What Works to Prevent Bullying:

What Works to Prevent Bullying: Keeping Students with Autism Safe and Supported

Focusing on young people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), this research aims to identify what works to help prevent bullying and improve safety and wellbeing, including successful assets and interventions.

The project brings together the views of students with ASD, and those who support them, regarding what works, what doesn’t, and what could. This research is funded by the Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care.

Research Design

This research focuses on a child-centred analysis of safety and wellbeing, prioritising the voice of young people with ASD and their experiences, priorities and needs. This is a mixed-methods study involving four phases:

Phase 1: Quantitative analysis of South Australian Wellbeing and Engagement Collection survey data.

Phase 2: Qualitative interviews and focus groups with students with ASD, educators and parents/carers in South Australia and New South Wales.

Phase 3: Co-designed workshops to create resources on ‘what works’ to prevent bullying for these students.

Phase 4: Evaluation of the co-designed resources.

Research Team

Investigators: Prof Gerry Redmond, Prof Sally Robinson, Prof Phillip Slee (Flinders University), Professor Anne Graham, Dr Antonia Canosa and Dr Tess Boyle (Centre for Children and Young People, Southern Cross University).