BULLYING PREVENTION IN EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS OF UKRAINE IN THE CONTEXT OF LEGISLATIVE CHANGES

Abstract

The article analyzes the problem of bullying prevention in the educational environment in the context of key legislative changes introduced by the Law of Ukraine of 06 June 2024 No. 3792-IX “On Amendments to Certain Laws of Ukraine on the Prevention of Violence and the Elimination of Cruel Treatment of Children” which entered into force on 06 October 2024. This law reorients approaches to counteracting bullying by integrating it into the broader category of violence and cruel treatment of children and establishes comprehensive mechanisms for prevention and response in educational institutions and other settings where children stay. It is emphasized that the updating of the regulatory framework, in particular the clarified definition of bullying as psychological, physical, economic, or sexual violence (including acts or omissions involving the use of electronic communication tools) that is systematically committed by members of the same group and violates the rights, freedoms, or legitimate interests of the victim, necessitates a revision of the content, forms, and mechanisms of preventive work with children and youth. The law strengthens the responsibility of heads of educational institutions for creating a safe environment free from violence, discrimination, and humiliation of dignity, and obliges each institution to develop and approve Regulations on the Prevention and Counteraction to Violence and Cruel Treatment of Children based on the Model Program for the Elimination of Violence and Cruel Treatment of Children and the Procedure for Responding to Such Cases approved by the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine. It is noted that the legislative innovations contribute to expanding the understanding of bullying as a complex sociopedagogical phenomenon that encompasses overt, latent, psychological, and digital (cyber) forms of aggression within organized children’s groups. This issue is of particular relevance in the educational environment, characterized by a diversity of age groups, social roles, and the intensity of both offline and online communication. The article emphasizes that formal compliance with regulatory requirements without systematic socio-pedagogical support, early risk identification, situation assessment, and the implementation of corrective programs (for perpetrators, victims, and witnesses of bullying) does not ensure effective prevention and requires the integration of legal, educational, preventive, and rehabilitative approaches. The purpose of the article is to provide a theoretical substantiation of bullying prevention in the educational environment in the context of current regulatory and legal provisions, as well as to determine their impact on the organization and implementation of preventive activities in educational institutions. The main challenges of implementing bullying prevention under conditions of legislative change are outlined, including: insufficient legal awareness among children, parents, teachers, and other educational staff; the risk of formalization of preventive measures; difficulties in identifying and proving latent and digital forms of bullying; limited resources for preventive and corrective programs; and discrepancies between regulatory requirements and real educational practices. At the same time, prospective directions for strengthening preventive work are identified, including the institutionalization of anti-bullying policies through mandatory internal regulations based on the Model Program; the development of interdisciplinary cooperation between the education sector, social services, and law enforcement agencies; the introduction of systems for early risk detection, anonymous reporting, and situation assessment; active involvement of student selfgovernment bodies and the parent community; and the organization of training and awareness-raising activities aimed at fostering a culture of zero tolerance for violence and responsible citizenship among learners. It is concluded that bullying prevention in the educational environment under conditions of legislative transformations introduced by regulatory and legal acts should be considered a holistic socio-pedagogical process that organically combines legal regulation, systematic educational influence, psychological support, and rehabilitation, aimed at affirming the values of safety, equality, respect for dignity, zero tolerance for any forms of violence, and academic integrity in educational institutions.