In the Netherlands, bullying had long been recognised as a problem at the individual level, and many small-scale initiatives had been taken, but the subject was not part of the Dutch social agenda. Results of some scientific research in 1992 were more or less ignored. Some years later one of the Dutch Parents Associations took the initiative in discussing bullying at the national level, Using the previous research, the four Dutch Parents Associations then started working together, developing a National Protocol Against Bullying in Education and presenting this to the media, and to all primary and secondary schools, in 1995, In 1997, the Associations presented a Bullying Test, a computer program that gives pupils in the classroom the opportunity to answer questions about many aspects of bullying; afterward the teacher can easily get an overview and base policy and action on the findings. Nowadays, no school in the Netherlands is unaware of bullying as a real problem. The subject is discussed regularly in schools and in the media. The Associations are planning new incentives to help all parties involved reduce bullying and prevent it as far as is possible. (C) 2000 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
