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No Blame: Kidscape's Viewpoint

Kidscape has a file full of complaints from parents about the 'no blame' method - several have withdrawn their children from schools employing it.

Basically, the teacher using the No Blame approach:

  1. does not try to discover factual evidence about the bullying incident or incidents
  2. invites the victim of bullying to produce a piece of writing illustrating his/her unhappiness
  3. gets a group of bullies together (sometimes with other pupils included)
  4. then shares the writing of the victim’s unhappiness with the bullies
  5. does not blame anyone and says no one is in trouble or going to be punished
  6. finds that the group of bullies is genuinely moved by the distress of the victim and will find a way to help the victim
  7. never keeps a written record and trusts that the bully group will have a positive outcome

This information is from the No Blame website.

This concern about the 'no blame' approach is shared by leading researchers. Professor Dan Olweus, considered the world expert in the field of bullying prevention, says that the 'no blame' approach does not work and "it would be very unfortunate if schools tried to use this instead of more effective methods."

Bullies should apologise to victims, feel ashamed of what they've done and there should be consequences or they will go through life thinking they can do anything they wish to others. Long-term studies of bullies show that they are 4 times more likely to end up in prison, to abuse their spouses and children and to have difficulty with relationships and holding down jobs.

Caring parents raise children to accept responsibility for their actions. We reward good behaviour and sanction bad. This trendy, flawed 'no blame' approach only reinforces the idea that actions, including bullying, have no consequences. It is a charter for bullies and a recipe for disaster for victims.

Michele Elliott, Kidscape Director

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