Children who have experienced SJS/TEN are often left with disabilities that make them particularly vulnerable to bullying.

Bullying is aggressive behavior that is intentional and that involves an imbalance of power or strength. Often, it is repeated over time. Bullying can take many forms, such as hitting, kicking, or shoving (physical bullying), teasing or name-calling (verbal bullying), intimidation through gestures or social exclusion (nonverbal bullying or emotional bullying), and sending insulting messages by text messaging or e-mail (cyberbullying).

There is a small but growing amount of research literature on bullying among children with disabilities and special needs. This research indicates that these children may be at particular risk of being bullied by their peers. Bullying leaves lasting scars that impede learning and development.

The resources gathered for this site are intended to help those with SJS/TEN, who may be experiencing or have experienced bullying, access support and advice in a comprehensive manner. Our thanks to Sarah Boxer, student advocate, who gathered these resources and designed this site, and whose sister Liz recovered from SJS several years ago.

We hope you find these sites useful. Please feel free to share the link to teachers or administrators looking to sensitize youngsters at their schools to the impact of bullying on those with disabilities.

More resources:

• Parents

  • Stop Bullying Before It Starts [click here]
    This link provides information from Best Practices in Bullying Prevention
  • How to Stop Bullying in School [click here]
    Multi-lingual resources to address bullying in the school environment
  • What Can I Do If My Child With A Disability Is Being Harassed In School? [click here]
    This link provides a fact sheet from the Ohio Legal Rights Service on what to do if a disabled child is being harassed at school.
  • Bullying in Out-of-School Time Programs: Tips for Youth-Serving Professionals and Volunteers [click here]
    This is a resource for people who work with youth out of school. Challenges and opportunities to bullying prevention are explored as well as prevention strategy suggestions.
  • Roles for Health and Safety Professionals in Bullying Prevention and Intervention [click here]
    This fact sheet explains what some health professionals/organizations are doing to prevent bullying. This could be used to assist a school in getting organizations involved in an intervention.
  • State Laws Related to Bullyin Among Children and Youth [click here]
    This fact sheet gives information about state laws related to bullying.
  • Working with Young People Who are Bullied: Tips for Mental Health Professionals [click here]
    This fact sheet gives mental health professionals guidelines in helping a child that has been bullied.
  • Working with Young People Who Bully Others: Tips for Mental Health Professionals [click here]
    This fact sheet gives mental health professionals guidelines in helping a child that bullies others. Principles of effective interventions and misdirected prevention techniques are shared.
  • Community-Based Bullying Prevention: Tips for Community Members [click here]
    This document provides information on why and how interventions/strategies for preventing bullying need to be community-wide.
  • Warning Signs that a Child is Being Bullied [click here]
    This is a link to a fact sheet about how to recognize if a child is being bullied and suggestions for parents of bullied children.
  • What Communities are Doing [click here]
    This website gives the elements of successful community based interventions. Examples of community based interventions are shared.
  • Understanding Bullying Within the Camp Setting: Tips for Parents [click here]
    This is a resource for parents who are concerned about bullying at camp.
  • Faith-Community Responses to Bullying Among Children and Youth [click here]
    This information could be used in faith based newsletters to inform faith-communities about bullying and let them know how they can get involved in prevention strategies.
  • Ten Steps for Families to Stop Cyber Bullying [click here]
    This website provides suggestions on how families can stop bullying over the internet.
  • The ABCs of Bullying: Addressing, Blocking, and Curbing School Aggression Prevention and Intervention - Parents [click here]
    This is a fact sheet for parents that provides guidelines on what they can do to help both victims and bullies.
  • The School Bully Can Take a Toll on Your Child's Mental Health [click here]
    This is a link to a resource for parents with information about the mental health effects bullying can have on children. It includes some simple steps parents can take to empower and teach their children to deal with bullies.
  • Cyber Bullying: Bullying in the Digital Age [click here]
    This website provides some great information about cyber bullying.
  • Cyber Bullying Quick Reference Guide for Parents [click here]
    This link provides information about cyber bullying prevention tips for parents to help keep their kids safe.
  • What to Do if Your Child is Being Bullied [click here]
    This link provides a resource for parents of bullied children.
  • How to Talk with Educators at Your Child's School about Bullying: Tips for Parents of Bullied Children [click here]
    This link provides tips for parents on how to talk with their child's school if he/she is being bullied.
  • PBS Kids Go: Parents/Teachers [click here]
    This website has articles, games, journaling ideas, videos, resources, and lesson plans that can help parents and teachers address bullying. Parents can also print activities to do offline with their children including discussion questions, worksheets and puzzles. Some of the resources are in Spanish.
  • What Parents Can Do About Childhood Bullying [click here]
    This link contains an article by Marlene Snyder, PhD on how parents can recognize bullying and help stop it.
  • Bully Prevention [click here]
    This website contains resources from the National Crime Prevention Council.
  • Bullying, Harassment, School-based Violence [click here]
    This link provides a list of handouts on bullying, harassment, and school-based violence from the Safe Schools Coalition.
  • National Youth Violence Prevention Resource Center [click here]
    Website of the National Youth Violence Prevention Resource Center for professionals, parents and youth on youth violence prevention.

