Not one of the 61 anti-bullying programmes being considered by the government for compulsory use in schools is fully fit for purpose, a report into the matter has concluded.

However, 13 of the programmes are ‘promising’, says the report requested by junior education minister Sander Dekker and children’s ombudsman Marc Dullaert.

The government is introducing a new strategy to deal with school bullying after two high-profile suicides by teenagers last year. Schools are to be required by law to take action to combat bullying, and school inspectors will be able to step in if schools fail to protect pupils properly, according to the new strategy.

Tweaking

The 13 promising anti-bullying programmes have been assessed as needing some small tweaking to be ready for use in schools in 2015, the Telegraaf reports.

Among them are the KIVa method from Finland where the approach is not confined to the bully and the victim, but involves the whole class to encourage other pupils to stand up for the victim and to confront the bully.

Another method is to train the victim to think positively about himself or herself, so that the child feels less social stress.

Teachers are to be given extra training to learn how to identify bullying and to combat it. Extra attention will also be paid to the subject at teacher training colleges.