A Format for using Diaries

Present children with diaries and ask them to write in their diaries regularly, from a few times a week to everyday. Advise children to record their interactions with other children and school staff which they want to think about. Diaries aim to be an outlet for individuals to express their emotions, particularly if they feel distressed but they can also be used to record positive events.

Provide children with the option of showing them to you regularly and discussing them with you, or keeping them confidential. Children can write in their diaries for a term or throughout their time in school if it is helpful. Ask children to regularly discuss with you how they are getting along with their diaries and if they are finding them helpful. Children can also draw how they feel and what happened if they are struggling to write down their thoughts. They can also write poems and songs and other creative means to show how they feel in their diaries. You can also set aside time in class for children to write in their diaries if you think it will be helpful.

The format below can be adjusted for adults to record and reflect upon their experiences of workplace bullying.

Below is a format of questions you can ask children to complete in their diaries:

• What has happened today that you want to write about?
• Who was involved and what did they do?
• How did it make you feel?
• How did you respond?
• What other ways could you have responded?
• What could help you?
• Who could help you?
• How do you plan to respond in future?