• Students

  • Dealing with Bullying [click here]
    This is a link to article by the Nemours Foundation on how teens can deal with bullying.
  • Sexual Harassment at School: Know Your Rights: What is Sexual Harassment? [click here]
    This is a link to article by the Equal Rights Advocates on sexual harassment at school.
  • Stop Bullying Now! [click here]
    Website geared towards children on prevention of bullying.
  • Facts for Teens: Bullying [click here]
    This fact sheet gives youth information about bullying and strategies for dealing with bullying. Strategies are provided for both bullied youth and those who witness bullying.
  • The ABCs of Bullying: Addressing, Blocking, and Curbing School Aggression Prevention and Intervention - Students [click here]
    A resource of suggestions for how youth victims and witnesses should and shouldn't deal with bullying.
  • What Should I Do If I'm Bullied? [click here]
    A resource for children who are bullied including tips on how to deal with bullying.
  • What Can Students and Youth Do to "Lend a Hand?" [click here] This a resource for youth on how youth can "lend a hand" in preventing bullying.
  • Bullies: What is Bullying? [click here]
    Children can get information, ask for advice and help, and watch videos on bullying at this website.

• Teachers

  • Bullying in Out-of-School Time Programs: Tips for Youth-Serving Professionals and Volunteers [click here]
    This is a resource for people who work with youth out of school. Challenges and opportunities to bullying prevention are explored as well as prevention strategy suggestions.
  • Roles for Health and Safety Professionals in Bullying Prevention and Intervention [click here]
    This fact sheet explains what some health professionals/organizations are doing to prevent bullying. This could be used to assist a school in getting organizations involved in an intervention.
  • State Laws Related to Bullying Among Children and Youth [click here]
    This fact sheet gives information about state laws related to bullying.
  • Working with Young People Who are Bullied: Tips for Mental Health Professionals [click here]
    This fact sheet gives mental health professionals guidelines in helping a child that has been bullied.
  • Working with Young People Who Bully Others: Tips for Mental Health Professionals [click here]
    This fact sheet gives mental health professionals guidelines in helping a child that bullies others. Principles of effective interventions and misdirected prevention techniques are shared.
  • Best Practices in Bullying Prevention [click here]
    This fact sheet provides the 10 best strategies that represent "best practices" in bullying prevention and intervention.
  • Providing Support to Children Who Are Bullied: Tips for School Personnel and Other Adults [click here]
    This document provides suggestions to adults on how to support a child that is being bullied.
  • How to Intervene to Stop Bullying: Tips for On-the-Spot Intervention at School [click here]
    This document provides suggestions for on-the-spot interventions and follow up for bullying situations.
  • Fighting the Bully Battle: Discussion Activities for School Communities [click here]
    This discussion guide was created to help school personnel understand, prevent, and respond to bullying in schools. It contains information about bullying and has lesson plans for the classroom.
  • Preventing Bullying [click here]
    This document provides an overview of bullying including a description of bullying, prevalence rates, the impact of bullying on students, and what schools and students can do to counteract bullying.
  • The ABCs of Bullying: Addressing, Blocking, and Curbing School Aggression [click here]
    This is a fact sheet for teachers. It provides teachers with guidelines on what they can do to create a healthy environment physically and emotionally.
  • The ABCs of Bullying: Addressing, Blocking, and Curbing School Agression Prevention and Intervention - Teachers [click here]
    This is a fact sheet for teachers. It gives them guidelines on what they can do to create a healthy environment physically and emotionally.
  • Educational Forum on Adolescent Health: Youth Bullying [click here]
    This is a very comprehensive document from the American Medical Association that focuses on youth bullying with the goal to reduce injury and violence among adolescents.
  • Bullying is Not a Fact of Life [click here]
    This document was written for parents and school personnel to take steps toward preventing school bullying. Information about the Make Time to Listen - Take Time to Talk initiative is included in this document.
  • Best Practices in Bullying Prevention-Helping Youth Change Aggressive Behavior [click here]
    This fact sheet is a short document that presents the ABC's of how to prevent bullying.

