SITUATION  

A working mother recently sought support through the Child and Family Wellbeing plan for her 10-year-old son, who had been experiencing bullying at school. The family had just relocated to the mother’s home country, where her son faced language barriers. Unlike his peers, the boy is fluent in English, but not in Hindi. 

This language challenge led to verbal taunts and physical harassment from other children. Faced with these mental and physical challenges, the boy’s confidence dropped. In addition to these problems with playmates, and despite having a close relationship with his mother, the boy has a distant relationship with his father. This strained relationship served as a factor in his struggles to form new friendships.  

ACTION 

According to the mother, the youngster had no prior counselling sessions or diagnoses. A pediatric assessment confirmed that all developmental milestones were within normal ranges. In response to the mother’s concerns, the clinician provided compassionate support and validation to her, addressing her worries about her boy’s wellbeing. 

Psychoeducation was offered on the dynamics of bullying and its impact on children’s mental health. The clinician normalized the concerns related to the adjustment process, emphasizing that time and support are crucial during such transitions. To help the boy cope with his experiences, the clinician recommended in-person counselling, which would allow him to explore his feelings and develop effective coping strategies. 

RESULTS 

The boy engaged well in the counselling sessions, which focused on building resilience and enhancing his coping mechanisms. Through therapeutic interventions, he learned strategies to manage his responses to bullying and to build his self-confidence. The sessions also worked on improving his social skills, which would aid him in forming new friendships, despite the language barrier.  

The clinician helped the boy think about how to articulate his experiences and emotions, which would cultivate a sense of empowerment. The clinician also reminded the mother of the 24/7/365 availability of the EAP services, should the mother want further support for her needs or the other members of the family.