Description

Friendly School and Families is a whole-school bullying prevention program that incorporates evidence-based strategies to manage and prevent bullying in schools. The program provides resources to build school capacity to systematically respond to bullying, and provides strategies to parents, teachers, and students to effectively prevent and manage bullying.

Friendly Schools Plus extends and updates the Friendly Schools and Families program, incorporating an additional 6 years of research into best-practice bullying prevention processes. Friendly Schools Plus incorporates evidence-based strategies to deal with cyber-bullying in schools.

Evaluation Evidence

A three year effectiveness trial called Friendly Schools Friendly Families demonstrated positive outcomes for students exposed to the intervention. These students experienced a significant reduction in bullying behaviour, greater feelings of safety and happiness at school and an increase in social skills relative to the students in schools that did not receive the program (Cross et al, 2010).

Monitoring Recommendations

• An outline of a monitoring system is available from the program developer (details of monitoring will differ between schools).

• Boards should negotiate agreements to receive regular progress reports and request to observe some activities.

• Monitoring information should include: program coordination; satisfaction with training; list of components selected for delivery; trends in bullying; and relevant standardised child behaviour and adjustment measures.

Contact: 

Kevlynn Annandale
STEPS Professional Development

P: (08) 9373 2203

W: www.friendlyschools.com.au