Conference Proceedings - School of Nursing & Midwifery - Trinity ...

School of Nursing & Midwifery, Trinity College Dublin: 8 th Annual Interdisciplinary Research Conference
Transforming Healthcare Through Research, Education & Technology: 7 th – 9 th November 2007
Conference Proceedings
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Research Study: An Exploration of Children Bullying Other
Children in the Residential Setting as Seen Through the Eyes
of the Social Care Worker.
Miss Jan Davis, S.R.N, R.S.C.N, B (Phil) Ed., (M.Soc.Sc.).
Training & Development Officer.
The Childcare Training & Development Unit, Local Health Office,
North Dublin, Primary Community Care Directorate, Health Service
Executive, Dublin North East, 3 rd Floor, Park House, North Circular
Road, Dublin 7.
Phone: 01: 8823447. Fax: 01 8823491.
E. Mail: jan.davis@mail.hse.ie
The aim: The study set out to explore the problem of children
bullying other children in the residential setting in Ireland. Sinclair
and Gibbs (1998:p523) undertook a study of 224 children/young
people living in the residential settings in Britain, a total of 44%
said they had been bullied during their stay. A total of 41% said
they had been bullied before moving into the residential setting. The
author considered these figures to indicate that bullying behaviour
is a real problem for children living in such an environment. Such
studies are not to be found in the Irish setting.
The reasons for undertaking this small-scale study was to inform
practitioners about the problems the child faced, if she/he exhibited
this behaviour and the problems faced by the victim and to look at
ways to prevent/manage the situation based upon the research
findings.
Methodology: The first part of the study involved an exploration
analysis of national and international literature. The second part of
the study involved interviewing six social care workers. The
participants were chosen using the semi-purposive sampling
technique. The author designed a semi-structured interview topic
guide, which allowed the participants to describe in detail their
experiences. The process of analysis was undertaken using constant
comparative analysis.
Findings: Much of the research undertaken into children bullying
other children centres upon the school environment. Corby
(2000:p83) highlights that bullying in schools was considered a
school behaviour problem. However he notes that more and more
linkages are being made between bullying behaviour and the
behaviours outside the school setting, such as in the context of the
home and other settings. All of the participants of this study noted
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