Leaflets aim to tackle bus bullying

CHILDREN are being given help in learning to deal with bullies on buses, thanks to pioneering work by a young people's charity.

Kidscape has been distributing thousands of anti-bullying leaflets to schools in Plymouth. The leaflets address worries children might have while using public transport.

Nearly a third of teenagers travel to school by bus.

The new leaflet, designed to equip children with the skills they need to travel safely, has been partly funded by a £6,000 donation by the bus operator FirstGroup.

Now Kidscape wants to train bus drivers as part of the next step in tackling bullying on buses.

Parents are also included: Kidscape has produced a '10 tip' advice leaflet about what to do if your child is faced with bullying.

Both leaflets are available free to download on the Kidscape website, www.kidscape.org.uk

The leaflet aimed at young people advises: "Always tell an adult if you are being bullied. Keep telling until someone listens. Ask the driver to deal with the bully.

"Shout 'No!' very loudly so everyone knows what is happening. Move to a different seat near the driver or a responsible adult where you can't see the bully, and they can't see you. Stay with a group of friends if you can, to support each other."

Marc Reddy, managing director of First Devon and Cornwall, said: "First is delighted to be able to support this project. Thousands of children and young people travel to and from school by bus every day and while the majority will probably never encounter problems it's worth preparing young people for the challenges they may, one day face.

"The tips offered in the leaflet are useful and practical and I suspect that they will be welcomed by children and young people, their parents and teachers."

Councillors on Plymouth City Council's Children and Young People Overview and Scrutiny panel were hearing about the groundbreaking work at their meeting today from representatives of First Devon and Cornwall and Plymouth CityBus.

Claude Knights, director of Kidscape, said: "These new leaflets will offer young people travelling by bus practical tips on how to deal with the worries they may have, in some cases if they feel ill during a journey or what to do if they are being unfairly picked on by another person."

Actress Jill Halfpenny, best known for her TV role as Kate in EastEnders, and a patron of the charity, said: "Kidscape gets to the very core of the issue by working closely with the children and providing them with invaluable tools which they can use throughout their lives. These leaflets will really help those children and young people who travel to school by bus and who may experience some difficulties doing so. FirstGroup should be commended for funding the production of these leaflets, ensuring that Kidscape is able to distribute them to so many schools for free."