A NEW strategy has been launched by Glasgow City Council to tackle bullying in local schools.

Council bosses have revealed the revised policy which outlines a number of initiatives which can be put in place to tackle the issue for young people.

Based on Respect for All: The National Approach to Anti-Bullying for Scotland’s Children and Young People , it provides guidance for establishments on the prevention, identification and recording of incidences of bullying and discriminatory behaviour.

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It also gives advice on how to respond to alleged bullying, asking schools and nurseries to draw up their own individual plans for their institutions, based on local needs.

As well as outlining a clear definition of bullying and those who could be targeted, several methods of prevention are also put forward, including anti-bullying assemblies, school relationships policies, and buddying and mentoring systems.

The council now hopes these plans ensure that bullying is not seen as a 'typical part' of growing up in the city.

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Barry Syme, education services' city principal psychologist, said: "Bullying behaviour is never acceptable within Glasgow City Council’s schools or early learning centres.

All children and young people have an entitlement to work and play in a learning environment in which they feel valued, respected and safe and are free from all forms of abuse, bullying or discrimination.

"This is a comprehensive and internationally binding agreement on the rights of children. It is based on equality, dignity, respect, protection, development and participation. Glasgow City Council recognises that bullying is a breach of children’s rights."

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The strategy comes as Scotland's anti-bullying service announced a nationwide push to put young people's voices at the heart at the heart of development of best practice in schools.

Launched at the beginning of National Anti-Bullying Week 2019, the new initiative, being led by respectme aims to make a transformative change to the lives of young people affected by bullying.

Across the country, three in 10 children and young people say they have experienced bullying, with as many as 10 per cent having to endure this 'most days'.

The ‘Change Starts With Us’ campaign will help grow young anti-bullying change makers in local communities until the end of the school year.

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Katie Ferguson, service director for respectme, said: “Young people are experiencing bullying behaviour, they understand it and its impact, and therefore they should be the people we listen to when developing new strategies to address the problem.

“The campaign will galvanise young people across Scotland to take charge, shape policy and create a culture of accountability and change.

“The genuine involvement and leadership of young people is often the key to bringing about real and lasting culture change. For the first time, we will launch a youth leader’s toolkit that takes young people through the process of setting up an effective anti-bullying campaign.

"Successful anti-bullying work needs everyone to work together, but within this the experiences and ideas of young people must be listened to, taken seriously, and directly inform our approaches."