The purpose of this study is to examine how bullying in the social care work setting affects its workers: Thesis – Bullying in the social care workplace Dissertation, TCD, Ireland

Introduction
The purpose of this study is to examine how bullying in the social care work setting affects its workers. It will analyse what supports are available to staff experiencing this issue. The researcher will also look at what management can do, and question whether are they doing enough.

What is bullying
Toppr (2020) defines bullying “as a pattern of deliberate, persistent aggression aimed at a person who is thought to be weaker, less capable, or incapable of defending themselves.” It involves an imbalance of power, where the bully uses the target’s strength or influence to control, threaten, or injure them. Bullying can happen in a variety of contexts and forms, including communities, workplaces, schools, and online spaces. Bullying in the context of the social care industry is defined as the repeated, persistent, and deliberate harm that one or more people in the industry inflict on their peers, colleagues, or subordinates. Important components of bullying in the context of social care include the following:
Repetition: Rather than being isolated incidents, bullying frequently consists of a pattern of behaviour or recurrent incidents.

Intent: The purpose of bullying is to intentionally injure, threaten, or exert control over another person. When someone engages in bullying, this is known as intentional behaviour.

Power imbalance: Bullying usually involves an imbalance of power between the victim and the bully. The victim may be the target of the bully’s control, influence, or authority.

Negative Effects: The behaviour has a detrimental impact on the target’s emotional state, general well-being, or productivity at work.