Turn on the news these days and amid the traffic accidents and political scandles you’ll see a topic that can hit very close to home. Bullying has become a nationwide epidemic, affecting children of all ages and backgrounds. School districts are trying to educate the kids about the problem, and governments hav begun stepping in with legislation that could help those educators with the tools they need to make a difference. Joining the crusade recently was Valley Forge Educational Services, a Malvern-based group that provides educational programs, counseling, and other assistance to children with learning disabilities, hosted a workshop on how parents of special needs children can handle the abuse their kids might receive.

“Bullying:  What Every Parent of a Child with a Disability Should Know” included an examination of parent and staff perceptions about what we already know about bullying, an understanding that an imbalance of power is the defining characteristic of bullying versus conflict, a discussion that parents can work with schools to help prevent and intervene bullying, and an understanding of federal laws that help define disability discrimination. Parents also shared their experiences, good and bad.

According to the PACER Center’s National Bullying Prevention Project, children with disabilities are two to three times more likely to be bully targets than their nondisabled peers.  These students are likely to have prolonged socialization struggles and have few opportunities to practice social skills, and parents were encouraged to work with their children on these skills at home.

VFES is continuing its outreach programs by hosting a five-week workshop starting this month, “Children Who Learn Differently.” This workshop series focused on the “survival skills” that some children need help in developing so they can better learn and access the general education curriculum. It helps parents tackle issues like homework, time management, self esteem, and home/school alliances.