Teacher education, teaching experience and bullying policies: Links with early childhood teachers' perceptions and attitudes to bullying

This study aimed to examine early childhood teachers' understanding and attitudes towards bullying and investigate whether anti-bullying policies were utilised in early childhood services. One hundred and eighty eight early childhood educators in Queensland, Australia were surveyed about bullying among young children. The majority of early childhood teachers (93 per cent) believed young children were capable of bullying, and felt confident to identify and manage incidences of bullying. Results revealed a significant relationship between teacher education and perceived confidence in identifying bullying, with university-qualified educators feeling more confident than TAFE-trained educators. Findings are discussed in respect of the importance of anti-bullying policies in early childhood educational contexts.