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Most teachers in kindergarten and early primary school fail to correctly identify bullying behaviour by young children, with a lack of training raising the risk of long-term psychological harm.
Researchers who surveyed early childhood teachers found many struggled to distinguish between bullying and fighting among children, pointing to a lack of explicit training about bullying in teacher education as one likely reason.
Early education student Sally Lamb (left) and childcare centre director Anna Chiera say instances of bullying are rare.
Credit:Wayne Taylor
Bullying is not directly covered in the Australian curriculum until year 4, despite clear evidence that it begins before then, the University of South Australia researchers said.
Early childhood teachers struggle to identify bullying, says new research from University of South Australia smh.com.au - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from smh.com.au Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.