Schools have broken up for the long summer holidays, but this is just a temporary reprieve for children who are relentlessly bullied and have to face their aggressor come October.

Sitting alone on the school bus, Karl*, 9, cringed inwardly each time a coin whacked his head, and a chorus of laughter ensued from the gang who high-fived each other for hitting the jackpot.

"The boys were flinging small change at me using a rubber band - I collected €2 in coins," he said.

Now 16, he can actually laugh about the incident, but in those days the isolation was overwhelming. During the lunch hour his attempts to join games of football failed and he spent his breaks alone sitting on the stairs reading.

"They'd grab my lunchbox and kick it around. I spent my time in isolation, which was very sad. They always made up excuses to exclude me.

That's when I started reading. I realised if I had my head buried in a book they'd leave me alone - that's all I did on the bus back home and during my breaks," he recalled.

"Eventually, I hit the depths of nerdiness and to get out of the other boys' way, I spent my breaks with the librarian sorting out the books."

Having just joined a Church school after living all his life abroad, Karl was bullied because he was 'different', spoke with an accent and did not understand Maltese - he was the 'new attraction'.

Bullying, which can trigger mental health problems during early school years, occurs when a difference to the norm stands out, such as race, language, or religion.

A Directorate for Educational Services spokesman said it was interesting to note that a child with a noticeable disability was rarely harassed - it was more likely for a very tall child to be picked on, than a child in a wheelchair.

In the 2008-2009 scholastic year there were 286 reported cases of bullying. The bulk, 263 referrals, were from State schools, while 17 came from Church schools and six were from independent schools.

In 2007 there were 186 reports of bullying in State schools, but it is hard to gauge if the problem has got worse since statistics cover a full calendar year as opposed to a scholastic year.

Student Services director George Borg said heightened awareness could have led to more referrals, especially from Church and independent schools.

The government is working to tackle hounding of schoolchildren. Last year, schools were urged to have a workable policy outlining how to prevent and counter bullying. Although some already had policy guidelines, these were not present in all schools.

The directorate spokesman said schools were drafting their own policies within the national framework on bullying, with guidance from the Anti-Bullying Services department.

This department provides specialised programmes in classes to make children aware of the reality of bullying, be it physical or emotional. It provides its services to all schools, and in its work it has noticed a pattern emerge in characteristics common to bullies and victims.

"Victims tend, at times, to be over-protected (such as still sleeping with their parents), while bullies tend to come from families that are dysfunctional and where there is an imbalance of power," the directorate spokesman said.

"Difficulties are tackled at a classroom level and if further specialised counselling or other interventions are required, then the appropriate professionals are called in. The aim is to give the victim coping skills while helping the bullies deal with their anger and express the negative feelings they may have in a way that does not hurt others," he added.

In Karl's case, the bully stopped after a year, and he then began to integrate. The fact his physique changed and he became taller and stronger helped him stand his ground against the bullies - "I wasn't an easy target anymore."

Asked why he thought he had been picked on in the first place, Karl said it was probably because he had always been a nice person. But he also believes he is now a stronger person.

"Once you break out of it, it helps your self-confidence, but otherwise it grinds your self-esteem to the ground and makes you feel worthless; when it's everyone against one person there's not a lot you can do," he said.

He believes there is little one could do to eradicate bullying, though reducing the duration of the lunch break may be one option.

He recounted how in the US, where he went to school for two years, students had just 20 minutes to eat lunch in the canteen.

"You had a choice: either cross the canteen and bully someone or starve because you don't have time to eat your lunch. But to compensate we had a lot of extracurricular activities.

"Bullying is horrible, but it's a fact of life and will not go away. It's a tough world out there and in my case it made me stronger. Victims should seek help and advice", the young man said, as he set off to meet his friends.

Mother's helplessness

Julian* was seven when he woke up one month into the scholastic year and sheepishly whispered he was unwell even though he looked as fit as a fiddle.

This unusual behaviour set the alarm bells ringing. His elder sister, who attended the same independent school, had already confided in their mother earlier that Julian was being labelled a "freak" and "stupid".

Sensing this feigned sickness was a consequence, Susan* prodded her son to establish what was wrong. He finally admitted that a boy was tormenting him; constantly poking him in the knees with a sharpened pencil and snatching his textbooks because the bay always forgot them at home.

"I'm not saying my son is an angel, but Julian was always a sensitive boy. He's creative and loves hanging around with the girls, so he was constantly picked on," Susan said.

One day, Julian returned home wearing his cardigan on a hot day and refused to take it off.

"His shirt had been ripped to shreds by the other boys. The bullying was just getting worse. He would be cornered and kicked," she added.

Unable to take it anymore, Susan wrote to the teacher, who ignored her plea for a meeting for two weeks. Eventually, steps were taken to separate the boys in class and the situation improved.

Things did not remain calm for long, however, and the bully was soon hounding Julian again. Feeling helpless, Susan decided to call the bully's mother in the hope the situation could be resolved.

"She promised she would speak to her son and I was hopeful. But then she got back to me and said: 'I spoke to him and he said Julian bugs him, and when Julian bugs him he loses it'. Can you believe this attitude?" Susan said, saddened that this same boy was still tormenting her son and nothing was being done.

"The school's advice is to let the child deal with this on his own, but he's not coping. My son is very unhappy and I have reached a point where we're seriously considering enrolling him in a new school."

* Names have been changed.

What drives the bully?

University pro-rector and psychologist Mary Anne Lauri gives her perspective on when teasing crosses the line and becomes constant persecution.

Do bullies single out children with a particular profile?

Most of the time bullies pick on people who are timid, shy and with low self-esteem. They rarely pick on people similar to them.

When does teasing become bullying?

There's a fine line between teasing and bullying. Bullying is more repetitive, involves an unbalanced power relationship and does not stop even when it is clear that the victim is hurting physically or psychologically.

What impact does bullying have on the victim?

The victim suffers tremendously. Some seek help but others suffer in silence. The trauma caused by bullying can have long lasting negative effects on the victim.

Does the child carry the psychotic trauma into adulthood?

Yes, most victims do. Some manage to work through it with a guidance teacher, counsellor or parent. However, others carry the resentment, anger and hurt with them into adulthood.

Bullied children may not confide in their parents. Are there signs parents should watch out for?

Parents often realise something is wrong with their child, but children do not necessarily confide in their parents. Some find it shameful to talk about it. When parents realise the child is unhappy when he or she goes to school or to some other activity, they should try to find out why. When the information is not forthcoming from the child, parents should speak to the class teacher or leader.

Should parents intervene and, if so, when?

If parents find out their child is being bullied, they have to tread with caution. If parents intervene directly they can make their child suffer more. The best thing is to discuss the issue with the child and the teacher/leader/counsellor and together decide how to tackle the problem.

Any tips on how parents can help their child stop the victimisation?

Parents can try to talk about what is happening with their children, try to empower them by giving examples of how they can tackle bullying and, obviously, speak to the school or organisation where the bullying is taking place.

What help should schools offer both the victim and the bully?

Schools tackle the topic of bullying in PSD (personal and social development) classes. In these sessions students are given information about what they should do if they experience bullying. Sometimes, schools offer victims of bullying a form of 'group therapy' where they discuss what is happening and how they can deal with it. Schools should also hold such groups for bullies, to enable them to become aware of their own problems and why they are bullying others.

Do bullying traits remain evident throughout university life and adulthood?

In three years as pro-rector for students and institutional affairs, three cases of bullying came to my attention. Two of them were girls being bullied by ex-boyfriends and another case where a person with a learning difficulty was bullied by three classmates.