Bullying at school: one parent in two fears that their children will suffer violence from their peers

After the quality of education , the second most felt concern of Italian parents is that their children may be victims of bullying at school. This is revealed by the study “State of Education” conducted by Novakid, an online educational platform specialized in teaching English, according to which 44% of parents, almost one in two, fear that their children not only suffer violence from peers , but that they are not able to ask for help or know who to turn to. School, according to those interviewed, should be a safe and inclusive space, capable of guaranteeing the serene growth of students, not only from an educational point of view but also from a relational and emotional one.

Parents' concerns when their children are at school: first place is the quality of education, second place is bullying by classmates

The research, conducted in February on 2,500 parents in various countries including Italy (the others are Poland, Romania, Turkey, Chile, Colombia and Israel) highlights that bullying is today one of the main sources of anxiety for families. 44% of Italian respondents indicate it as a priority problem, followed by exposure to negative influences (33%) and lack of physical safety (29%). For many, violence between peers and a hostile school environment are not adequately countered, also due to the shortage of qualified personnel such as school psychologists. Almost one in four parents (22%) also declares themselves concerned about the lack of interest shown by schools towards the mental health of students.

According to the study, only 7% of parents rate the level of safety offered by Italian schools as “adequate.” 29% rate it as “fairly good,” while 36% take a neutral position. For the remaining 28%, divided between those who rate it negatively and very negatively, educational institutions are unable to effectively manage issues related to mental health and aggressive behavior. The issue is even more serious if we consider that bullying occurs not only in classrooms, but also online, and often remains invisible for a long time.

Many parents fear that, in the absence of professionals ready to intervene, children will end up dealing with episodes of bullying or violence on their own. In many cases, children do not know who to turn to, or are afraid of exposing themselves. Hence the request to strengthen the presence of psychologists in schools and to build an accessible and reliable support system . The phenomenon of peer violence, often amplified by cyberbullying , requires a systemic intervention that can no longer be postponed.

One of the most widely shared proposals among those interviewed concerns investment in support figures, particularly psychologists , and in tools capable of recognizing signs of distress. Many parents ask for the introduction of workshops to help children manage stress, emotions and conflicts. Others suggest making information materials, portals and helplines dedicated to minors more accessible. Continuous training for teachers is considered important by 34% of the sample, while 35% believe it is useful to expand extracurricular activities to foster positive relationships between peers. 25% ask for a more personalized approach to teaching and smaller classes , to allow greater attention to signs of distress.

The responses also reveal the awareness that teachers, often the first to intercept signs of distress, do not receive the necessary support. Some parents emphasize how teachers are overloaded and sometimes held responsible for dysfunctions that instead depend on structural deficiencies . For this reason, many suggest an approach that involves the entire school community , promoting collaboration between families, teachers and specialists. 24% of those interviewed indicate that strengthening the relationship between school and family is essential to build truly safe and welcoming environments for children.