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  THE SAFE CHILD PROGRAM

• The Concept

• Basic Elements of the Program

• An Unique Approach to Prevention

The Safe Child Program is a comprehensive curriculum which teaches prevention of sexual, emotional and physical abuse by people known to the child; prevention of abuse and abduction by strangers; and safety in self-care. Presented in a preschool through third grade series, it teaches a broad base of life skills. In nearly a decade of evaluation, the Safe child Program has clearly demonstrated that it reduces children's risk of abuse and enhances their personal safety and competence.

The Safe Child Program Concept

Children are the last line of defense against abuse.

Parents, schools and organizations can use all the technology at their disposal, but experience tells us that we are almost always surprised to discover perpetrators in our midst. In addition, a substantial percentage of child abuse happens at the hands of parents. We cannot expect these children to receive adequate prevention messages at home.

It is important that prevention education be accomplished without diminishing children's' sense of well-being and trust in their everyday lives.

VIDEO  Safe Child Program uses role-play to teach skills.

The Safe Child Program accomplishes this by teaching skills which are applicable in everyday life. Children are not told what child abuse is or that it might happen with someone they love and trust. Rather, they are given opportunities to practice acting effectively on their own behalf in situations which are known to precede abuse.

 

VIDEO  Your Body Belongs to You Prevention Strategy

Although we work to protect children, there are times when children can and must be responsible for their own well-being -- particularly if they are alone with a potential abuser. The best overall defense children have against abuse is:

• permission to speak up on their own behalf,
• the ability to accurately assess and handle a variety of situations,
• knowing where and how to get help,
• knowing they will be believed.

VIDEO  The I'm Going to Tell Strategy

Children have a right to be safe without being afraid and children who have been taught to think for themselves are the safest children of all.

"...these skills offer children far more than added protection against abuse -- they support healthy emotional development and social interactions." Deborah Daro, Ph.D., Director, National Center on Child Abuse Prevention Research, Child Abuse and Neglect: The International Journal, 16:1

The SAFE CHILD Program

• Is positive, non-explicit and non-threatening
• Teaches skills which reduce children's vulnerability
• Raises self-esteem and improves self-reliance
• Is multi-racial and multi-cultural

VIDEO 

The SAFE CHILD Program incorporates:

• Teacher training to ensure consistent presentation of the Program
• Parental education to enhance understanding and reinforce Program goals
• Videotapes to guarantee the accurate introduction of the concepts to the children
• Classroom role-playing to develop individual mastery of safety skills

 A Unique Approach to Prevention

The Safe Child Program contains all the key components that have been identified as essential to a comprehensive prevention of child abuse program, including:

• teacher training to ensure consistent presentation of the Program;
• parental involvement to enhance understanding and support of Program goals;
• multi-racial and multi-cultural (parent and child materials are available in English, Spanish, Creole and French);
• positive, non-explicit approach which respects the needs of children and families;
• program initiation at the preschool level with annual, age-appropriate development of the concepts and skills;
• multi-session instruction, five to ten sessions each year of the program;
• videotapes to guarantee the accurate introduction and modeling of the concepts to the children;
• well scripted classroom role-playing to develop individual mastery of safety skills;
• emphasis on life skill which have been shown to enable children to utilize prevention skills; and
• on-going evaluation and updating of the program.

"The Safe Child Program is one of the most responsible and effective programs available for teaching personal safety skills and reducing the vulnerability of children to abuse. I wish all children could have the opportunity to participate in this program." Ross Dawson, Director of Training, the Institute for the Prevention of Child Abuse, Toronto, Canada

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE SAFE CHILD PROGRAM,

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Copyright © 1996-2008 Coalition for Children, Inc., Sherryll Kraizer, Ph.D.