Bullying in school is forbidden. Your child has the right to a safe and good school environment under the Education Act chapter 12. The school has a duty to act and must respond quickly. If the school doesn't help, you can report the case for free to the County Governor.
What does the law say about bullying in school?
Bullying in school is forbidden in Norway. All pupils have the right to a safe and good school environment. This right is in the Education Act – the law about school and education. The rules were previously in the well-known section §9A. From 1 August 2024, a new Education Act applies, and the rules are now in chapter 12.
The right applies to all pupils in primary and secondary school. It also applies to school after-school care (SFO) and homework help. The school shall promote health, well-being, inclusion and learning. The school has zero tolerance for bullying. This means the school shall not accept bullying, violence, discrimination or harassment.
The law applies to both the physical environment, such as buildings and outdoor areas, and the psychosocial environment – that is, how the child is doing with others. The most important thing to know is this: your child has a right, and the school has a duty. You don't need a lawyer, and the help is free. If you want to understand how the school is organized, you can read about the Norwegian school system.
What is bullying – and what is cyberbullying?
Bullying is when a person is teased or left out again and again. It can be hitting and pushing, mean words, spreading rumors, or being excluded from play. But the school shall react even if something happens only once. A single incident can be serious for a child.
Cyberbullying is bullying on phone and internet. It can happen in messages, in video games or on social media. The rules about a safe and good school environment also apply on the school's digital platforms and on trips and activities arranged by the school. What matters is how the child experiences it – not where it happens. If the child doesn't feel safe and well, the school shall take it seriously.
Bullying can be hard to see. Some children say little, but show it in other ways. Common signs are that the child doesn't want to go to school, has stomach aches in the morning, sleeps poorly, or loses friends. If you become concerned, you don't need proof to tell the school.
The school's duty to act: five steps
The school has a duty to act. This means the school has a duty to respond when a pupil is not safe and well. Everyone who works at the school must follow these five steps:
- Keep watch on how the pupils are doing.
- Step in immediately if someone is bothering a pupil, when possible.
- Inform the principal if you suspect or know of bullying.
- Investigate the case as soon as possible to find out what is happening.
- Implement measures that help the pupil.
When a pupil is not safe and well, the school shall create a written action plan. The plan shall state which problem the measures will solve, which measures the school will implement, when they will start, who is responsible, and when the plan will be reviewed. The school shall create the plan quickly – often within a few days – and cooperate with you and the child.
The school also has a documentation duty. This means the school must write down what it does in the case. You can ask to see the action plan and what the school has done.
If an adult at the school is bothering a pupil, a heightened duty to act applies. Then the case must be reported all the way to the school owner (the municipality or county), and the school must respond even faster.
What do you do if your child is being bullied?
Tell the school right away. Follow these steps:
- Talk to the child and write down what has happened, with the date.
- Contact the class teacher and tell them what you are concerned about.
- Contact the principal if it doesn't get better. The principal is responsible for the school environment.
- Ask for an action plan. You have the right to a written plan.
- Follow up. Ask for a new meeting to see if the measures are working.
You can bring a friend, family or an interpreter to the meeting if you want. Good cooperation with the school often helps the most, and most cases are solved at the school. Read more about parent meetings and school cooperation.
When the school doesn't help: report to the County Governor
If the school doesn't help, you can report the case to the County Governor (Statsforvalteren). The County Governor is the state office in your county. Reporting the case is free, and you don't need a lawyer.
You can report the case when:
- you have first taken up the case with the principal, and
- at least one week has passed, and
- the case concerns the school environment of your child.
The County Governor investigates whether the school has followed its duty to act. If the school hasn't done enough, the County Governor can decide what the school must do to ensure the child is safe and well. The school must then follow this decision. You can report the case by phone or in writing, and you can write in your own language if it's easier.
Where can you and your child get help?
The child can talk to the school health nurse at school. You can also find advice and information on nullmobbing.no, a website from Udir (Norwegian Directorate for Education and Training). If the child needs more support, you can read about mental health and help. The child has their own rights in such cases – read more about children's rights. Remember that it is never the child's fault to be bullied, and that you as a parent have the right to help. On SamfunnPrep, we explain school rights in simple language.
Knowing your rights gives peace of mind. Children's rights and school are part of the curriculum for Samfunnskunnskapsprøven – practice for free on SamfunnPrep.
