Expanded mental health support builds success for anti-bullying program

Expanded mental health support builds success for anti-bullying program Gaby Clark Scientific Editor Andrew Zinin Lead Editor Big Talks for Little People, an innovative child mental health support program, has helped alleviate bullying that had been reported by students in Out of School Hours Care (OSHC), according to a new study conducted by Flinders University researchers. Dr. Yu Takizawa, a Mental Health lecturer from Flinders University's College of Human Sciences and Culture, led research into the effects of this revitalized program that has provided OSHC staff with better mental health education to better identify and assist students affected by bullying, and the changes have delivered impressive results. The Big Talks for Little People mental health education program for primary school students was developed and trialed in 2021 led by Flinders University Professor Phillip Slee. A significant finding from this initial trial was a 25% reduction in self-reported instances of bullying following the completion of the program. The program moved ahead in 2022, led by Professors Shane Pill and Phillip Slee, with the Big Talks program modified and trialed in Out of School Hours Care (OSHC) settings. A study from this OSHC trial found many surprising outcomes, identifying that OSHC students were less happy at school and had fewer friends at school than students from the total primary school population. The OSHC students also reported twice the level of victimization than a comparison primary school student group who were about average in terms of being bullied "once a week or more often." These findings from the 2022 OSHC trial suggested the need for further mental health education and support for educators in OSHC—which were provided through Flinders research working with OSHC educators to review and revise the 2022 OSHC online professional development training for the educators. A follow-up implementation and evaluation trial during 2025 of the Big Talks for Little People mental health education program in OSHC was enabled by a grant from Little Heroes Foundation. This revised program was conducted in 10 OSHC centers across South Australia, with the new study finding that vulnerable children who are bullied at school were, at the completion of the six-session program, less likely to be bullied and more likely to have friends and thrive at OSHC. After their participation in the Big Talks for Little People program, vulnerable children who were targets of bullying before the program reported less bullying and felt safer at OSHC. They also felt safer and gained more friends at school, contributing to their happiness, resilience, and overall well-being. Educator interviews and child focus groups suggest this change has been driven by the program developing transferable social-emotional skills, such as emotional literacy, self-expression, and bullying-specific coping strategies that young people can use across a variety of settings. "The studies indicate that OSHC care can be a place where important mental health education is promoted through well-structured and evidence-informed programs like Big Talks for Little People," says Dr. Takizawa. "It also illustrates that OSHC settings are an important context for appropriate mental health supports for young people." Provided by Flinders University