A guidance document has been launched outlining how schools should handle complaints about bullying.

Bullying. So we're against it then? You can be cynical all you like but the fact remains that last week's first Anti-Bullying Week saw a lot people raise the issue of finding appropriate ways to counter bullying and support those young people who are being bullied.

So what took place? For one thing we had the launch of the Blue Wristband - giving young people the chance to make a visible commitment against bullying. Several celebrities have given their backing to this anti-bullying fashion statement and some of the star participants, including footballer Wayne Rooney and X Factor judge Sharon Osbourne, will wear the bands over the next two months.

But what about policy? A key part of the Department for Education and Skills' strategy is to get schools signing up to an anti-bullying Charter for Action. This has five core elements: to discuss, monitor and review their anti-bullying policy; to support staff to identify and tackle bullying appropriately; to ensure young people are aware their concerns will be dealt with effectively and sensitively; to report back to parents; and to learn from the experiences of other schools and organisations.

What kind of practical measures should this involve? Under the "monitor and review" function, for example, it means the school should define bullying, record incidences and look for any patterns in occurrences of bullying.

There are also wider implications for the way schools are run. Guidance for the charter notes that many analyses see bullying linked to a sense of powerlessness and so encourages schools to reflect on what they are doing.

The guidance also suggests inviting colleagues from key voluntary sector staff to address in-service training (INSET) days. Other guidance for schools also urges them to recognise that bullying does not end at the school gates.

Anything else new? Well, whisper it quietly but we also have the last vestiges of Section 28, the law that prohibited local authorities from promoting homosexuality in schools, finally being thrown away. Schools minister Stephen Twigg used the week to launch new guidance called Stand Up for Us, which is designed to increase the focus on preventing homophobic bullying.

Previous guidance has been produced on dealing with racist and sexist bullying and Twigg said that schools should also now look at recording the number of homophobic incidents to spot particular problems. Tucked away in there is further guidance that all types of relationships, not just heterosexual ones, should be discussed in personal, social and health education. Schools are also urged to put in place a clear procedure for dealing with homophobic incidents and ensure the policy is familiar to staff and young people.

FACT BOX

- It is estimated that one in five secondary school pupils have experience of bullying and that someone is bullied in a UK school every seven seconds

- Beat Bullying blue wristbands can be obtained by young people through a BBC web site, www.bbc.co.uk/radio1/onelife, or by calling 0800 110 100

- New guidance on responding to homophobic bullying offers practical steps "to create an environment where everyone can feel welcome and valued"

- Further details of the Charter for Action can be found at www.dfes.gov.uk/bullying or www.teachernet.gov.uk/antibully.