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Bí Cineálta

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Bí Cineálta: A Guide for Parents and Guardians

The Department of Education has introduced the ‘Bí Cineálta’ (‘Be Kind’) procedures to prevent and address bullying behaviour in primary, post-primary, and special schools across Ireland. Developed collaboratively with education partners and informed by the insights of students, parents, school staff, and the wider education community, these procedures aim to foster a safe and inclusive school environment

Key Features of the Bí Cineálta Procedures:

  • Whole-School Approach: Encourages collaboration among students, parents, teachers, and all school staff to cultivate a culture where bullying is unacceptable.​
  • Addressing High-Risk Areas: Identifies and mitigates where bullying is more likely to occur.
  • Enhanced Supervision: Emphasises vigilant monitoring, particularly for students who may be more vulnerable to bullying.​
  • Promoting Open Communication: Advocates for the creation and display of a student-friendly version of the school’s Bí Cineálta policy, ensuring students are aware of reporting procedures and the support available to them
  • Follow-Up Support: Commits to checking in with students who have experienced bullying, as well as their parents, after 20 school days to ensure the issue has been resolved
  • Annual Policy Review: Involves gathering feedback from the entire school community, including parents, to inform the yearly evaluation of the school’s Bí Cineálta policy.​
  • Parental Partnership: Recognises parents as key partners in both preventing and addressing bullying behaviour.​
  • Transparent Reporting: Requires principals to provide verbal updates on bullying incidents and the measures taken to the Board of Management during each meeting, ensuring confidentiality by omitting personal details.​
  • Data Collection: Mandates recording each bullying incident to contribute to a national database, facilitating the creation of an annual report on bullying behaviour without identifying individual schools or students.​

Cyberbullying Considerations:

With the increased use of digital devices, the procedures acknowledge the challenges of cyberbullying. While schools are not responsible for cyberbullying incidents that occur outside school hours, they are obligated to act when such behaviour affects the school environment.​

Resources for Parents:

To support parents in understanding and engaging with the Bí Cineálta procedures, a range of resources are available. These include guidance documents, informational sessions, and materials designed to assist in recognising and addressing bullying behaviour. These resources can be accessed through the Department of Education’s website. ​

https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/e8f46-bi-cinealta-resources-for-primary-schools-post-primary-schools-and-parents/

Your Role as a Parent or Guardian:

  • Stay Informed: Familiarise yourself with the school’s Bí Cineálta policy and procedures.​
  • Open Dialogue: Maintain regular conversations with your child about their school experiences and encourage them to speak openly about any concerns.​
  • Collaborate with the School: Engage with teachers and school staff to address any issues and participate in policy reviews or feedback sessions.​
  • Utilise Available Resources: Access the provided materials to better understand bullying dynamics and effective intervention strategies.​

School Year 2024/25

Ballyhaunis Community School and the board of management will develop its Bí Cineálta policy during the 2024/2025 school year. The Bí Cineálta policy and the procedures will be formally adopted prior to the commencement of the 2025/2026 school year.

There is an increased focus on a partnership approach to preventing and addressing bullying behaviour:

  • We will collaborate with the entire school community, including our board of management, staff, students, and parents, to develop our Bí Cineálta
  • We will create a student-friendly version of our Bí Cineálta policy and display it in a visible location for students and the wider school community.
  • The school will engage with its community to develop and review the policy. The policy’s content will be communicated to the school community and the patron and will be published on the school’s website.

By working together, we can ensure that Ballyhaunis Community School remains safe, inclusive, and a supportive environment for all students.

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