Helping your child deal with bullying

September 22, 2026

Children who are deaf or hard of hearing may be more vulnerable to bullying, particularly when they are seen as different from their peers. Bullying can be verbal, physical or social and can happen in person or online. Finding out your child is being bullied can be upsetting.

Here are some ways you can support them:

Know the signs: Changes such as avoiding school, becoming withdrawn or not wanting to wear hearing devices or use Auslan may mean something is wrong. Talk with your child about any changes you notice.
Help your child open up: Ask gentle, specific questions about their day, friendships and break times. Give them time to communicate in the way that works best for them.
Listen and reassure: Take your child seriously and involve them in deciding what happens next. Remind them that bullying is not their fault.
Help them explain what happened: Younger children may find pictures, drawings or emotion cards helpful for describing events and feelings.
Understand what bullying is: Not every disagreement or hurtful comment is bullying. Bullying involves a misuse of power and repeated or potentially repeated harmful behaviour. One-off incidents still need to be addressed.
Work with the school: Share what your child has told you and ask how the school will respond. Keep communicating and follow up if the problem continues.
Build an inclusive environment: Talk with the school about deaf awareness, communication access and ways to help your child feel included and connected.
If your child is bullying others: Stay calm, find out what is happening and help your child understand the impact of their behaviour and learn more respectful ways to respond.

Your child doesn’t have to deal with bullying alone. Listening, taking their concerns seriously and working together can help them feel safer, supported and more confident.

Download the Real Life Tips infographic.

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