• School Administrators

  • Misdirections in Bullying Prevention and Intervention [click here] This fact sheet describes effective and ineffective strategies for preventing bullying.
  • Best Practices in Bullying Prevention [click here]
    This fact sheet provides the 10 best strategies that represent "best practices" in bullying prevention and intervention.
  • Providing Support to Children Who Are Bullied: Tips for School Personnel and Other Adults [click here]
    This document provides suggestions to adults on how to support a child that is being bullied.
  • How to Intervene to Stop Bullying: Tips for On-the-Spot Intervention at School [click here]
    This document provides suggestions for on-the-spot interventions and follow up for bullying situations.
  • Bullying At School [click here]
    This document outlines California state and federal laws regarding behavior and discipline issues. It includes information about current studies documenting the effects of bullying on a student's ability to learn and succeed. Proven strategies addressing bullying are also shared.
  • Making a Difference in Bullying [click here]
    This link provides a detailed summary of research and interventions from the Canadian pioneers in bullying prevention.
  • Bullying At School Information [click here]
    This website has information to enable teachers, parents and young people to share ideas about how bullying should be addressed.
  • Bullying Prevention Is Crime Prevention. [click here]
    This document is a good resource for schools just beginning to learn what is available in bullying prevention. It provides the background of bullying as well as descriptions of effective and ineffective programs.
  • Schoolwide Prevention of Bullying Manual [click here]
    This booklet summarizes the research and literature on bullying, provides examples of how Northwest schools are addressing the issue and gives suggestions for adapting these ideas.
  • Fighting the Bully Battle: Discussion Activities for School Communities [click here]
    This discussion guide was created to help school personnel understand, prevent, and respond to bullying in schools. It contains information about bullying and has lesson plans for the classroom.
  • Stop Bullying! Guidelines for a Schools [click here]
    This is a guide written by the New Zealand government and police for schools to deal with bullying. Suggestions are provided for school communities, teachers and students. This guide provides practical advice that can be adapted for a variety of schools.
  • Preventing Bullying [click here]
    This document provides an overview of bullying including a description of bullying, prevalence rates, the impact of bullying on students, and what schools and students can do to counteract bullying.
  • The ABCs of Bullying: Addressing, Blocking, and Curbing School Agression Prevention and Intervention - Teachers [click here]
    This is a fact sheet for teachers. It gives them guidelines on what they can do to create a healthy environment physically and emotionally.
  • Educational Forum on Adolescent Health: Youth Bullying [click here]
    This is a very comprehensive document from the American Medical Association that focuses on youth bullying with the goal to reduce injury and violence among adolescents.
  • Bullying is Not a Fact of Life [click here]
    This document was written for parents and school personnel to take steps toward preventing school bullying. Information about the Make Time to Listen - Take Time to Talk initiative is included in this document.
  • Best Practices in Bullying Prevention-Helping Youth Change Aggressive Behavior [click here]
    This fact sheet is a short document that presents the ABC's of how to prevent bullying.
  • Creating a Peaceful School Learning Environment: The Impact of an Anti-bullying Program on Educational Attainment in Elementary Schools [click here]
    This link provides information about how students participating in this anti-bullying program for two consecutive years improved their academic test scores.
  • Action Against Bullying: A Support Pack For Schools. [click here] This link provides a resource package for schools wanting to implement anti-bullying initiatives.
  • Stop Bullying Now! Presenting Practical Research-Based Strategies to Reduce Bullying in Schools. [click here]
    This website provides research based information about that is helpful to school staff, parents, and bystanders.
  • Anti-bullying [click here]
    This resource provides practical advice, information and video downloads for parents and schools.
  • A Model Policy for Schools: Model Anti-Harassment Policy [click here]
    This link contains a model school anti-harassment policy created by the ACLU.
  • Bullying Model Programs [click here]
    This link provides a list of model anti-bullying programs from the U.S. Department of Education.
  • Student Handouts: What is Bullying? [click here]
    Student handout from St. Michael School, Independence, Ohio
  • Bullying Prevention Is Crime Prevention [click here]
    This link provides a report from Fight Crime: Invest in Kids on the importance of bullying prevention programs.
  • Hostile Hallways: Bullying, Teasing, and Sexual Harassment in School [click here]
    This link contains a report from American Association of University Women on bullying, teasing, and sexual harassment in schools.
  • Student Reports of Bullying [click here]
    Report from National Center for Education Statistics that examines the nature of bullying and victimization.
  • Exploring the Nature and Prevention of Bullying [click here]
    U.S. Department of Education web-based training course for educators.
  • Olweus Bullying Prevention Program [click here]
    This is a link for a training program for use in elementary, middle, or junior high schools.
  • The Steps to Respect Program [click here]
    This is a link for a training program offered by the Committee for Children regarding bullying prevention.
  • Center for the Prevention of School Violence [click here]
    This is a link to a resource center and think tank organization that promotes safer schools.
  • Steps to Address Bullying at Your School: Tips for School Administrators [click here]
    This document gives suggestions to administrators for dealing with bullying.
  • Documenting Bullying at Your School: Tips for School Administrators [click here]
    This document gives suggestions to administrators for documenting bullying incidents.
  • The ABCs of Bullying: Addressing, Blocking, and Curbing School Aggression Prevention and Intervention - Administrators [click here]
    This is a fact sheet for school administrators. It provides guidelines on what administrators can do to address bullying in their school. Information is included provided on for victims, bullies and bystanders.