Bullying and Wellbeing

Bullying and Wellbeing was The Mary Foundation’s first focus area. It became clear early on that the fight against social isolation is also a fight against bullying, because bullying is about singling out and excluding people. At The Mary Foundation, we work to prevent bullying through safe and inclusive communities. We believe that strong peer communities for children are the best way to avoid bullying and create a sense of belonging.

The Mary Foundation’s vision within the area of Bullying and Wellbeing is that all children and young people should be able to live a life where they thrive socially and feel like an accepted and valuable part of the community.

Our mission is to create safe communities for children while strengthening their social skills and their ability to contribute to and participate in these communities from an early age.

Through the dissemination of knowledge, concrete tools, and holistic projects, primarily in formalized communities, we strengthen children’s social wellbeing and prevent and alleviate bullying among children. We create hope for children who feel excluded — and for the adults around them – by showing that there is a way back into the community and by motivating everyone within that community to take responsibility for it.

Facts about Bullying

Bullying is a serious problem for many children.

• The national wellbeing survey for the 2023/24 school year shows that general wellbeing among Year 5-10 pupils has been declining since 2015. In just one year, the percentage of pupils reporting high wellbeing dropped from 87.5% to 86.1%. Similarly, the proportion of pupils with lower wellbeing increased from 12.5% in 2022/23 to 13.9% in 2023/24.
  (Trivselsmålingen, Ministry of Children and Education, 2023/24)
• 13.3% of Year 5-10 pupils have experienced bullying according to the 2023/24 wellbeing survey. In 2021/22, it was 9.9%.
  (Trivselsmålingen, Ministry of Children and Education, 2023/24)
• More children and young people (aged 9–17) are experiencing harsh language and exclusion online. 29% have experienced others speaking or writing negatively about them online (hateful or hurtful). In 2021, it was 18%. 21% have experienced being left out on social media or in online games. In 2021, it was 9%.
  (Børn og unges erfaringer med digitale krænkelser og andre ubehagelige oplevelser online, Epinion, 2024)
• 9% have quit an extracurricular activity due to teasing or bullying.
  (Fritidslivet for 3.-6. klasse – En rapport om trivsel, omvalg og fællesskaber, CUR, 2020)
• Bullying is not about individual children, but about group dynamics. Bullying can be prevented as early as in nursery.
  (Søndergaard, D.M. and Kofoed, J. (eds.), Hans Reitzels Forlag, 2009).