Australia’s new National Framework for Addressing Bullying in Australian Schools establishes shared expectations for how schools and school systems prevent, identify and respond to bullying and other harmful behaviours.
For schools, it’s an important opportunity to look beyond “What do we do when bullying happens?” and consider a much bigger question: “What are we doing every day to prevent harmful behaviours and create a culture of healthy, respectful relationships?”
That’s exactly what our Friendology Bullying Prevention Framework is designed to support.
A 28-Page, Customisable Plan for Friendology Schools
At URSTRONG, our Bullying Prevention Framework was developed in partnership with schools and communities to provide a clear, practical plan of action to help prevent bullying
behaviours in children.
Rather than treating bullying prevention as a standalone policy, our Framework centres on a school-wide positive relationship strategy designed to shift school culture towards kindness and respect.
And, importantly, it is fully customisable.
Every school is different. Schools can adapt the Framework to reflect their unique community, existing policies and procedures, while demonstrating the proactive efforts they’re making to prevent bullying and create a safe, respectful school culture.
That aligns closely with the new National Framework, which specifically calls for whole-school and locally tailored approaches.
Creating a Shared Language: Mean-on-Purpose
One of the most important parts of the Friendology approach is giving children language they can actually understand and use.
In Friendology, we use the term Mean-on-Purpose to help children recognise intentional harmful behaviour.
This also helps students and adults distinguish between Mean-on-Purpose behaviour and the normal conflict that occurs in relationships — what we call Friendship Fires®.
That distinction matters.
Not every disagreement, hurt feeling or Friendship Fire® is bullying. Children need opportunities to develop the skills to navigate normal relationship challenges while also learning to recognise when behaviour is intentionally harmful and when adult intervention is needed.
Using consistent, kid-friendly language gives students, educators and families a shared vocabulary for talking about these experiences.
More Than a Policy: A Practical Action Plan & Friendship Skills Curriculum
Our 28-page Framework is designed to help schools move from principles to practice.
It includes:
- A consistent, whole-school approach so educators and parents/carers are using the same language and strategies to support students.
- A skills-based prevention strategy that empowers students to make healthy choices and increasingly self-govern their relationships.
- Kid-friendly language and pedagogy designed to promote understanding, retention and real-world application.
- A proactive approach that explicitly teaches interpersonal and conflict-resolution skills from a young age.
- A detailed action plan for students exhibiting Mean-on-Purpose behaviours, students who have been impacted, and bystanders.
- A Mean-on-Purpose Tracker that schools can use to document incidents and reports, including an anonymous reporting tool for older students (as our research showed that older students are less likely to report).
- Student reflection sheets to support debriefing, de-escalation and documentation.
- A customisable school-wide plan that allows schools to clearly demonstrate the steps they are taking to prevent bullying and create a culture of kindness and respect.
These practical components become particularly relevant under the expectations of the new National Framework.
How Friendology Aligns with the Six National Principles
1. Consistent anti-bullying requirements
The National Framework calls for explicit and dedicated action to build positive and respectful school cultures.
Friendology provides a consistent whole-school language and approach to relationships, helping students, educators and families develop shared expectations around trust, respect, friendship, conflict and Mean-on-Purpose behaviour.
Instead of different adults responding in completely different ways, everyone has a common language and set of strategies.
2. Whole-school and locally tailored approaches
The National Framework recognises something we strongly believe: every school community is different.
That’s why our Bullying Prevention Framework is customisable.
Schools can use the 28-page Framework as a foundation and tailor it to their own context, policies, processes and community needs.
Friendology also extends beyond the classroom. Educators, students and families can all learn the same language and strategies, supporting the whole-school, whole-community approach called for in the National Framework.
3. Clarity and confidence in anti-bullying action
The National Framework calls for visible and transparent processes around reporting, responding, communicating, escalating and documenting incidents.
The Friendology Framework provides practical tools to support that clarity.
Our Mean-on-Purpose Tracker helps schools document incidents and reports, while the action plans and reflection sheets help guide what happens next. Additionally, schools get access to our anonymous reporting tool which is recommended for olders students – as our research showed that older students are less likely to report Mean-on-Purpose behavior.
The result is greater consistency and confidence: students know what to do, educators have a process to follow, and families can better understand the school’s approach.
4. Intervening early and appropriately
This is perhaps one of the strongest connections between Friendology and the new National Framework.
The National Framework calls for a continuum of prevention, proactive early intervention and response.
Friendology begins well before bullying occurs.
Students explicitly learn the skills to develop healthy friendships, navigate Friendship Fires®, communicate feelings, resolve conflict, recognise Mean-on-Purpose behaviour and seek help when needed.
When harmful behaviour does occur, our Framework provides specific action plans for: the student exhibiting Mean-on-Purpose behaviour, the student being impacted, and the bystanders who may have witnessed or participated in the situation.
The goal is to provide guidance and support. It’s to understand what happened, stop the harm, support those involved and help students develop healthier relationship skills moving forward.
5. Supporting the school workforce
A great policy sitting in a folder isn’t enough. Educators need the language, skills, confidence and practical tools to put it into action.
Friendology’s whole-school approach helps educators develop a common understanding of friendship, conflict and harmful behaviour so students receive more consistent support across classrooms, playgrounds and year levels.
The Bullying Prevention Framework then gives schools concrete processes and resources to guide their response when Mean-on-Purpose behaviours occur.
6. Reducing risks and fostering safe, inclusive and respectful communities
The National Framework specifically highlights respectful relationships and social and emotional skills as important protective factors.
This is at the heart of Friendology. By explicitly teaching children the skills required for healthy relationships, we’re not waiting for something to go wrong before taking action.
We’re building protective factors every day.
From a Document to a School-Wide Culture
A strong Bullying Prevention Framework is important. But ultimately, the goal isn’t simply to have a compliant document sitting on your school’s website. It’s to create a culture where its principles are visible every day.
It’s hearing the same language in classrooms and on the playground.
It’s children knowing the difference between a Friendship Fire® and Mean-on-Purpose behaviour.
It’s students knowing how to respond, when to seek help and who they can turn to.
It’s educators feeling confident about what to do next.
It’s documenting patterns so schools can identify when further intervention is needed.
And it’s families understanding and reinforcing the same approach at home.
That’s when a framework becomes a culture.
2027 Is an Important Opportunity for Schools
The new National Framework calls for school systems and schools to review their anti-bullying policies and processes in 2027 and routinely thereafter, ensuring they remain fit for purpose and are having the intended impact.
Friendology Schools don’t need to start from a blank page.
👉 Explore our 28-page, fully customisable Bullying Prevention Framework and use it to review, strengthen and clearly articulate your school’s approach.
The new National Framework provides an important national direction for Australian schools. Friendology helps turn that direction into language, skills and strategies that kids — and the adults supporting them — can actually use.
Because effective bullying prevention doesn’t begin when bullying happens. It begins by intentionally creating a culture of kindness, respect and healthy relationships.
