Children express fears of bullying as schools prepare to reopen in Finland

As schools prepare to reopen, concerns about bullying are increasingly prominent in discussions with children, according to the child welfare organization SOS Children’s Village. The organization offers an Apuu-chat service aimed at children aged 7-15, staffed by professionals and trained volunteers. In recent weeks, more children and young people have expressed fear of bullying in the chat.

Reetta Kosonen, the team leader for Apuu-chat, explained that children might feel apprehensive about going to school if they have heard about incidents of bullying, even if they have not experienced it themselves. Last year, Apuu-chat facilitated 35,000 conversations, with 17% addressing bullying, predominantly in school contexts. Anxiety is often the primary reason for contact, and experiences of bullying frequently emerge from these discussions.

In the capital region, there is a concerning trend where children or youths are challenged to fights, which are reportedly organized outside of school hours based on chat interactions. This phenomenon has not been observed elsewhere in Finland.

To enhance prevention efforts, SOS Children’s Village launched a new reporting channel for bullying last spring. Through this chat, adults can suggest that a worker contact a school or the child’s parents about bullying experiences. Parents play a crucial role in understanding their child’s circumstances and emotional changes.

In the first two months, this new reporting avenue received numerous notifications from children, with 85 cases forwarded to schools for early intervention. The channel will reopen with the start of the school year. The chat is confidential, and any disclosures to authorities are agreed upon with the child. Schools have generally reacted positively to this new reporting mechanism, although some still fail to grasp the seriousness of bullying’s impact on children. The free Apuu-chat service operates daily from 9 AM to 10 PM.