Community members and families gathered at the South Maroubra Surf Club on Saturday, 23 May for the Atreyu McCann Remembrance Day. Hosted by Australian actress and filmmaker Clare McCann, the public memorial honoured the life of her 13-year-old son, Atreyu McCann, who tragically took his own life following a period of relentless school bullying and severe trauma.
The tragic event underscores an escalating public health crisis. The Department of Education’s recent Anti-Bullying Rapid Review Final Report (October 2025) warns that the impact of bullying on Australian children has reached “devastating proportions,” with Australia ranked the second-highest country (out of 24 countries) for student exposure to bullying in 2022.
Crucially, the Review highlighted a systemic breakdown in support, noting that students prominently conveyed a sense of feeling ignored, dismissed, and trivialised by the institutions meant to protect them.
The report revealed that reports of harmful behaviours are frequently met with a lack of action, compounding students’ fear and distrust, with responses often wrongly aimed at removing the victim from the situation rather than addressing the perpetrator.
In an effort to protect other children and ensure her son’s legacy lives on, McCann used the memorial to issue a broader public call for stronger protections and institutional accountability within Australian education systems.
The afternoon also marked the launch of the Atreyu McCann Bullying Shield Support, a free, online advocacy tool designed to give families the voice and support they need to ensure their experiences are never ignored or dismissed.
Support is available for anyone experiencing bullying, trauma or mental health struggles:
- Lifeline: 13 11 14
24/7 crisis support and suicide prevention
Lifeline Australia - Kids Helpline: 1800 55 1800
Free support for children and young people aged 5-25
Kids Helpline - Beyond Blue: 1300 22 4636
Mental health and anxiety/depression support
Beyond Blue - 1800RESPECT: 1800 737 732
Support for bullying, abuse, violence, or feeling unsafe
1800RESPECT - NSW Mental Health Line: 1800 011 511
Mental health support in New South Wales
NSW Health Mental Health Line
