DISABILITY charity Contact a Family
is inviting Hampshire parents worried
that their disabled child is being bullied
to a free local workshop to help
them deal with it.
 

The charity’s Blowing the Whistle
on Bullying workshop on 9 June at
The Link, Cosham Baptist Church in
Cosham aims to help parents find out
more about bullying and how they can
support their child.
 

Topics covered on the half day workshop
include recognising the signs of
bullying, tips for talking to your child
about being bullied and how to support
them and working with schools to
address bullying.
 

We get lots of calls to our helpline
from parents whose children are
being bullied, so we hear first-hand
about the distress it causes.
 

Disabled children are more likely to
be bullied than children who aren’t
disabled because they might look different,
behave differently, or learn at a
slower rate than their peers.
 

And disabled children who spend
time out of school for medical treatment,
or move between schools for
example, may have less opportunity to
form stable friendships which can also
lead to bullying.
 

Reporting bullying can be difficult
for a disabled child who may not be
able to communicate what has happened,
may not know who to tell, or
may not even realise that they are
being bullied.
 

It’s important to remember there is a
way forward. That’s why we have
organised this free workshop to help
parents in Hampshire understand
more about it and to prevent or stop it
happening to their child.
 

The session takes place from 10am-
2pm – places are free and refreshments
and lunch will be provided.
 

To book a place call 07825 185608.
Booking is essential and available on a
first come, first served basis.
 

Angie Fenn, Contact a Family,
City Road, London