Bullying and Children & Youth with Special Health Care Needs

last updated: Nov 2025

The U.S. government defines bullying as, “An unwanted, aggressive behavior among school aged children that involves a real or perceived power imbalance. The behavior is repeated, or has the potential to be repeated, over time. Bullying includes actions such as making threats, spreading rumors, attacking someone physically or verbally, and excluding someone from a group on purpose” (What Is Bullying, 2023).

Children and youth with special health care needs (CYSHCN), which may include neurological, developmental, physical, or mental health conditions, face increased challenges in social situations and are at a significantly higher risk of being targeted by bullying and cyberbullying. This heightened vulnerability is often linked to a lack of peer support, as well as specific health-related challenges like communication issues, difficulty navigating the school environment, or perceived vulnerability (Bullying and Youth with Disabilities and Special Health Needs).

Experts agree that bullying often leaves a lasting impact on children. CYSHCN who have been bullied may become stressed, anxious, sad, or even develop comorbid mental health conditions, such as anxiety or depression. The stress of being bullied may impact their ability to sleep or their desire to eat (Effects of Bullying, 2025). Knowing that your child is being bullied can also lead to additional stress and impact the mental health of parents. This video provides suggestions to manage these emotions: How do I manage my emotions when my child is being bullied?

Supporting Your Child

The PACER National Bullying Prevention Center encourages parents to help recognize the signs of bullying by:

educating their child on what bullying looks like,
listening to their child, believing what their child says,
being supportive of their child’s feelings,
being patient with their child’s processing of the events and emotions,
asking open-ended questions about the bullying their child has experienced, and
discussing intervention options with your child to help protect them (PACER: How Do You Help Your Child Recognize the Signs of Bullying?).

If your child is being bullied at school, it is important to notify the school in writing that the bullying is occurring, while including as many details as possible. If needed, parents can utilize template letters to help them organize the information that needs presented. The PACER National Bullying Prevention Center has a template letter available for parents to notify schools of bullying incidences, including specialized templates for students with both IEPs and 504 plans: Notifying the School About a Bullying Incident.

Self-Advocacy

An important step in keeping CYSHCN safe from bullying is empowering them to become self-advocates. CYSHCN may not instinctively know how to stand up for themselves, so it’s important to help encourage them, build self-confidence in them, and teach them how to speak up for their needs.

Student Action Plan Against Bullying (PACER National Bullying Prevention Center, 2020)
Parent and Educator Guide to Using the Student Action Plan Against Bullying (PACER National Bullying Prevention Center, 2020)
Students with Disabilities: Self-Advocacy Tab (PACER National Bullying Prevention Center, 2020).

Peer Support and Advocacy

One important way to prevent bullying in schools is the use of peer support and advocacy. StopBullying.Gov suggests that peer support should include: “peer education, team-building, and leadership activities that foster friendships, build empathy, and prevent bullying to make schools safer and inclusive for all students, including children with special healthcare needs” (Bullying and Youth with Disabilities and Special Health Needs). Additionally, PACER National Bullying Prevention Center has a Peer Advocacy Guide available to provide education and resources for addressing bullying of CYSHCN by using peer support and advocacy.

Legal Rights

Federal laws Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 may protect CYSHCN who are the target of bullying and/or harassment, and who are subsequently being denied equal access or opportunity to a free and appropriate public education PACER: Students with Disabilities: Rights and Policies tab. This Parent Fact Sheet from the United States Department of Education also shares information about public school responsibilities: What Are Public Schools Required to Do When Students with Disabilities Are Bullied (United States Department of Education, 2022)?

In addition to Federal Anti-Bullying Laws, the State of Indiana also has laws that address bullying, including bullying in schools and cyberbullying. At this time, however, Indiana laws do not afford any special protections for specific groups of people, such as CYSHCN Indiana’s Anti-Bullying Laws and Policies (2023).

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This fact sheet was supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of an award totaling $96,750 with 89% percent financed with nongovernmental sources. The contents are those of INF2F and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by HRSA, HHS, or the U.S. Government. For more information, please visit HRSA.gov.