KiVa Koulu: how Finland tackles bullying
KiVa is Finland's national anti-bullying programme, developed by the University of Turku and used in a large share of the country's comprehensive schools. It treats bullying as a whole-school problem, not just an issue between two pupils.
- KiVa was developed by the University of Turku with funding from Finland's Ministry of Education and Culture, and launched nationally in 2009.
- The programme covers pupils aged 6 to 16 and combines classroom lessons, a dedicated KiVa team of teachers, and digital materials.
- Around 41% of Finnish comprehensive schools use KiVa.
- A study of roughly 28,000 Finnish primary pupils found the programme reduced bullying and improved pupils' wellbeing.
- KiVa has also been trialled outside Finland, including in the UK and Chile.
What KiVa actually does in a school
KiVa, short for Kiusaamista Vastaan (against bullying), works on two levels at once. Universal prevention lessons run for every pupil, building empathy and bystander skills so classmates are more likely to intervene or report bullying rather than stay silent. Alongside this sits a targeted response for when bullying is actually reported.
This combination is what distinguishes KiVa from a one-off assembly or poster campaign: prevention is ongoing and built into the timetable, and intervention follows a set process rather than being handled ad hoc by whichever teacher hears about it first.
The KiVa team and how cases are handled
Each participating school trains a small KiVa team, usually three teachers, who investigate reported incidents. They typically meet separately with the pupil who was bullied and the pupil or pupils involved in the bullying, then follow up a few weeks later to check the behaviour has stopped.
Families are not left out of the process: KiVa material is sent home so parents understand how the school defines and handles bullying, which matters given the role of parents in Finnish education more broadly.
Why this fits with Finland's broader approach to wellbeing
KiVa is not an isolated initiative. It sits alongside the low-stakes, trust-based classroom culture described in wellbeing in Finnish schools, where teacher autonomy and consistent routines are already used to keep pressure on young pupils low.
Prevention lessons build empathy and bystander skills for every pupil; the KiVa team steps in with a structured process only once bullying is actually reported.
Frequently asked questions
Is KiVa used in every Finnish school?
No. Around 41% of Finnish comprehensive schools currently use the programme, so it is common but not universal.
Can KiVa be used outside Finland?
Yes, it has been trialled and adapted in other countries, including a large randomised trial in UK primary schools and studies in Chile.
Does KiVa replace normal teacher discipline?
No. It works alongside a school's existing behaviour policies, adding a structured prevention curriculum and a dedicated response process rather than replacing everyday classroom management.
Related reading
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