Fines will increase 10 times: parents will pay dearly for bullying their children

Fines for bullying in Ukraine need to be reviewed, as their size does not serve as a deterrent. The educational Ombudsman Nadiya Leshchyk expressed this opinion. In her opinion, the existing fine of 850 hryvnias is insufficient for parents and teachers; therefore, it is not perceived as a real punishment. She gave an example: during consideration of a bullying case, one of the students offered to compensate for his actions in cash, which, in her opinion, demonstrates a lack of fear of consequences.

Leshchyk proposed increasing the fine to approximately 10 thousand hryvnias, noting that financial sanctions should be combined with the maximum number of preventive measures.

The Ombudsman noted that aggressive behavior in children often develops in the family environment. Studies have shown that children who witness violence at home can exhibit similar behavior in schools, becoming both aggressors and victims of bullying. Therefore, it is important to work not only with educational institutions, but also with families.

Nadiya Leszczyk also noted the problems of psychological services in educational institutions. She reported that one psychologist is responsible for about 700 students, while even in large schools with 1,500 students, additional positions are not created. Moreover, a significant part of specialists’ work is focused on reporting, which limits their ability to work with children.

According to the Ombudsman, in 2024, about 20% of bullying cases were not considered after the three-month period expired. Some cases do not reach the court due to errors in the documents, and even when they do, the court’s decision is often limited to warnings or apologies.

Additionally, many parents decide to transfer their children to other schools or classes to avoid stress and costs, which often leaves the perpetrators without responsibility.

The Ombudsman noted that not all school principals report bullying to law enforcement, which complicates responses to such cases.

Leszczyk also drew attention to a bill submitted to the Verkhovna Rada that would increase the time frame for considering bullying cases in court from 3 months to 1 year. She supported the initiative, but stressed that it is only a partial solution to the problem of child protection.