Even though bullying behaviour is not tolerated in schools, it continues to occur across all age groups.

Outline strategies to identify and address bullying issues in early childhood settings. By developing in children techniques to cope with and also fostering a culture of no-bullying in the early childhood setting, we are taking preventative measures to limit the incidence of bullying as it occurs in later age groups; to first take steps in addressing the issue, the mediator must first be able to identify them, especially as bullying is not always self-evident and a victim of bullying may not always be forthcoming about the problem. The identification of bullying can be achieved (before conversation is initiated) through being aware of various indicators that in a childs physical behaviour and expression, their social interaction and communications and also in their overall wellbeing and development.

It is important that mediators create a safe educational environment, to maintain this they must observe children and search for indications of bullying. The effects of bullying can often manifest in a childs physical behaviour and expression, physical indicators a mediator could search for include non-verbal cues such as a muted tone, slouched posture or avoiding eye contact. Other physical behaviour to indicate a child is being bullied is giving away food, or avoiding eating in front of other children (Baker n.d). Children may also start to push or tease other children, in an effort to mimic their bully. It is imperative for a mediator to set a policy on bullying and its consequences, as well as what children can do when confronted with a bully. Children require concrete examples of what they are being taught in order to make sense of the world as it applies to them (Storey, 2008) A mediator should encourage children to look at the world through the perspective of others, this can be achieved by asking questions like how would you feel if that happened to you?. It is a mediators role to help children establish a sense of social boundaries, this can be accomplished through use of short, simple phrases, for example we dont hit at school. Teaching children to pay attention to the feelings of others will train them to be considerate; in later life being perceptive to the needs of others is essential to being a productive member of society. The use of a simple phrase such as we dont hit at school or learning to listen and wait your turn to speak when somebody else is talking can help to create a sense of social boundaries. Once children recognise that certain behaviour is appropriate in one place but not another, they gain a sense of appropriate timing. Teaching these boundaries early will prevent socially inappropriate behaviour in the future, as during adulthood they will need to adapt the concept of what is socially appropriate to suit various social encounters. A mediator can also perceive indicators of bullying through a childs social interactions, a child who is a victim of bullying may deliberately exclude themselves from other children. Another indicator is using truancy or illness to avoid a situation where they might be bullied, or they may simply stop spending time with regular playmates (Lane, 2011). A class with a zero-tolerance policy towards bullying can help to prevent social issues by teaching methods of emotional control. If a child is being bullied, the mediator should encourage them to use a calm, assertive nature when confronted (Storey 2008) and make it

clear that the child is not responsible for being bullied; only the actions they take to deal with the issue. The mediator must also teach exercises in emotional control to children who bully, this can be done by making it clear that feelings of aggression are normal, and there are acceptable ways to deal with them but hurting others is not one. Encouraging a child who is a victim of bullying to ignore the bully, or remain calm and confident nature will be of use in later life as it builds emotional control (Linke, 2009), crucial factor in future social interactions. Teaching exercises in emotional control to children who bully will help build skills in understanding their feelings and the consequences of their actions towards other people, this will prepare them to be adults who are aware of their feelings and can effectively express them without upsetting others. The emotional consequences of bullying or being bullied can massively effect the wellbeing and development of a child, indicators that a childs wellbeing and development are being affected by bullying are a loss of interest in activities previously enjoyed, anxiety and a loss of confidence as well as physical symptoms such as abdominal pain, problems sleeping, bedwetting and loss of appetite. A mediator using a no-tolerance policy towards bullying can help prevent the issues it creates in wellbeing and development by encouraging children to take interest in each others activities and abilities and learning what they have in common. When dealing with a victim of bullying, it is vital that a mediator teaches the victim to forgive the bully for their behaviour, and not hold any resentment, as well as accepting that it is not their fault they were bullied, but they were able to work through it (Deverich, n.d). Teaching children to be attentive to the interests of others, and trying to help them find common interests will help them grow into adults who are able to confidently engage in conversation with a sense of respect for what others have to say. Coaching a victim of bullying to forgive their bully and accept that they are not responsible for being bullied will help them not to feel personally responsible for being victimized, as well as preventing a reflex of resentment towards things they cannot change, this becomes important when facing issues such as dislike for a co-worker as an adult.

In conclusion, by learning to identify the signs of bullying in young children through physical expression, social interaction and a childs wellbeing and development, a mediator is able to impart techniques to confront and resolve bullying issues. By making a zerotolerance policy towards bullying a class initiative, and teaching skills such as social boundaries, emotional control and shared perspectives to young children, a mediator can prevent self-esteem issues and difficulty adapting to society as well as help children to become considerate, respectful adults.

References:

Baker, F. (n.d.). What Parents Can Do About Bullying - School Bully. Kidspot Australia Parenting site and pregnancy resource - Information on Pregnancy, baby, toddler & kids. Retrieved from http://www.kidspot.com.au/schoolzone/Bullying-What-parents-cando-about-bullying+4619+395+article.htm

Department for Education and Child Development (2011). Anti-Bullying Policy - School Audit Checklist and Support Information. Department for Education and Child Development (DECD). Retrieved from http://www.decd.sa.gov.au/speced2/files/links/Draft_for_web_Anti_bullyin.pdf Deverich, S. (n.d.) Relational Bullying. Retrieved from: http://foreverfamilies.byu.edu/Article.aspx?a=124

Lane, N. (2011). Five Indicators Your Child Is Being Bullied. Retrieved from: http://www.awesomeparents.com/five-indicators-your-child-is-being-bullied/

Linke, P. (2009). Dealing with Bullying Together: Prevention and resolution.earlychildhoodaustralia.org. Retrieved from http://www.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au/pdf/rips/RIP0901_sample.pdf

Storey EdD, K., & Slaby PhD, R. (2008). What can you do? A toolkit to prevent bullying in children's lives. Eyes on Bullying, 1(1). Raijntjes, A, Vermande, M, Goossens, F.A, Olthof, T, van de Scoot, L.A, van der Meulen, M. (2013). Developmental trajectories of bullying and social dominance in youth. Child Abuse & Neglect.