down what your child tells you, including when and where it happened.
- Contact the responsible teacher or school staff member and share your concerns privately.
- Ask what steps the school will take and agree when you will check in again.
- Keep listening after that first conversation; ask whether the situation has changed.
A Parent's Guide to Encouraging Open Communication
Ideas for active listening, open-ended questions, and validating a child's feelings, illustrated through Jack's fictional story.
Read the communication guide →For Educators: Make Support Concrete
Children need to know whom they can approach and how to ask for help. Explain your classroom's reporting route in language students understand. Listen privately to the children involved and follow your school's response procedures. Avoid asking children to describe a personal incident in front of the class.
Help classmates practice safe ways to include others: invite someone to sit with them, check in after an upsetting incident, or get help from an adult. A child does not have to confront someone or put themselves at risk to support a peer.
The Role of Teachers in Tackling Bullying
A story-based discussion of noticing a child's distress, listening, and taking responsibility for support in the classroom.
Read about the teacher's role →Why Every Child Needs a Supportive Community
Explore the roles of classmates, teachers, and parents in Jack's fictional story, then discuss ways to make inclusion part of daily life.
Read about a supportive community →Reading Together: Questions to Try
Stories create a starting point for talking about friendship without asking children to share personal experiences. These questions work with Outnumbered or another story about belonging:
- How can you tell when a character feels left out?
- Which adult could the character ask for help?
- What could a classmate do to help safely?
- What is one way we can welcome someone new this week?
Read about the Outnumbered story or learn about school and community readings.
More Guidance
These resources are educational. Outnumbered does not provide counseling or handle school incident reports. For an individual situation, speak with the child's caregiver and responsible school staff. The U.S. government's guidance on supporting children involved in bullying offers further steps for adults.