‘Unless parents are pushing the issue, it can fizzle out’: what to do if your child is bullied at school

Experts advise parents and schools to heed even low-level forms of bullying, which can still be detrimental on young and developing adolescent minds. Illustration: borisz/Getty Images

On Monday evening, a 12-year-old Sydney child took her own life.

Although we will never know the specifics or complexity of Charlotte O’Brien’s situation (in a statement to a Sydney radio show, her family alleged she experienced two years of bullying at her private high school; the school’s principal Paulina Skerman said the allegations are “new claims to the College and … not consistent” with school records), her untimely death has highlighted the often-fraught issues of making and handling bullying complaints.