There is nothing worse for a parent than feeling helpess to stop your child's suffering. If you are worried that your child is being bullied there are a few basic steps that you can take to help them:

:: Be there to listen whenever they need to talk and offer a hug or some affection.

:: Speak to your child's teacher, school counsello or even head teacher if you feel it is a very serious form of bullying.

::Family Lives is a charity that runs a free and confidential 24-hour helpline for parents including advice on bullying: 0808 800 2222.

:: The Bullying UK website, which is part of Family Lives, has a dedicated area for parents: http://www.bullying.co.uk/advice-for-parents

:: The NSPCC website has information for parents on bullying and cyberbullying.

:: Children can feel the impact of bullying even once it's ended. If they continue to feel anxious or low and it's stopping them getting on with day-to-day life, it may be time to ask for further help. You can speak to your GP or the school nurse about the problem.

:: Kidscape is an anti-bullying charity that runs assertiveness training courses for young people who've been bullied. There's extensive information for parents and carers on its website.